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Old 09-16-2013, 03:38 AM   #16
EDDY1
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I agree but if a newbie wants to experience linux without the learning curve then so be it
 
Old 09-16-2013, 10:07 AM   #17
Sumguy
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Thanks for all the replies, fellers!

Here's what I'm thinking: I'll start out with Mint 13 LTS because I know it'll work. Only thing is: It's not achieving my goal of getting away from Ubuntu- but as long as it's like my current Ubuntu and not like the newer Ubuntu....that's O-K. I really do want to get away from Cannonical's Microsoft-like marketing/spying/steering, which is present in their newer offerings...but I don't think that is an issue yet with Mint, correct? (As it is based on the older version of Ubuntu).

Then, I will later dual-boot with Debian, so I can fool around with it and learn it at my leisure.

Question: Currently, my 'puter is dual booted with Ubuntu and [gasp]Vista (Haven't booted up Vista literally in years!). I want to end up (for the time being) keeping my current Ubuntu, and ditching the Vista- trading it for Mint 13. Will the Mint installer allow me to do this- or do I need to ditch the Vista first- and if so, how?

Then, in the future, I'll ditch the Ubuntu and add Debian.

Thanks for all the help and advice, everyone. I know, I could be researching this stuff myself....and would have in the past- but as of late, I've been decreasing the amount of time I spend on the 'puter, and have lost my impetus to learn- I just want stuff that works, rather transparently- much like someone who wants to drive a car, without worrying about how the car works. [Bad example...I can fix anything on a car! ]

(((And yes, I've become so lazy, that one of things that appealed to me about Mint, is that it comes with the codecs! )))

Last edited by Sumguy; 09-16-2013 at 10:09 AM.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 10:21 AM   #18
cynwulf
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In installing mint, you're just reinstalling another 'buntu with a makeover. There really isn't much point, but that's up to you.

It seems to me that you have one easy back up distro - 'buntu and you're planning to install another distro to get away from 'buntu and get something more lightweight and without the ties to comical ltd? You could just keep 'buntu and install Debian stable over Vista and have a play around with it...?
 
Old 09-16-2013, 10:36 AM   #19
Sumguy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cynwulf View Post
In installing mint, you're just reinstalling another 'buntu with a makeover. There really isn't much point, but that's up to you.

It seems to me that you have one easy back up distro - 'buntu and you're planning to install another distro to get away from 'buntu and get something more lightweight and without the ties to comical ltd? You could just keep 'buntu and install Debian stable over Vista and have a play around with it...?
You know....that does make perfect sense! After all, the only reason I'm looking for an alternative right now, is so that I won't have to install the newer Ubuntu when I get a new 'puter. My current Ubuntu works just fine...so why do I need the Mint? Hahahaha! I almost missed the forest for the trees, there!

Thanks.

(Funny, too- as that has been my desire since I got into Linux; Dual boot Debian with my Ubuntu, so I'd learn to use it)

Debian does have a graphical installer? And it will allow me to put it in place of Vista while retaining Ubuntu?
 
Old 09-16-2013, 10:42 AM   #20
DavidMcCann
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I think you'd be better to go with Mint, especially the Mate version. If you didn't like Unity, you won't like Gnome and Debian is a Gnome distro. And before someone says "Debian has all the desktops and window managers in its repository", that doesn't mean you haven't got the bother of replacing Gnome, and it doesn't mean they are all free of bugs (Fluxbox isn't, for a start).

Mints' Debian edition is nice and probably the way of the future. If Ubuntu goes for Mir graphics and everyone else goes for Wayland, then Ubuntu will become just another Unix, but not a Linux.

LMDE: http://www.linuxquestions.org/review...p/product/2545

Debian: http://www.linuxquestions.org/review...p/product/2596

Last edited by DavidMcCann; 09-16-2013 at 10:44 AM.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 10:45 AM   #21
junior-s
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Using Mint because you don't like Canonical's spying doesn't make any sense since, as already said, Mint depends on Ubuntu and I find it hard to trust a company when it failed hardly in the past
In this case, go for LMDE instead of Mint 13, you'll get newer software and a much stronger base.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidMcCann View Post
I think you're right to go with Mint, especially the Mate version. If you didn't like Unity, you won't like Gnome and Debian is a Gnome distro. And before someone says "Debian has all the desktops and window managers in its repository", that doesn't mean you haven't got the bother of replacing Gnome, and it doesn't mean they are all free of bugs (Fluxbox isn't, for a start).

The Debian edition of Mint is nice and probably the way of the future. If Ubuntu goes for Mir and everyone else goes for Wayland, then Ubuntu will become just another Unix, but not Linux.

LMDE: http://www.linuxquestions.org/review...p/product/2545

Debian: http://www.linuxquestions.org/review...p/product/2596
You can chose not to install any DE at all on Debian. Then, after install, you can install which one you like most.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 11:13 AM   #22
cynwulf
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidMcCann View Post
If you didn't like Unity, you won't like Gnome and Debian is a Gnome distro.
Please explain why Debian is a "gnome distro"...?

Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidMcCann View Post
And before someone says "Debian has all the desktops and window managers in its repository", that doesn't mean you haven't got the bother of replacing Gnome, and it doesn't mean they are all free of bugs (Fluxbox isn't, for a start).
You're quite simply wrong, debian provides gnome as the default but has many install options including, xfce, KDE and lxde: http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/7.1.0/amd64/iso-cd/

Lots of distros don't support MATE and for good reason.

You can easily get upstream fluxbox in stable via backports.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidMcCann View Post
Mints' Debian edition is nice and probably the way of the future. If Ubuntu goes for Mir graphics and everyone else goes for Wayland, then Ubuntu will become just another Unix, but not a Linux.
They will become "just another unix" only if they switch to a different kernel.

Yes we get it for the umpteenth time, you don't like Debian...

It's quite ironic that these supposedly superior (or as some would say - "polished") derivatives would not even be possible without Debian itself and the hard work of Debian developers.

Last edited by cynwulf; 09-16-2013 at 11:19 AM.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 11:18 AM   #23
carlosinfl
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Debian.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 11:46 AM   #24
NeXuS_2006
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Mint actually doesn't have any of the spying/use statistics stuff that comes with newer Ubuntu/Unity. There was recently a discussion of this over at the Mint forums.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 11:51 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NeXuS_2006 View Post
Mint actually doesn't have any of the spying/use statistics stuff that comes with newer Ubuntu/Unity. There was recently a discussion of this over at the Mint forums.
Have any of you compiled Mint from source? Anyone looked thoroughly at the source code?
If I recall, Ubuntu doesn't provide any source code at all for their packages. Who knows what's actually in there (if my claim is accurate).

Last edited by junior-s; 09-16-2013 at 11:55 AM.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 11:56 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by junior-s View Post
Have any of you compiled Mint from source? Anyone looked thoroughly at the source code?
If I recall, Ubuntu doesn't provide any source code at all for their packages. Who knows what's actually in there (if my claim is accurate).
I didn't follow it that closely, but there were some posters who had been looking through the source. Mint doesn't use any part of Unity at all, and doesn't plan to AFAIK.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 11:58 AM   #27
junior-s
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NeXuS_2006 View Post
I didn't follow it that closely, but there were some posters who had been looking through the source. Mint doesn't use any part of Unity at all, and doesn't plan to AFAIK.
Unity is just one if Canonical's attempt to make things LOL
Ubuntu has way more packages (of it's own) than Unity.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 12:05 PM   #28
rokytnji
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Just for info

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopi...t=135428&f=200

which was why I recommended Solydx

Quote:
A bit of history

You find SolydXK’s roots in another great distribution: Linux Mint.

There were two distributions which I liked very much: Linux Mint KDE and Linux Mint Debian Edition. There were once rumors that the two would merge, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. So, I decided to make my own distribution. First as a tutorial in the forum, but later it became known as “The unofficial LMDE KDE”. When Linux Mint dropped their LMDE Xfce edition, I started that one from scratch and “The unofficial LMDE Xfce” was born.
Anyhows, like I said. Just for info.
 
Old 09-16-2013, 12:09 PM   #29
JWJones
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If you want to move away from Ubuntu and towards Debian, I'd recommend solydx, antiX, or if you should suddenly feel more adventurous, LinuxBBQ (one of the Xfce releases).
 
Old 09-16-2013, 12:18 PM   #30
junior-s
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Why do people tend to recommend forks and spin-offs? Why not just the real deal? ='(

"This makes me very sad, betcha-betcha".
 
  


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