Linux Mint facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Linux Mint

Linux Mint 22 "Wilma" using Cinnamon 6.2.7
Company / developer	Clément Lefèbvre, Linux Mint Teams and community
OS family	Linux (Unix-like)
Working state	Current
Source model	Open source
Initial release	27 August 2006; 18 years ago (2006-08-27)
Latest stable release	Main: 22  25 July 2024; 10 months ago (25 July 2024) LMDE: Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). 27 September 2023; 20 months ago (27 September 2023)
Available language(s)	Multilingual
Package manager	APT (dpkg) Flatpak
Supported platforms	x86-64 and x86
Kernel type	Monolithic (Linux)
Userland	GNU
Default user interface	1.0: KDE 2.0-12: GNOME 13-18.3: Cinnamon / MATE / KDE 4 / Xfce 19-present: Cinnamon / MATE / Xfce
License	Mainly GPL and other free software licenses, minor additions of proprietary software

Linux Mint is a popular Linux distribution (a type of operating system) that is based on Ubuntu and Debian. It comes with many useful free and open-source programs already installed. Linux Mint offers three main ways to customize your computer's look and feel, called desktop environments: Cinnamon, Xfce, and MATE.

The Linux Mint project was started by Clément Lefèbvre. It is now actively kept up-to-date by the Linux Mint Team and a large community of users and developers.

Discovering Linux Mint's Journey

Early Years: 2006-2015

Linux Mint began its journey in 2006 with a test version, 1.0, called 'Ada'. This early version was based on Kubuntu and used its KDE interface. The next version, Linux Mint 2.0 'Barbara', was the first to use Ubuntu as its main base and featured the GNOME interface. It didn't have many users until version 3.0, 'Cassandra', came out.

Linux Mint 2.0 was built on Ubuntu 6.10. It used Ubuntu's software libraries, which meant the two systems were very similar. This made sure they worked well together.

In 2008, Linux Mint decided to follow the same release schedule as Ubuntu. They also changed how they built their versions. Starting with Linux Mint 6 'Felicia', each new release was built directly from the latest Ubuntu version. These new Mint versions usually came out about a month after the matching Ubuntu release.

In 2010, Linux Mint introduced the Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE). Unlike the other versions that were based on Ubuntu, LMDE was directly based on Debian. It was designed to get continuous updates, rather than having big new versions every few months.

Recent History: 2016-Present

On February 20, 2016, the Linux Mint website was attacked by hackers. They briefly changed the download links for a version of Linux Mint to a harmful one that contained malware. The hackers also got into the website's user forum database. Linux Mint quickly took its servers offline and improved its security.

Starting with Linux Mint 20, the system only supports 64-bit computers (amd64). This change happened because Ubuntu 20.04, which Linux Mint 20 is based on, stopped supporting 32-bit systems. However, LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) still supports both 32-bit (x86 i386) and 64-bit (amd64) computers.

Understanding Linux Mint Releases

Every version of Linux Mint has a number and a special code name. The code names are feminine first names ending in 'a', and they follow the alphabet with each major new version. For example, version 18 was named 'Sarah'.

In the past, there were two Linux Mint releases each year. After Linux Mint 5 in 2008, every fourth release was called a long-term support (LTS) version. This means it would receive updates and support for a much longer time than regular releases. Versions 5 and 9 had three years of support, and all LTS versions after that received five years of support.

On May 31, 2014, with the release of Linux Mint 17, the team changed their release plan. From then on, all future versions would use an LTS version of Ubuntu as their base. This meant that Mint 17.1, 17.2, and 17.3 were all based on the same Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. These smaller updates (like 17.1, 17.2, 17.3) were easy to install and brought updates to the Cinnamon and MATE desktop environments, plus various Mint tools.

Linux Mint doesn't announce exact release dates. New versions are published "when ready," meaning they come out when the team feels they are stable and free of major bugs. New releases are always announced on the official Linux Mint blog.

On June 29, 2018, Linux Mint 19 'Tara' Cinnamon was released. This version and its updates (19.1, 19.2, 19.3) were based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and supported until 2023.

On June 27, 2020, Linux Mint 20 'Ulyana' was released. This is an LTS version that will be supported until 2025. Updates like 20.1 'Ulyssa', 20.2 'Uma', and 20.3 "Una" followed.

The latest release is Linux Mint 22 "Wilma", which came out on July 25, 2024. As an LTS release, it will receive support until 2029.

Linux Mint Debian Edition release history

Exploring X-Apps

In 2016, the Linux Mint team created the X-Apps. These are a set of applications designed to work well across different desktop environments that use GTK. This includes Cinnamon, Budgie, Unity, MATE, and XFCE. Most of these apps have a traditional look, like using a menu bar instead of a header-bar. The team wanted to make sure their apps weren't tied to just one desktop environment.

As of 2024, the Linux Mint team is working on making X-Apps a completely separate project. This means they will no longer be part of the main Linux Mint development. Many of these apps are forks (copies that are then changed) of existing GNOME Core Applications.

Key Features of Linux Mint

Linux Mint mainly uses free and open-source software. Before version 18, some special software, like device drivers and codecs for playing MP3s and DVDs, were included. Starting with version 18, you can choose to install these extra programs during setup.

Linux Mint comes with many useful programs already installed. These include LibreOffice (like Microsoft Office), Firefox for browsing the internet, Thunderbird for email, and VLC media player for videos. You can download more programs using the software manager or by adding them from other sources. Linux Mint also has a firewall to help keep your computer safe by controlling network connections. The main desktop environments, Cinnamon and MATE, support many languages. You can even run many programs made for Microsoft Windows on Linux Mint using a special tool called Wine.

You can choose from different desktop environments when you install Linux Mint. The main ones are Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce. You can also install other desktop environments later using the Mint Software Manager.

Linux Mint uses a security system called AppArmor to make your computer safer. It also limits which programs can connect to the internet by default.

The Linux Mint team actively creates software for its operating system. Most of this work is done using the Python programming language. The code is available on GitHub, which makes it easy for other developers to help improve it.

Software by Linux Mint

The current interface for mintUpdate, Linux Mint's Update tool

The Linux Mint Software Manager allows users to view, install, and uninstall programs.

Cinnamon Desktop Environment

The Cinnamon desktop environment is a special version of GNOME Shell. It was first released as an extra feature for Linux Mint 12. Since Linux Mint 13, Cinnamon has been a main desktop environment choice.

MintTools: Helpful Programs

• Software Manager (mintInstall): This tool helps you find, install, and remove software from official Linux Mint and Ubuntu sources. Since Linux Mint 18.3, it can also install apps from Flatpak, which is a way to get apps that work on many different Linux systems.
• Update Manager (mintUpdate): This tool helps you keep your system up-to-date. It can show you which updates are important and which ones might need more technical knowledge. In newer versions, it works with a tool called Timeshift to create system backups before updates.
• Main Menu (mintMenu): This menu is designed for the MATE desktop environment. It helps you find programs, system settings, and files easily. You can also customize it.
• Backup Tool (mintBackup): This program lets you save copies of your important files and settings. You can then restore them, for example, after installing a new version of Linux Mint.
• USB Image Writer/USB Stick Formatter (mintStick): This tool helps you put a Linux Mint operating system onto a USB drive. It can also format (erase and prepare) USB sticks.
• System Reports (mintReport): Introduced in Linux Mint 18.3, this tool helps you see and manage reports when an application crashes. It can also suggest actions, like installing drivers or making system backups.

Installing Linux Mint

You can run Linux Mint directly from a USB flash drive on most computers that can start from a USB. You can even save your settings on the USB drive. You can also burn the Linux Mint ISO file onto a DVD to start from there.

In the past, there was a tool called Mint4Win that let you install Linux Mint from inside Microsoft Windows. This was helpful for Windows users because it didn't require changing your hard drive partitions. However, this method was not for permanent installations and had a small performance slowdown. This tool was removed after Linux Mint 16.

When you install Linux Mint, it can automatically set up your disk encryption and manage your storage using LVM since Linux Mint 15.

Different Editions of Linux Mint

Linux Mint offers several versions. Most are based on Ubuntu and come with different desktop environments. There's also a special edition based on Debian.

Ubuntu-Based Editions

Since Linux Mint 13, the main team develops two primary editions based on Ubuntu. One uses Linux Mint's own Cinnamon desktop, and the other uses MATE. There's also a version with the Xfce desktop environment. Since version 19 (Tara), all three of these editions are released at the same time.

The KDE edition was officially stopped after Linux Mint 19. However, older KDE versions (17.x and 18.x) were still supported for a while. Older, now outdated, releases also included versions with GNOME, LXDE, and Fluxbox desktop environments.

Cinnamon (Edge) Edition

Sometimes, Linux Mint offers an "edge" version of its latest release. This version includes newer parts, like a newer kernel, to help it work better with the very latest computer hardware.

Linux Mint 18 Cinnamon Edition's live CD boot menu

LMDE: Debian-Based Edition

The Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) uses Debian Stable as its base instead of Ubuntu. LMDE aims to offer the same features and look as the Ubuntu-based versions. LMDE has its own software libraries.

LMDE has some differences compared to the main Ubuntu-based Linux Mint:

• LMDE can be faster and more responsive.
• LMDE might require a bit more knowledge about Linux and Debian software management.
• Debian itself can be less user-friendly than Ubuntu, with some parts needing more setup.
• The Driver Manager tool does not work in LMDE.

LMDE 1

The first LMDE (often called LMDE 1) used a "semi-rolling release" model. This meant it received regular "Update Packs" that kept the system current without needing a full reinstallation every six months.

LMDE 2

LMDE 2 'Betsy' running Cinnamon 2.8

LMDE 2, also known as Betsy, was released on April 10, 2015. It was based on Debian Jessie. LMDE 2 received automatic updates for MintTools and desktop environments before they were released to the main Linux Mint versions. LMDE 2 was available with both the MATE and Cinnamon desktop environments. This version is no longer supported since early 2019.

LMDE 3

LMDE 3, called Cindy, was based on Debian Stretch. It was released on August 31, 2018, and only came with the Cinnamon desktop. This version is no longer supported since July 1, 2020.

LMDE 4

LMDE 4, known as Debbie, was based on Debian Buster (version 10). It was released on March 20, 2020, and also came with the Cinnamon desktop.

LMDE 5

LMDE 5, or Elsie, was based on Debian Bullseye (version 11). It was released on March 20, 2022, with the Cinnamon desktop and supported both 64-bit and 32-bit computers.

LMDE 6

Linux Mint Debian Edition 6 "Faye" was released on September 27, 2023. It is based on Debian Bookworm and includes Cinnamon 5.8.

How Linux Mint is Developed

Individual users and companies who use Linux Mint help the project by donating money, sponsoring, or partnering with the distribution. Linux Mint relies on feedback from its users to make decisions about how it should grow. The official blog often asks users for their opinions on new features or plans for upcoming releases. Users can also suggest ideas, comment on them, and rate them on the Linux Mint Community Website.

The Linux Mint user community uses Launchpad to help translate the operating system into different languages and report any bugs they find.

Most of the development work is done using the Python programming language. The code is organized online using GitHub. This makes it easy for developers to contribute improvements, add new features, or even create their own versions of Linux Mint's smaller projects. For example, the Linux Mint menu was adapted to work on Fedora. With each new release, features that were suggested and developed by the community are often added.

See also

In Spanish: Linux Mint para niños