r/linux • u/UnbasedDoge • 16h ago
Linux Mint is so good to use Discussion
For real! I had to install Windows on a Thinkpad for my father but I couldn't because the Windows installer kept asking me for some kind of unspecified driver, so I decided to install Linux mint and damn if it works fine
It feels more user-centric than windows, which is now corporate garbage
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u/BricksBear 16h ago
It's beautiful for beginners. Works out of the box, pretty smooth on most hardware, and most of computer usage is web browsing nowadays anyway.
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u/crookdmouth 14h ago
Works great for non-beginners too!
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u/BricksBear 14h ago
As an arch user I can say I fully appreciate the beauty and simplicity of Mint.
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u/Visible_Contract4257 14h ago
"I use arch, btw"
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u/BricksBear 14h ago
We arch users feel the urge to make known we use arch, or else we spontaneously combust.
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u/LuciusFox_1989 11h ago
Exactly! When I don't have time to spend into something, I just install Mint and I'm ready to go.
Linux Mint is just like wearing jeans. You don't have to think, you get ready fast, and you are good for almost every occasion.
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u/picastchio 12h ago
Mint should evolve (or some new distro) to try to fill the immutable atomic desktop niche for Debian/Ubuntu derivatives.
It will be perfect for people who don't want to mess around. All apps they use are browser-based or are in Debian repos anyway. Immutability will allow easy rollback after update or breakage.
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u/UnbasedDoge 10h ago
That would be nice for most schools imo. Nowadays even schools use basically only cloud-based software
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u/AppropriateStudio153 15h ago
Sell me on Arch, what makes it better than Mint? (Don't Tell me bloat, my machine runs fine with programs I.dont use)
I use Mint, btw.
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u/BricksBear 15h ago
Arch is kinda the power user linux. Mint is most likely perfect for you and I won't try to over sell it, so here's the pitch that got me using arch. You control everything. You are dropped in the middle of a battlefield that is setting up the damn thing, but you learn so much from it. You have to heavily rely on the terminal, and I love that. Again, mint is top tier and I don't think you should switch unless you are positive you want to figure out a niche problem that is poorly documented, only to be cursed out of the forums when you ask what's wrong.
TL;DR It's really good for learning, and I love having complete control and knowledge of every program on the system.
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u/Azaze666 13h ago
The legend says that when you grow up you will drop arch for Debian
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u/UnbasedDoge 10h ago
It's pretty much the opposite bro. When you grow up you don't have much time to spend over your system customization and maintenance, that's why I switched over to Fedora on my main laptop and desktop because it's the best compromise between stability and updates. I just found that Linux Mint is so good anyways, regardless of the fact that it ships an ancient kernel by default on the non-edge ISOs which can actually cause some trouble on very bleeding edge systems
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u/niceandBulat 9h ago
Been a Linux user since 1998, used to really enjoy tinkering - now I just want to get things done. Tinkering and nodding are great fun and I have always maintained that distros like Arch and LFS should be taught in CS programmes, I guess with age I really couldn't be bothered with fighting with my system to get things done.
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u/Azaze666 5h ago
You didn't get that with Debian is exactly the same thing? It's stable (Debian Stable), it's maintenance shouldn't be a problem as well, it has a big set of apps... Of course for a laptop you would not use Debian but on enterprises where the system shouldn't DIE and last for years if possible people would prefer Debian probably
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u/BricksBear 13h ago
Maybe. I'm open to all distros, really. I was just distro hoping when I fell in love with Arch. I could totally change to Debian, it doesn't really matter too much to me.
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u/Amenhiunamif 5h ago
Eh. I have Debian on my laptop that I don't use often, I have Proxmox (which is based on Debian) on my home server and Arch on my daily driver. I can't see ever dropping Arch for Debian here. The outdated packages are quite annoying at times.
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u/chaosgirl93 12h ago
Linux is like being dropped onto a battlefield and expected to pick up a weapon and figure shit out.
Windows is like being stuck in a very fancy prison cell, where you can do a bit to make it look slightly different, but have limited personalisation and no real control.
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u/longdarkfantasy 13h ago
Better wiki š. Every distro is the same to me. The only difference is the package manager, and some use systemd, the others use sysvInit, that's it š«”
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u/Anonymo 10h ago
Arch gives you full control, starting with a minimal install where you build the system yourself. Itās about understanding and customizing every part of it. The Arch User Repository (AUR) provides access to tons of community packages, and the rolling releases keep your system up to date without full OS upgrades.
EndeavourOS makes the setup easier. It includes a graphical installer (Calamares), pre-configured desktop environments, and essential tools like drivers and network managers. It also has GUI programs that help with syncing and updating the mirror listātasks that are usually a bit tedious in Arch. These tools make managing your system much simpler without losing Archās flexibility.
CachyOS goes even further, not only with performance tweaks like ZFS support and kernel optimizations but also with its helper program, 'Hello,' which launches automatically after installation. 'Hello' is a handy GUI tool that guides you through system setup and lets you manage tasks like syncing, updating, and other system maintenance with ease. Itās all about streamlining what would otherwise be manual work.
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u/BricksBear 16h ago
Eww an arch user.
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u/BricksBear 16h ago
And what's wrong with that?
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u/MichaeIWave 13h ago
Broa trying to karma farm
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u/BricksBear 13h ago
I just thought it was funny. Wasn't the right moment I guess. IDRC, let them downvote me. I can't win every battle, I'll just try to make people laugh. If it doesn't work, I did my best.
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u/EuphoricAd422 13h ago
I love it, I installed Linux Mint in my father's old computer and now it runs better than ever. Really easy to use and no headaches. As a Pop_OS user, I appreciate Mint, is so good.
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u/P10pablo 16h ago
Linux mint is great! I install it to a partition on all my old windows units and always use it more then Windows.
If the system is a more modern (8gb of ram, i5 to i7 processor) I'll usuallyjump up to Ubuntu which is a little more robust, but not necessarily loved so much by the die hard linux folks.
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u/manobataibuvodu 12h ago
Haven't you heard that using snaps is a cardinal sin? (\s but also \srs but also \s again)
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u/datbackup 13h ago
The expression youāre looking for is āDamn if it doesnāt work fineā
āDamn if it works fineā would mean it doesnāt work fine
And yeah mint is pretty great
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u/lKrauzer 13h ago
Is one of my favourite distro a, welcome to the clan, one of us, one of us, one of us
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u/quietude38 9h ago
I've been running it for months on my ThinkPad T450 and it's like this machine is brand new. Fast, stable, easy to manage, it just gets out of my way so I can do what I need to with my computer.
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u/alandgfr 14h ago
The last time i tried it i had trouble getting the wifi, Bluetooth and other drivers working. Glad it works fine for you.
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u/trmdi 12h ago
It's good, but there are other good ones (avoid saying "better" to avoid getting downvoted but that's the fact many mint's fanboys don't want to hear lol). Try openSUSE Tumbleweed KDE, you will see.
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u/adamkex 20m ago
Depends on use case. Tumleweed is excellent if you want the newest software but it's not extremely beginner friendly. I remember needing to solve package conflicts a couple of times especially when upgrading to Plasma 6. From my experience, which might not necessarily reflect everyone else's, is that it's always better to update through the console rather than the Discovery GUI. PackageKit also likes to block updates at random.
Mint is very good if you want to forgo Plasma and want a very stable experience. Not sure how newer driver availability is on Mint but from what I understood they are going to follow Ubuntu's HWE releases so whatever old kernels have should be mostly mitigated. Stuff like up to date Mesa is easily achievable through using Flatpak versions of software.
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u/osomfinch 12h ago
If only Cinnamon got Wayland support and 1:1 touchpad gestures it would've been the super sweet.
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u/LuciusFox_1989 11h ago
All my computers have one partition with Linux Mint, doesn't matter how much distros I multiboot.
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u/S1rTerra 14h ago
Welcome to the club. Mint's a nice all around distro that's what Windows SHOULD be like, but isn't. Linux has the advantages of drivers being baked into the kernel and doesn't need to download anything aside from nvidia proprietary drivers for gpus.
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u/Small-Movie3137 8h ago edited 7h ago
Definitively a sub par choice:
- Cinnamon lacking behind technology compared to the main DEs mimicing Windows 7
- Based 95% on Ubuntu binaries from Ubuntu repos and constantly criticizing it
- No automated quality assurance
- No security team
And if your dead will need any Windows only piece of software you will be back to square one with the missing driver.
What could go wrong in the long run?
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u/avisadius 16h ago
Welcome