I think you nailed it! Being on the wrong side of 70, I've lived through Microsoft operating systems from the days of Dual-floppy MS-DOS. Now our daily drivers all run Mint / Cinnamon. The lack of drama during updates and upgrades impresses us, as does the ease of use. Mint is truly a world-class operating system.
I'm with you. As a retired Computer Tech I spent a good deal of my Tech-life fighting with Windows and all the crap that the Internet dumped into it. Recently, I grew tired of all the crap that Microsoft dumps into it, and I'd had enough. Switching my PC's to Linux Mint has been a learning experience...but very nice one!!
Being in my mid-40s, I'm not quite at the level of seniority as some of you 😂 but having grown up using Apple IIs and some of those older IBM PCs in school as a child and then getting my own 486 system in my teens, I've lived through everything from the early DOS versions to Windows 11. While my main system is using Windows 11, my secondary PC is on Fedora 40 with KDE Plasma 6 and I'm almost at the point where I feel fine about dual-booting that distro on my daily driver with 11 on it for the few edge cases I'll need that for. Having said that, my laptop is using Linux Mint w/ Cinnamon exclusively, and for the system I built for my mother (who is around the same age as @BWGPEI ) Mint was an easy choice due to its stability, especially as she's not doing much besides browsing and e-mail.
Mint is not only my favorite Linux distro but my favorite OS, full stop. It has always been rock solid stable, even through numerous upgrade cycles. Every computer in my house runs Mint/Cinnamon and that includes everything from workstations to gaming rigs to a HTPC. I think the entire team, from Clem on down, should be commended for all their efforts in producing such a high quality OS. You did a great job on touching on all the finer points that make Mint such a fantastic distro, awesome job IG!
Really great rundown. Love the subject matter. I've wanted to be a Linux purist for so long. But I'm a gamer... The titles I like to play are never supported on Linux. Steam is the closest hope but even then devs don't target Linux. Bit of a chicken and egg scenario but realistically that's what keeps me on windows. Emulation is a no go cause let's be real, (bad fps), that's not really an option if you're even remotely serious about gaming. Windows desktop isn't my favorite by far, but it's very decent, so there's really no reason to run another desktop OS. This is why Microsoft has been so heavily invested in gaming for so long-- and they know this which is why they don't target linux when developing their flagship games. I'm not sure how much this affects others, but it's why I've never run Linux as a desktop, and I can't be alone.
@@allrightbruh That's what I said. Linux has made massive strides in gaming thanks largely to the efforts of Code Weavers and Valve. When I first started using Linux years ago gaming was nearly non-existent, now many titles run excellently. I do keep a Windows drive in my machine for the very few that don't but that number is dwindling constantly.
One of the things that I have always liked Linux Mint is the conservative way that they are with features. I like how they stay consistent with the overall experience in improving the quality of their product, and only add features that they feel are actually going to be useful to their user base and not add features just to add them.
Don't forget that they actually listen to their users! I've seen plenty of instances where a new feature got a lot of push back and by the next release it was gone. Unlike Windows, they actually care what their user base thinks.
Yeah, their decision to stick with a traditional desktop back in 2011-2013 made me a fan. This was the time when everyone kept trying to chase the mobile trend with their desktop OS, and Mint decided to sit out that stupidity. It's basically the equivalent to Windows 7, but made from Linux and kept up to date.
@guitarszen Rolling distros are awesome but tried and true, rock solid distros that are super hard to break and don't require regular updates to prevent breakage (I'm looking at you Arch) have a place too. I'm very grateful for flatpaks on distros like Debian and even Mint to some degree so you can still grab newer packages if you need them.
Mint is the Toyota of Linux distros, it's vanilla and boring but reliable as anything. Because they wait until new technology is proven before adding it too soon just so people can say *ooh new shiny*. I respect and appreciate their approach.
In my 25+ years of using Linux, Mint has been my daily desktop for the last 13, or so, years. It has everything you need without unnecessary bells & whistles.
@@Barten0071 The problem here is that guitarszen is actually right. Only thing he forgot is that the package manager also sucks major balls out of the box. You need decent Debian knowledge to get it working like it should and then you are stuck with 3 different ways which do not always sync correctly as Mint is downstream and it can lead to serious dependency hell (dpkg, aptitude and synaptic respectively).
revived a 14 year old iMac with Mint, using it everyday as my main OS, not only I haven't missed a single feature, but now I can't even imagine going back to Mac OS
@@Zu3sUK Well, after extreme monopolization on software compatibility, it at least had its place as a beginner friendly OS until windows 7. After that it became cocky and more and more invasive and now we have recall. Yeah, anyone who has even the slightest bit of self-worth should jump ship at this point.
Linux Mint is the pickup truck of distros. It is rock solid, stable, dependable, easy to figure out, easily repaired if you do something dumb, (Love Timeshift) gets just about any job done, can be configured in a myriad of ways and can be driven by anyone who can read. I've been with Linux Mint now going on four years and can't even imagine why I would consider anything else.
I agree with you. Over the years, I've tried various distros but for some reason I always end up coming back to Linux Mint. I can't quite put my finger on why but there's something about Linux Mint that appeals to me as a regular user who wants simplicity, convenience and stability. I'm not a Linux power user and _I don't want to be a Linux power user._ A good operating system should keep out of the user's way and let them get on with their work.
I completely agree! I've been a Mint user since version 17 (both for work and home). I have turned many friends and family onto Mint - it's a great distribution for new users and experienced users alike!
I went from Mint MATE > Debian KDE > Kubuntu > Fedora KDE > Mint Cinnamon Mint just works and other than being a big fan of KDE and what they have I just really like the Mint OS tools and consistency. Excited to start testing Cinnamon on Wayland here soon too!
Used to run Mint KDE back in the day. Not sure how badly it'll get borked but might try adding it and removing cinnamon or whatnot :) This is the main reason I dislike distros like Ubuntu and Mint is that they hard tie the DE with the distro to where the user can't just swap out DEs without possibly tanking the install vs something like Fedora, Debian, or Arch
I migrated from Zorin to Linux Mint: MATE Edition. Best decision I ever made. I put it on a Lenovo Core2 Duo laptop and a Dell Optiplex 9020. Both run fabulously. I feel confident saying that both machines will be usable for the next ten years.
Was it the real Zorin OS Core or Light? I only tried Core edition, but on better hardware a few years ago, and also think it shows its best on a touch device thanks to the larger title bar.
This aged well. Im now a mint user as of yesterday after microsoft decided that copilot and recall was their way forward. Mint is gorgeous. Im loving it so far
Two types of Linux Users, those that view Linux as their hobby and those that use Linux as a tool. The Linux Mint team view it as a tool, something that the user should not need to fuss with.
I recently decided to give Cinnamon another look and added it to my Arch setup, I have to say its come a long way since I used it last. I forgot how easy it was to theme things with their menu system (as opposed to how convoluted Gnome and KDE have gotten). Good points made about Mint, I am not sure if I am ready to give up my Arch install just yet ;-) but will definitely keep this in mind. Great video as always, thank you for putting this together!
Mint is great but I can't bring myself to say goodbye to pacman. Always nice to have mint on a live usb though. Might give cinnamon another go over the weekend though to be honest
As a PopOS!, user I approve of this message. I started my Linux journey with Ubuntu LTS, switched to Mint after a couple of years, and now are currently enjoying Pop due to wanting something different. Mint is a great start for any new user. Especially someone coming from Windows or a Mac.
Yeah, Pop and Mint are my top recommendations for anyone dipping into Linux. Ubuntu sux hard man. Big headaches for every major release that breaks like everything.
I recommend and install to everyone interested Mint, especially if there is nVidia on device, Mint has best support - one click install and optimus included. Myself with all AMD desktop - Manjaro is my favorite, but my laptop runs Mint also - because nVidia.
Can you elaborate I am trying to figure you what distro I should use but I can't find why AMD doesn't work well with mint. Should I avoid mint with my and computer. I just want a simply gaming oriented os
Ive been a user for many years and the things I love most are the updates & fact that I can change pretty much anything about the way it looks. Colours, taskbar to the top. Simple and fast. I don't want a computer to think & decide for me. And it's fassssst. Mint still supports my 13yo printer. Windows just abandoned it. Ugh, I hate my windows work laptop
Thanks for the video. I'm new to Linux, starting a few months ago when my Chromebook stopped working. I tried different versions but settled on Mint for my laptop.
I was worried that Linux Mint would become too outdated because they hadn't announced any progress on Wayland support for Cinnamon. Fortunately, within the last week, they finally announced preliminary Qayland support to be included in Linux Mint 21.3 and it will likely be ready by Linux Mint 23 in 2026. I think Linux Mint on Wayland will be so cool, especially once Cinnamon improves the touchpad gestures on Wayland once Wayland is fully supported!
they didn't say "likely ready", they more said "we think that people will start getting really antsy about it in 2026 so we're going to try to get it done earlier if possible
Love seeing content about Linux Mint. They definitely deserve the recognition you're given them. For me, top spot is a toss up between Linux Mint (including LMDE) and openSUSE Tumbleweed. They are both accomplishing different things but at the top of their respective games.
Mint Cinnamon is my current favorite GNU, but i wish it could upgrade everything in one click instead of forcing me to make and delete a Timeshift backup for each step. I tried Tumbleweed, but its ancient installer failed with "An error occured during installation." instead of pointing out that the 1024MB RAM VirtualBox recommended was insufficient.
@@CTimmerman - not sure why you would need to create a backup every time. I can upgrade Mint/Cinnamon with one click and still have my backups created automatically without interfering with updates or having to do them manually
@@MarcoAntonioButron Timeshift system backups are automatic and unwanted due to insufficient SSD space. Maybe it's faster to install the latest version from USB which would be useful anyway if the update failed.
I have been using Mint for most of the last decade. I try other distros, then return - time and again - to Mint. Arch and Fedora roll faster and use newer files to be sure. But for hardware compatibility, I find Mint best. And now they have Wayland plans! I think I am going back to Mint (from Fedora) yet again.
@@ytsktproprietary drivers (firmware). closed source drivers from some vendors like Nvidia or some wifi cards. in the past Debian won't support those out of the box. now they do
I've been on Linux Mint since 2018 and have really enjoyed playing games on it the whole time. I have no regrets about leaving Windows. When I left Windows, I felt like I was leaving an abusive psychopathic narcissistic relationship. I felt free!
Fantastic video. I'm a strong believer in Linux. My reason is TRUST. The giant we all know about, has been slowly getting on my nerves. So, I made the switch to Linux. More importantly, I'm happy and I trust my operating system.
Never thought I'd see the day where people shill wayland, and poop on X. I'd like to switch to wayland, but it's not ready for someone like me. There are no good tiling window managers (compositors) on wayland. If DWL ever gets good, that's what I'll move to.
I tried RH years ago. Then recently PopOS and had an upgrade issue that I could not fix. Then tried Ubuntu which I did not like. Now Mint and I very happy with it. Strongest selling point for Mint is the absolute ease of transition for Windows users.
I switched from Mint to Xubuntu around 10 years ago, but always keep an updated Mint ISO around to see where they're at and if I want to switch back. I might be trying it out full-time again soon.
@@CTimmermanBecause Xfce on Mint is sort of like a step-child. Distros support alternate interfaces because they have to, but their heart is usually in one or two specific interfaces. Mint's main dev attention and polish goes to Cinnamon, with MATE a close second, and Xfce is definitely third. And it shows (not that Mint Xfce is bad, it's just not as good as their Cin/MATE). If you want a specific environment for a Ubuntu base, get a Ubuntu based distro that primarily focuses on that environment.
@@davidg5898 Good advice to avoid Chrome keyring issues with it not being registered with your new DE's greeter or whatnot, but as Mint is a more polished Ubuntu i wondered why Xubuntu over Mint Xfce. My favorite DE at the moment is still Cinnamon on Mint because it looks good by default and Nemo shows creation dates like Windows.
@@CTimmermanWhen I switched away from Mint, they were in a development lull. Since then, I just got used to Xubuntu. Now, it's Xubuntu that's in a bit of a dev lull.
Honestly I like other DEs (desktop AND apps) more than what Mint offers, but every time I'm asked for recommendations for new users, it'll always be Linux Mint. The XFCE version is the second distro I ever booted from USB and played around with, after Lubuntu back when it had LXDE (I had an absolute potato for hardware 😅). I definitely like Mint's update manager.
Thank you for the review! I've been using Linux Mint Cinnamon since about 2012. I switched when Ubuntu moved the DE to Unity, which I couldn't stand, and it was like no one asked what the users wanted. Fortunately, Clément Lefèbvre had a different philosophy. I've not switched since, and I don't plan to. I prefer stability to the latest shiny toy.
Yeah, 2011-2013 was a really dark time for OSes in general. Everyone was thinking "Mobile? That's the next big thing!" And then they decided to make their DESKTOP operating systems behave like a mobile one. It's how we got flops like Windows 8. I'm so glad Mint didn't hop onto that braindead trend.
Using LMDE 6 with KDE Plasma (installed manually) right now, and I am so glad I switched. Never going back to Windows. (However, I do have almost every Windows version in a VM, since I do like Windows still)
I have been using Mint off and on for many, many years. I tend to try new things as they come out, but somehow always end up back on Mint. I chased the shinier, flashier things for many years but have more recently realized that I just want a stable system that gets out of my way, which is a great way to describe Linux Mint.
I've been trying Mint since 19. Dual booting from bios. Also a fan of LibreOffice. Speaking of, if this video prompts anyone to try Mint don't forget to install MS Core fonts. My goal is to be on Linux for a daily driver on or about W/10 eol.
Great points. My only reason for not using Mint is that 4K resolution support on X is amateur, the fonts get all blurry, and when you compare with Mac or Windows, X is decades lagging behind. With Wayland things are significantly better, or should I say, lagging just a little behind Mac and Windows
Honestly I prefer KDE over mint but mint is just so much more stable and reliable. As soon as Linux gets something like autohotkey (and preferably a more stable fancy zones clone (KDE has one but KDE seems slightly more buggy)) I'll move to Linux as a main OS. Whilst there's a lot of software that I'll miss coming from windows it might be worth it in the long run.
Linux Mint being consistent and not doing wild changes without considering end-user comfort is beautiful. A good distro to recommend for someone who just wants one thing that they can rely on for a long while without fear of getting thrown for a whirl in a fog
Mint + MATE is great. In a recent blog post, Clem commented that we was essentially booted off the MATE team though so will be interesting to see what kind of future it has with Mint.
Been using LM as a daily for at least a couple of years now and work in IT .. I have to use windows at work but LM updates and performance win it for me !!
I began learning Linux Mint in a virtual machine last week, and I'm already enjoying it. I plan to spend more time mastering the basics before fully transitioning.❤
I use Mint 21.2 on both my main desktop and laptop (edge). After installing on my laptop I booted Disgaea 7 and was very surprised by the performance and lack of issues via Steam Proton. It is one of the new Framework AMD 13" laptops. The OS has been such a positive experience that I actually donated to the project in the past. Looking forward to Linux, probably Mint, replacing my Windows OS for gaming at some point.
Ubuntu, to me, felt like a server OS role-playing as desktop OS most of the times I've attempted to use it. Mint feels like a dekstop OS with the stability and performance you'd expect from a server OS.
I've been using Mint in preference to Windows for over four years now. My daily driver is now my 13 year old Dell Precision M6500 (1st gen 17) and does every software development job I need in times that are only a few percent slower than my 9th gen i7 HP laptop. It also powers my NAS RAID and my Jellyfin server (all on old hardware I repurposed).
I have been using Linux Mint every day since August 2023. It is simply the best Linux Distro bar none. It consistently surprises you with it's ease of use and little features everywhere. I switched originally from Ubuntu to Arch, and was very satisfied. I started using Linux Mint when Arch failed me for the last time. I was completely sick of it. Even though I have only been using Linux Mint a short time, I love it's simplicity and stability. It simply Rocks.
yea man, havent watched the video yet, but indeed, most of the time me and also i installed it on the my mothers computer, mint is indeed the best option there is. But there are still circumstances where sometimes some other distros are necessary. But for the most cases indeed mint is the best.
I approve of this video! There's lots of different distros for different niches and preferences, but Linux Mint is truly the best way for a Windows user to get their feet wet so to speak. I would even say any current Mint users should at least try LMDE. It's basically identical to Linux Mint (I mean technically it _is_ Linux Mint) but free of any entanglements with Ubuntu. And Linux Mint is already rock solid but being based on rock solid Debian just makes it even ...solider?
Just switched to Mint a week ago from Pop_OS which I had used for two years. I was initially considering arch but thought I would try mint and honestly it is miles ahead of other debian based distros.
Good vid 👍 - aesthetically I’m not a fan of Cinnamon, much prefer GNOME and that workflow, however to be fair Mint was the only distro that I could put on my Dad’s 2012 iMac and brought it back to life - he had virtually zero issues with it.
100% agree, a couple of years ago I was using zorin os "ultimate" because it looked good and was Ubuntu based, used it for few months at work as my main, but then it started getting annoying, especially for screen share and other minor but annoying bugs, so much so that it was affecting work, I switched to Mint and it just worked rock solid and never looked back, I didn't care about the looks, Mint had enough customization that it wasn't stock but just worked and didn't get in the way
Yes, it's very stable, but I do use flatpaks and also added nix, although that needs understanding it, Wayland is a bit unstable, so using x11 instead is best!
Everybody's first linux is ubuntu and second is definitely Linux mint or Pop OS Mine was linux mint and thats because i dont have much problems with it and it just works how i want it to work. It has a few problems but they can be solved easily and for a person that has a low-mid end laptop, Mint is the best pick for me and everything worked out of the box
I'll always give the same advice to newbies: stay aay from Debian-based distros, go with Arch or Fedora. Instead, focus on which desktop environment appeals to you and install it on top of those. Cinnamon is fantastic, especially for people coming from Windows. This video proves my point. It's not even about the Linux Mint distro. It's about Cinnamon. That being said, I've learned quite a bit abount the Mint team here. Sounds like their intention is making Linux more accessible to folk who aren't interested in the usual perks of Linux and just want a computer that works. I dig that.
Personally, I've never had any issues with Wayland. I've been using it for roughly a year now. But I've definitely read of others having a hard time with it.
I was the long time user of Linux mint. But from I am now using MX Linux since last 2 years. And it working rock solid out of the box. I think xfce has too much potential as with the new xfce 4.18 it's very polished and you can customize xfce on MX Linux as per your taste.
If I wasn't using Debian, I'd certainly be on Linux Mint. I've been eyeing LMDE for a while now. I'd be more inclined to go LMDE if they dropped Ubuntu entirely.
went back to linux after MS Recall, I was a long time Xubuntu user back in the day but the whole Snaps thing is offputting. So I ended up with mint xfce and it has been NICE. It feels like a very well polished/modernized version of Xubuntu from 10 years ago. Im also glad to report that gaming is working great even with nvidia and mismatched monitors.
Good Video, Linux Mint is in my opinion the biggest competitor to Windows, as is the user's friendliest experiences. The customizability is on point not too much like KDE and not to little options. I personally prefer GNOME so I am using Ubuntu currently. Another thing is the Software. I would say there is a very little amount of Linux Programms that isn't made for debian based Distros.
Always messed about with mint. So i was familiar with it. But with being a 2nd line Microsoft server / Desktop support dude, i couldn't leave windows. Unti they made windows 10 and 11, taking away control like windows updates, supported cpu list, telemetry, pop up adverts, taking out features, changing things they dont need to be changed. Yeah you can patch stuff like that and get around it, but It was like they sell you an OS but they control it. So almost a year ago id had enough and now mint is my daily driver, its also on my laptop i use, i also have a proxmox server running, a debien based server running zoneminder, and an mx linux box for downloading crap. I use windows on my works laptop but i have no choice with that. But linux i absolutely adore. Its a playground for nerds, a safety net for security concious people, a solid stable platform for reliability and dependability, but most of all its anything you need it to be, and it belongs to you. Microsoft are where they wre not because their software is better, its because of their monopolising dna. Bye bye windows.
Is there a place I can go to find out what programs and/or apps it runs and don't run? I don't play games or use steam. How do pop up or ad blockers for youtube work with Linux? Does the os have a right click function?
I have just bought another PC, a heavy hitter for running and editing Videos to expand where my work is going for 2024. First hour I took out the hard drive that has Win-11 on it. Put in a brand new SSD 2TB drive. In went Linux Mint latest release. So now have four computers running Linux Mint. I love the programs that are free, there quality and Mint is simple and really quick to use. Never ever been hit by a virus either, plus lots of savings on software. It never goes down, just stable and reliable. Hats off to the guys and dolls that put this version of Linux together. Nothing on this planet beats Linux Mint.
Im back to document my little 6 month journey. I went to new distros to try it & all in all im back on mint cause well it just works & i wanna use my computer lol
I recently tried out a whole bunch of Linux installs and Mint was my favorite. The only problem it has is that it doesn't recognize the integrated Wi-Fi chips on the new Intel Alder Lake boards. But I think that's a problem with all of them right now.
You need to install Mint Cinnamon Edge. I had that problem and used the Edge version which is meant for new hardware. It solved that problem immediately.
I've been a full time Linux user since 2007. I first tested and Migrated full time to Mint in 2012 when Cinnamon released. Today I'm a full time LMDE user. Over the years I have moved MANY people from Windows and MAC to Mint. The Mint team has done wonders for "just works" Linux for "normal/average/common" users.
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
I think you are one of the most respectful RUclipsrs who make Linux -related content. Great work again!
One of the oldest too. And definitely most underrated.
Truly one of the OGs too, I remember watching them when I started my journey in 2011. To see that they're still putting out content is amazing.
I agree
I think you nailed it! Being on the wrong side of 70, I've lived through Microsoft operating systems from the days of Dual-floppy MS-DOS. Now our daily drivers all run Mint / Cinnamon. The lack of drama during updates and upgrades impresses us, as does the ease of use. Mint is truly a world-class operating system.
Wasting time on a multi-tasking OS? I don't thing so....@guitarszen
Likewise!
I'm with you. As a retired Computer Tech I spent a good deal of my Tech-life fighting with Windows and all the crap that the Internet dumped into it. Recently, I grew tired of all the crap that Microsoft dumps into it, and I'd had enough. Switching my PC's to Linux Mint has been a learning experience...but very nice one!!
Being in my mid-40s, I'm not quite at the level of seniority as some of you 😂 but having grown up using Apple IIs and some of those older IBM PCs in school as a child and then getting my own 486 system in my teens, I've lived through everything from the early DOS versions to Windows 11. While my main system is using Windows 11, my secondary PC is on Fedora 40 with KDE Plasma 6 and I'm almost at the point where I feel fine about dual-booting that distro on my daily driver with 11 on it for the few edge cases I'll need that for. Having said that, my laptop is using Linux Mint w/ Cinnamon exclusively, and for the system I built for my mother (who is around the same age as @BWGPEI ) Mint was an easy choice due to its stability, especially as she's not doing much besides browsing and e-mail.
Mint is not only my favorite Linux distro but my favorite OS, full stop. It has always been rock solid stable, even through numerous upgrade cycles. Every computer in my house runs Mint/Cinnamon and that includes everything from workstations to gaming rigs to a HTPC. I think the entire team, from Clem on down, should be commended for all their efforts in producing such a high quality OS. You did a great job on touching on all the finer points that make Mint such a fantastic distro, awesome job IG!
Mint is the best OS. For me, it never broke. Rock solid like Debian and Simplicity like Ubuntu.
same here x2 . . . . totally agree 100%
Really great rundown. Love the subject matter. I've wanted to be a Linux purist for so long. But I'm a gamer... The titles I like to play are never supported on Linux. Steam is the closest hope but even then devs don't target Linux. Bit of a chicken and egg scenario but realistically that's what keeps me on windows. Emulation is a no go cause let's be real, (bad fps), that's not really an option if you're even remotely serious about gaming. Windows desktop isn't my favorite by far, but it's very decent, so there's really no reason to run another desktop OS. This is why Microsoft has been so heavily invested in gaming for so long-- and they know this which is why they don't target linux when developing their flagship games. I'm not sure how much this affects others, but it's why I've never run Linux as a desktop, and I can't be alone.
"gaming rigs". Linux. Okaaay.
@@allrightbruh That's what I said. Linux has made massive strides in gaming thanks largely to the efforts of Code Weavers and Valve. When I first started using Linux years ago gaming was nearly non-existent, now many titles run excellently. I do keep a Windows drive in my machine for the very few that don't but that number is dwindling constantly.
One of the things that I have always liked Linux Mint is the conservative way that they are with features. I like how they stay consistent with the overall experience in improving the quality of their product, and only add features that they feel are actually going to be useful to their user base and not add features just to add them.
I think the same. And use Linux Mint for many years.
Yes!
Don't forget that they actually listen to their users! I've seen plenty of instances where a new feature got a lot of push back and by the next release it was gone. Unlike Windows, they actually care what their user base thinks.
Yeah, their decision to stick with a traditional desktop back in 2011-2013 made me a fan. This was the time when everyone kept trying to chase the mobile trend with their desktop OS, and Mint decided to sit out that stupidity. It's basically the equivalent to Windows 7, but made from Linux and kept up to date.
@guitarszen Rolling distros are awesome but tried and true, rock solid distros that are super hard to break and don't require regular updates to prevent breakage (I'm looking at you Arch) have a place too. I'm very grateful for flatpaks on distros like Debian and even Mint to some degree so you can still grab newer packages if you need them.
Mint is the Toyota of Linux distros, it's vanilla and boring but reliable as anything. Because they wait until new technology is proven before adding it too soon just so people can say *ooh new shiny*. I respect and appreciate their approach.
Debian
Right.. in fact kernel 6.8x out of mint 22 is 2 versions down from the current kernel of 6.10 with 6.11 in beta right now.
In my 25+ years of using Linux, Mint has been my daily desktop for the last 13, or so, years. It has everything you need without unnecessary bells & whistles.
@guitarszen how long until you get tired of spamming? oh no, no flashy plasma oh no stable os
@@Barten0071 The problem here is that guitarszen is actually right. Only thing he forgot is that the package manager also sucks major balls out of the box. You need decent Debian knowledge to get it working like it should and then you are stuck with 3 different ways which do not always sync correctly as Mint is downstream and it can lead to serious dependency hell (dpkg, aptitude and synaptic respectively).
revived a 14 year old iMac with Mint, using it everyday as my main OS, not only I haven't missed a single feature, but now I can't even imagine going back to Mac OS
I made a one-time $500 donation late last year to Linux Mint...DO NOT REGRET!
I've used Windows for 25 years and have given them less than $500
@@soundsnags2001 I have used Windows starting with XP and never paid a penny for it in my entire life.
@@soundsnags2001 GFU, Windows is s**t and always has been.
@@Zu3sUK true
@@Zu3sUK Well, after extreme monopolization on software compatibility, it at least had its place as a beginner friendly OS until windows 7. After that it became cocky and more and more invasive and now we have recall. Yeah, anyone who has even the slightest bit of self-worth should jump ship at this point.
Linux Mint is the pickup truck of distros. It is rock solid, stable, dependable, easy to figure out, easily repaired if you do something dumb, (Love Timeshift) gets just about any job done, can be configured in a myriad of ways and can be driven by anyone who can read. I've been with Linux Mint now going on four years and can't even imagine why I would consider anything else.
As a pickup truck driver and Linux Mint user, I agree.
sooner or later everybody returns to mint
That is so true!
Hell yeah👌
:D haha not giving up now but my most stable usb always around :)
Riiiiiight😂
You're absolutely right!
I agree with you. Over the years, I've tried various distros but for some reason I always end up coming back to Linux Mint. I can't quite put my finger on why but there's something about Linux Mint that appeals to me as a regular user who wants simplicity, convenience and stability. I'm not a Linux power user and _I don't want to be a Linux power user._ A good operating system should keep out of the user's way and let them get on with their work.
I completely agree! I've been a Mint user since version 17 (both for work and home). I have turned many friends and family onto Mint - it's a great distribution for new users and experienced users alike!
I really agree with everything you've said. I've been distro-hopping quite a bit, but I always came back to Linux Mint because it just works.
I went from Mint MATE > Debian KDE > Kubuntu > Fedora KDE > Mint Cinnamon
Mint just works and other than being a big fan of KDE and what they have I just really like the Mint OS tools and consistency. Excited to start testing Cinnamon on Wayland here soon too!
Used to run Mint KDE back in the day. Not sure how badly it'll get borked but might try adding it and removing cinnamon or whatnot :) This is the main reason I dislike distros like Ubuntu and Mint is that they hard tie the DE with the distro to where the user can't just swap out DEs without possibly tanking the install vs something like Fedora, Debian, or Arch
@@experimental0000 Kubuntu 22.04 LTS and Debian 12 with KDE are both solid for me.
Cinnamon should be 🥇
Been using Linux Mint for over 5 years now. It's great for sure. My preference is with Mate for the GUI.
I migrated from Zorin to Linux Mint: MATE Edition. Best decision I ever made. I put it on a Lenovo Core2 Duo laptop and a Dell Optiplex 9020. Both run fabulously. I feel confident saying that both machines will be usable for the next ten years.
Was it the real Zorin OS Core or Light? I only tried Core edition, but on better hardware a few years ago, and also think it shows its best on a touch device thanks to the larger title bar.
Why did you switch? I have Zorin Lite on my mini pc and I think it's pretty good
@@funnyberries4017i too use zorin lite. It is pretty good
This aged well. Im now a mint user as of yesterday after microsoft decided that copilot and recall was their way forward. Mint is gorgeous. Im loving it so far
Two types of Linux Users, those that view Linux as their hobby and those that use Linux as a tool. The Linux Mint team view it as a tool, something that the user should not need to fuss with.
👏
I recently decided to give Cinnamon another look and added it to my Arch setup, I have to say its come a long way since I used it last. I forgot how easy it was to theme things with their menu system (as opposed to how convoluted Gnome and KDE have gotten). Good points made about Mint, I am not sure if I am ready to give up my Arch install just yet ;-) but will definitely keep this in mind. Great video as always, thank you for putting this together!
Mint is great but I can't bring myself to say goodbye to pacman. Always nice to have mint on a live usb though.
Might give cinnamon another go over the weekend though to be honest
Linux Mint is still the best distro for most new Linux users.
I've been using Mint for years and it's never let me down. It at least let's me think I'm in control, unlike Windows.
Totally agree!
is there an application on Cinnamon like KDE Connect?
@@alqgames6891just download it from software centre and run it
@@alqgames6891 KDE Connect should be in the Mint repos to install if you want.
yes@@alqgames6891
As a PopOS!, user I approve of this message. I started my Linux journey with Ubuntu LTS, switched to Mint after a couple of years, and now are currently enjoying Pop due to wanting something different. Mint is a great start for any new user. Especially someone coming from Windows or a Mac.
Yeah, Pop and Mint are my top recommendations for anyone dipping into Linux. Ubuntu sux hard man. Big headaches for every major release that breaks like everything.
I recommend and install to everyone interested Mint, especially if there is nVidia on device, Mint has best support - one click install and optimus included.
Myself with all AMD desktop - Manjaro is my favorite, but my laptop runs Mint also - because nVidia.
Can you elaborate I am trying to figure you what distro I should use but I can't find why AMD doesn't work well with mint. Should I avoid mint with my and computer. I just want a simply gaming oriented os
@@leoepsilon8223 Bazzite, or Nobara, those are gaming oriented. First one is immutable. I have ditched Manjaro after few months.
@leoepsilon8223 amd works great on any distro, the commenter meant if you have an nvidia gpu that mint is easier than other distros for it
Ive been a user for many years and the things I love most are the updates & fact that I can change pretty much anything about the way it looks. Colours, taskbar to the top. Simple and fast. I don't want a computer to think & decide for me. And it's fassssst. Mint still supports my 13yo printer. Windows just abandoned it. Ugh, I hate my windows work laptop
I recently switched from Windows 11 to Linux Mint a few weeks ago and I am BLOWN AWAY. Never going back. Here to stay.
Thanks for the video. I'm new to Linux, starting a few months ago when my Chromebook stopped working. I tried different versions but settled on Mint for my laptop.
I was worried that Linux Mint would become too outdated because they hadn't announced any progress on Wayland support for Cinnamon. Fortunately, within the last week, they finally announced preliminary Qayland support to be included in Linux Mint 21.3 and it will likely be ready by Linux Mint 23 in 2026.
I think Linux Mint on Wayland will be so cool, especially once Cinnamon improves the touchpad gestures on Wayland once Wayland is fully supported!
Then I will consider it - in 2026, which might be just the right time to abandon Fedora if RedHat gets any worse.
2026 lol and also no btrfs by default lol. Arch or Fedora are so much better than this joke called mint.
they didn't say "likely ready", they more said "we think that people will start getting really antsy about it in 2026 so we're going to try to get it done earlier if possible
wayland is NOTHING special
@@ItsMadRat How old are you? 12?
Kudos to Clem and the LM Team
Love seeing content about Linux Mint. They definitely deserve the recognition you're given them. For me, top spot is a toss up between Linux Mint (including LMDE) and openSUSE Tumbleweed. They are both accomplishing different things but at the top of their respective games.
Mint Cinnamon is my current favorite GNU, but i wish it could upgrade everything in one click instead of forcing me to make and delete a Timeshift backup for each step.
I tried Tumbleweed, but its ancient installer failed with "An error occured during installation." instead of pointing out that the 1024MB RAM VirtualBox recommended was insufficient.
@@CTimmerman - not sure why you would need to create a backup every time. I can upgrade Mint/Cinnamon with one click and still have my backups created automatically without interfering with updates or having to do them manually
@@MarcoAntonioButron Timeshift system backups are automatic and unwanted due to insufficient SSD space. Maybe it's faster to install the latest version from USB which would be useful anyway if the update failed.
Nice to see this person back on youtube 👍👍👍
I have been using Mint for most of the last decade. I try other distros, then return - time and again - to Mint. Arch and Fedora roll faster and use newer files to be sure. But for hardware compatibility, I find Mint best. And now they have Wayland plans! I think I am going back to Mint (from Fedora) yet again.
Linux Mint with the XFCE desktop is my favorite XFCE based distro. The latest LMDE is much better now that Debian includes non-free drivers.
what's non-free drivers?
@@ytsktproprietary drivers (firmware). closed source drivers from some vendors like Nvidia or some wifi cards. in the past Debian won't support those out of the box. now they do
I'm glad you're back, IG. Missed ya, buddy.
Mint, it just works
This is very underrated
I've been on Linux Mint since 2018 and have really enjoyed playing games on it the whole time. I have no regrets about leaving Windows. When I left Windows, I felt like I was leaving an abusive psychopathic narcissistic relationship. I felt free!
Fantastic video.
I'm a strong believer in Linux. My reason is TRUST.
The giant we all know about, has been slowly getting on my nerves. So, I made the switch to Linux.
More importantly, I'm happy and I trust my operating system.
I'm using LMDE6 now. Loving it. It's just good ole Mint.
I run LMDE on my laptop and love it
Never thought I'd see the day where people shill wayland, and poop on X. I'd like to switch to wayland, but it's not ready for someone like me. There are no good tiling window managers (compositors) on wayland. If DWL ever gets good, that's what I'll move to.
I tried RH years ago. Then recently PopOS and had an upgrade issue that I could not fix. Then tried Ubuntu which I did not like. Now Mint and I very happy with it. Strongest selling point for Mint is the absolute ease of transition for Windows users.
I switched from Mint to Xubuntu around 10 years ago, but always keep an updated Mint ISO around to see where they're at and if I want to switch back. I might be trying it out full-time again soon.
Why not Mint Xfce?
@@CTimmermanBecause Xfce on Mint is sort of like a step-child. Distros support alternate interfaces because they have to, but their heart is usually in one or two specific interfaces.
Mint's main dev attention and polish goes to Cinnamon, with MATE a close second, and Xfce is definitely third. And it shows (not that Mint Xfce is bad, it's just not as good as their Cin/MATE).
If you want a specific environment for a Ubuntu base, get a Ubuntu based distro that primarily focuses on that environment.
@@davidg5898 Good advice to avoid Chrome keyring issues with it not being registered with your new DE's greeter or whatnot, but as Mint is a more polished Ubuntu i wondered why Xubuntu over Mint Xfce. My favorite DE at the moment is still Cinnamon on Mint because it looks good by default and Nemo shows creation dates like Windows.
@@CTimmermanWhen I switched away from Mint, they were in a development lull. Since then, I just got used to Xubuntu. Now, it's Xubuntu that's in a bit of a dev lull.
@@davidg5898 Meaning what? I thought Xfce was done already.
Honestly I like other DEs (desktop AND apps) more than what Mint offers, but every time I'm asked for recommendations for new users, it'll always be Linux Mint. The XFCE version is the second distro I ever booted from USB and played around with, after Lubuntu back when it had LXDE (I had an absolute potato for hardware 😅). I definitely like Mint's update manager.
What do you use now?
@@bear17293 When I wrote that I was using Kubuntu. Now I'm on Pop!_OS, which is somehow faster on my hardware even though it's GNOME-based?!
I actually just switched to Mint 21.3 2 days ago. Everything has been swapped over and ez pz no issues that I have found yet. Very nice
Thank you for the review! I've been using Linux Mint Cinnamon since about 2012. I switched when Ubuntu moved the DE to Unity, which I couldn't stand, and it was like no one asked what the users wanted. Fortunately, Clément Lefèbvre had a different philosophy. I've not switched since, and I don't plan to. I prefer stability to the latest shiny toy.
Yeah, 2011-2013 was a really dark time for OSes in general. Everyone was thinking "Mobile? That's the next big thing!" And then they decided to make their DESKTOP operating systems behave like a mobile one. It's how we got flops like Windows 8. I'm so glad Mint didn't hop onto that braindead trend.
Using LMDE 6 with KDE Plasma (installed manually) right now, and I am so glad I switched. Never going back to Windows. (However, I do have almost every Windows version in a VM, since I do like Windows still)
I have been using Mint off and on for many, many years. I tend to try new things as they come out, but somehow always end up back on Mint. I chased the shinier, flashier things for many years but have more recently realized that I just want a stable system that gets out of my way, which is a great way to describe Linux Mint.
I've been trying Mint since 19. Dual booting from bios. Also a fan of LibreOffice. Speaking of, if this video prompts anyone to try Mint don't forget to install MS Core fonts. My goal is to be on Linux for a daily driver on or about W/10 eol.
Great points. My only reason for not using Mint is that 4K resolution support on X is amateur, the fonts get all blurry, and when you compare with Mac or Windows, X is decades lagging behind. With Wayland things are significantly better, or should I say, lagging just a little behind Mac and Windows
Honestly I prefer KDE over mint but mint is just so much more stable and reliable. As soon as Linux gets something like autohotkey (and preferably a more stable fancy zones clone (KDE has one but KDE seems slightly more buggy)) I'll move to Linux as a main OS. Whilst there's a lot of software that I'll miss coming from windows it might be worth it in the long run.
Linux Mint being consistent and not doing wild changes without considering end-user comfort is beautiful. A good distro to recommend for someone who just wants one thing that they can rely on for a long while without fear of getting thrown for a whirl in a fog
Mint + Mate fan here.
I tend to agree it is the best. Personal, yeah, but I've been using it since about 2011.
Mint + MATE is great. In a recent blog post, Clem commented that we was essentially booted off the MATE team though so will be interesting to see what kind of future it has with Mint.
Welcome back Blane! Love your work, mate.
Been using LM as a daily for at least a couple of years now and work in IT .. I have to use windows at work but LM updates and performance win it for me !!
I began learning Linux Mint in a virtual machine last week, and I'm already enjoying it. I plan to spend more time mastering the basics before fully transitioning.❤
I use Mint 21.2 on both my main desktop and laptop (edge). After installing on my laptop I booted Disgaea 7 and was very surprised by the performance and lack of issues via Steam Proton. It is one of the new Framework AMD 13" laptops. The OS has been such a positive experience that I actually donated to the project in the past. Looking forward to Linux, probably Mint, replacing my Windows OS for gaming at some point.
Ubuntu, to me, felt like a server OS role-playing as desktop OS most of the times I've attempted to use it.
Mint feels like a dekstop OS with the stability and performance you'd expect from a server OS.
I've been using Mint in preference to Windows for over four years now. My daily driver is now my 13 year old Dell Precision M6500 (1st gen 17) and does every software development job I need in times that are only a few percent slower than my 9th gen i7 HP laptop. It also powers my NAS RAID and my Jellyfin server (all on old hardware I repurposed).
I switched to Mint five yrs ago, never had a single prob with it.
Just turned my old laptop to Linux mint. So much faster, privacy is great and it’s useful to supplement beside my pc for work on the go
I have been using Linux Mint every day since August 2023. It is simply the best Linux Distro bar none. It consistently surprises you with it's ease of use and little features everywhere. I switched originally from Ubuntu to Arch, and was very satisfied. I started using Linux Mint when Arch failed me for the last time. I was completely sick of it. Even though I have only been using Linux Mint a short time, I love it's simplicity and stability. It simply Rocks.
i just jumped ship from windows to LMDE6, and i think it's a near perfect for me. such a responsive system
i will switch to mint when they support secure boot till then fedora works completely fine for me :)
yea man, havent watched the video yet, but indeed, most of the time me and also i installed it on the my mothers computer, mint is indeed the best option there is. But there are still circumstances where sometimes some other distros are necessary. But for the most cases indeed mint is the best.
Great video !!! I'm just now in the process of changing to Linus Mint.
Love the content as always! I also did a video specifically diving into Mint 21.2 and why it’s nearly perfect.
I approve of this video! There's lots of different distros for different niches and preferences, but Linux Mint is truly the best way for a Windows user to get their feet wet so to speak. I would even say any current Mint users should at least try LMDE. It's basically identical to Linux Mint (I mean technically it _is_ Linux Mint) but free of any entanglements with Ubuntu. And Linux Mint is already rock solid but being based on rock solid Debian just makes it even ...solider?
Just switched to Mint a week ago from Pop_OS which I had used for two years. I was initially considering arch but thought I would try mint and honestly it is miles ahead of other debian based distros.
Good vid 👍 - aesthetically I’m not a fan of Cinnamon, much prefer GNOME and that workflow, however to be fair Mint was the only distro that I could put on my Dad’s 2012 iMac and brought it back to life - he had virtually zero issues with it.
I’ve run Mint for the last 8 months on a 2012 Mac Mini with 16gb ram and an ssd. Works perfectly, it’s my main pc.
I enjoy using Linux Mint with Xfce daily! It's very nice.
100% agree, a couple of years ago I was using zorin os "ultimate" because it looked good and was Ubuntu based, used it for few months at work as my main, but then it started getting annoying, especially for screen share and other minor but annoying bugs, so much so that it was affecting work, I switched to Mint and it just worked rock solid and never looked back, I didn't care about the looks, Mint had enough customization that it wasn't stock but just worked and didn't get in the way
Yes, it's very stable, but I do use flatpaks and also added nix, although that needs understanding it, Wayland is a bit unstable, so using x11 instead is best!
very nicely done and as a Linux Mint Mate user, I do appreciate the consistency of this OS. Thank you for sharing.
I have bin running mint since 13.2 it's stable it let's you make choices about what version you want . Updating is with out problems.
Everybody's first linux is ubuntu and second is definitely Linux mint or Pop OS
Mine was linux mint and thats because i dont have much problems with it and it just works how i want it to work. It has a few problems but they can be solved easily and for a person that has a low-mid end laptop, Mint is the best pick for me and everything worked out of the box
I used Knoppix for years until it stopped being developed. Great for data recovery. Linux Mint is the choice I make today.
I'll always give the same advice to newbies: stay aay from Debian-based distros, go with Arch or Fedora. Instead, focus on which desktop environment appeals to you and install it on top of those. Cinnamon is fantastic, especially for people coming from Windows.
This video proves my point. It's not even about the Linux Mint distro. It's about Cinnamon. That being said, I've learned quite a bit abount the Mint team here. Sounds like their intention is making Linux more accessible to folk who aren't interested in the usual perks of Linux and just want a computer that works. I dig that.
Personally, I've never had any issues with Wayland. I've been using it for roughly a year now. But I've definitely read of others having a hard time with it.
I was the long time user of Linux mint. But from I am now using MX Linux since last 2 years. And it working rock solid out of the box. I think xfce has too much potential as with the new xfce 4.18 it's very polished and you can customize xfce on MX Linux as per your taste.
If I wasn't using Debian, I'd certainly be on Linux Mint. I've been eyeing LMDE for a while now. I'd be more inclined to go LMDE if they dropped Ubuntu entirely.
Mint is the distribution I always recommend for general users and beginners.
I love LM XFCE and think it's terrific.
7:47 Note that you don't get all their past wallpapers by default. Gotta enter this command: sudo apt install mint-backgrounds-*
Mint with 'tela cyrcle icons' and 'graphite' theme is just.... oooofffff!!!!!
Mint was my first introduction to linux back in 2012 and I loved it then, and love it now
all the "little things" just work! ....and it all adds up to a pleasant experience.
I would totally use a Linux Mint Gnome edition.
just installed mint after trying Ubuntu and Pop os for a year each, pop os has been my fav soo far lets see if mint can change my opinion
went back to linux after MS Recall, I was a long time Xubuntu user back in the day but the whole Snaps thing is offputting. So I ended up with mint xfce and it has been NICE. It feels like a very well polished/modernized version of Xubuntu from 10 years ago. Im also glad to report that gaming is working great even with nvidia and mismatched monitors.
Good Video, Linux Mint is in my opinion the biggest competitor to Windows, as is the user's friendliest experiences. The customizability is on point not too much like KDE and not to little options. I personally prefer GNOME so I am using Ubuntu currently. Another thing is the Software. I would say there is a very little amount of Linux Programms that isn't made for debian based Distros.
Mint cannot install .deb files out of the box, it is severely hindered in comparison to Debian.
I have been using LM for quite sometime. Never look back. ;)
Always messed about with mint. So i was familiar with it. But with being a 2nd line Microsoft server / Desktop support dude, i couldn't leave windows. Unti they made windows 10 and 11, taking away control like windows updates, supported cpu list, telemetry, pop up adverts, taking out features, changing things they dont need to be changed. Yeah you can patch stuff like that and get around it, but It was like they sell you an OS but they control it. So almost a year ago id had enough and now mint is my daily driver, its also on my laptop i use, i also have a proxmox server running, a debien based server running zoneminder, and an mx linux box for downloading crap. I use windows on my works laptop but i have no choice with that. But linux i absolutely adore. Its a playground for nerds, a safety net for security concious people, a solid stable platform for reliability and dependability, but most of all its anything you need it to be, and it belongs to you. Microsoft are where they wre not because their software is better, its because of their monopolising dna. Bye bye windows.
Cinnamon looks pretty clean tbh.
I'm using Debian-KDE. I'm happy with it so far.
Is there a place I can go to find out what programs and/or apps it runs and don't run? I don't play games or use steam.
How do pop up or ad blockers for youtube work with Linux? Does the os have a right click function?
Totally agree. It supports many hardware and has thousands of packages in its repo.
I have just bought another PC, a heavy hitter for running and editing Videos to expand where my work is going for 2024. First hour I took out the hard drive that has Win-11 on it. Put in a brand new SSD 2TB drive. In went Linux Mint latest release. So now have four computers running Linux Mint. I love the programs that are free, there quality and Mint is simple and really quick to use. Never ever been hit by a virus either, plus lots of savings on software. It never goes down, just stable and reliable. Hats off to the guys and dolls that put this version of Linux together. Nothing on this planet beats Linux Mint.
with the new edge iso & the option to have a newer kernel I would say even for gamers mint is a wonderful option now.
Im back to document my little 6 month journey. I went to new distros to try it & all in all im back on mint cause well it just works & i wanna use my computer lol
I recently tried out a whole bunch of Linux installs and Mint was my favorite. The only problem it has is that it doesn't recognize the integrated Wi-Fi chips on the new Intel Alder Lake boards. But I think that's a problem with all of them right now.
You need to install Mint Cinnamon Edge. I had that problem and used the Edge version which is meant for new hardware. It solved that problem immediately.
@@humansvd3269 - Ah, thank you very much. I'll give it a shot.
Using Ubuntu for couple of years now. So far so good. But reading comments to this video, decided that I have to get Mint on my old iMac
I agree. It's incredibly stable and it's support for proprietary device drivers is excellent.
I've been a full time Linux user since 2007. I first tested and Migrated full time to Mint in 2012 when Cinnamon released. Today I'm a full time LMDE user. Over the years I have moved MANY people from Windows and MAC to Mint. The Mint team has done wonders for "just works" Linux for "normal/average/common" users.