
#LINUX MINT 21.1 SOFTWARE#
Because of its extremely high criteria for software admission in its stable releases, Debian uses older versions of packages that have stood the test of time and passed many tests. Mint’s Experience without CompromiseĪs nothing in our world is perfect, Debian also pays the price for its outstanding stability. So, LMDE allows you to bypass the intermediate links and get straight to the source, in this case, Debian. If I am confusing you, here it is explained. In other words, we have a derivative based on another derivative. A long-lasting desktop operating system that will faithfully serve you for years, providing you with the peace of mind and sense of reliability you need to perform your daily computing tasks.įurthermore, as previously said, the Mint flagship release is based on Ubuntu, which is based on Debian. In other words, with LMDE 5, you get the best in terms of stability. Let your imagination run wild and think of all the stability and reliability advantages of an operating system based on the Debian stable branch, just as is the case with LMDE 5 based on Debian 11 (Bullseye) stable. Then, and only after that, we get to the Debian stable branch. You know there is a more stable branch above Debian’s unstable branch, namely Debian testing. Do you know that Ubuntu is based on packages from Debian’s unstable branch? In other words, a stable Ubuntu operating system under the hood is just an unstable Debian. I’ll start with a question as rhetorical as it is resonant. Even better than the Ubuntu-based Mint releases. Keeping out of the spotlight, LMDE 5 is one of the best and most reliable desktop Linux experiences nowadays. Get the Best of Both Worlds with LMDE 5Īnd now we come to the most beautiful part. In other words, many factors can cause Ubuntu to differ from what we know today.īecause of these concerns, the Linux Mint developers have ensured through LMDE that what has been done thus far can also be accomplished by building on a pure Debian base, guaranteeing Mint’s future in the absence of Ubuntu. And Canonical has a strong business-corporate focus with its Ubuntu operating system. Mandrake Linux, Red Hat Linux, CentOS, and so on are only a few examples.Ĭorporate interests accompanied by financial expectations can almost always change the course of a Linux distribution.

But, folks, history recalls many occasions when things moved in a different direction than the Linux community expected. Of course, new Linux users are probably wondering, “What could happen to Ubuntu?”. This is a rare approach in the Linux world. In other words, LMDE acts as both insurance and proof-of-concept in one. LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) is being developed alongside the core Mint release to guarantee that if something happens to Ubuntu, Mint can continue to exist and give the same experience to its users as before. LMDE 5 “Elsie” Cinnamon Desktop What’s the LMDE Purpose? But out of the spotlight is one of the best things to happen to your Linux desktop. Why? Because it has a purpose other than to be the flagship product, remaining in the shadow of the main Mint release. Some of the newest Mint users are even unaware of its existence. This is achieved mainly in Mint’s Ubuntu-based flagship edition, Cinnamon.Īnd now, we get to the point of this article: LMDE, or Linux Mint Debian Edition.

Its guiding idea is to remove all of Ubuntu’s existing flaws, build on top of the existing base, then package and provide it in an easy-to-use desktop-focused Linux distro. Mint, as we all know, is based on Ubuntu.

So, of course, it is no coincidence that the Linux Mint 21.1 release takes the top spot in our rankings for the best desktop Linux distros for 2022. This straightforwardness and adherence to the golden rule of keeping things simple, easy to use, and workable has earned it a large user base. Throughout the years, the distribution has focused on a single simple goal: an easy and user-friendly Linux desktop for everyday users. Linux Mint, a 16-year-old distribution, launched its initial release in August 2006. Isn’t the Debian-based Mint’s LMDE 5, existing just as a proof-of-concept, actually the best desktop Linux distro? Spoiler alert: it might be!
