I will stay at Linux Mint sure.

Thanks for the contribution. If you want to talk more about it.. let me know and we can post it as a blog entry.

I simply don’t know what the Mint guys can do for version 9. Right now, version 8 (Helena) is as GOOD AS IT GETS. And I simply haven’t felt the need to install VirtualBox on my lappie. I’m just waiting to find out if Ext4 is ready for prime time and then I’ll switch from Ext3 file system.

Cheers!!

- Max (aka Max “The IT pro”)

All I can say is WOW!!! Mint is the freaking sh!t — period. My hats off to the Ubuntu team & Debian pioneers for making such a world class Operating System. I think 2010 is going to be the year of Desktop Linux. Already, Linux Mint 8 X64 is out and the reviews are very positive. I see Mint as taking Ubuntu and cleaning up a few warts here and THERE. Oh, I ran XP-SP2 in VirtualBox under Ubuntu and the speed was so fast. My setup is a 250 GB HD, 2.16 GHz Intel Duo Core, 2GB RAM, WIFI, etc. XP simply flew and then I showed it to lots of peeps down here in Nairobi — and they LIKED it a lot. Suffice to say that I’m now sloowly installing Linux Mint 8 on laptops and desktops because people are fed up with antivirus and spyware apps hogging their Windows memory plus all those USB flash drive viruses/worms/trojans. (cont’d)

Mint just works, and I mean everything works.
Even radio streams…..OMFG…..radio streams work….I mean wow lol WTF.

The only thing that didn’t work was my Mad dog entertainer 7.1 Envy24 (ICE1724)
but then again that card simply does not work with any distro….alsa….oss….PA….

It’s definately what I’ll be keeping till Mint 8……I’ll prob keep that too as long as Mint simply works.

1. IPTV is fixed with HD Channels (that was failed on Jaunty 3D) and my LCD Acer 19″ (1388×768) is regconised and good output compare with Ubuntu before
2. All codecs can be using straight away.
3. A strange fella who pays a visit my home can use it as if it is a Window Box (sorry I do not mean window$ is easy GUI to use but atleast it is most popular for ppl)
4. I can use GIMP everyday (In Ubuntu, I get stuck with GIMP with no hope to fix it (see Ubuntu Launch Pad etc…)

Why Mint 7?
Because I just want it to work.

Tired of Kde4x.
Tired of breaking/fixing things.
Out of the box has my normal tools, except Krusader.
Anything else is only a synaptic browse away.

I’ve tried so many Linux distros, inc. all of the main distros.
Even tried OpenSolaris 2009.06 [sound problems galore], and finall settled and happy with LinuxMint 7 (64 bit)…/gc

Thanks for your suggestions and recommendations I’ve added the “codecs and others” to the original posting.

I do agree the Linux Mint is a step up above Ubuntu, and it is great in production work environment that shouldn’t have many changes. But for the “at home” power user that has a update complex and must always try to have the latests and greatest (release not alpha / beta) I think that openSUSE offers that.

However, I am also in agreement that the package manager (although improved) is still slower then the .deb counterparts, but think the delta upgrades that SUSE has implemented is the right step, and zypper has also brought many performance fixes to the rpm package management stack, but there is still more to be done.

I actually like having the choice of what to install prior to installing, and that’s one of the main reasons I like openSUSE. I don’t like installing the base stuff then having to go back and remove it (although this is a one time thing on a personal machine for myself).

Yes.. no linux distribution will limit you if you’re past the “beginner” stage, but taking the next step and doing more (partitioning with LVM’s etc etc) isn’t even included in the base Linux Mint and Ubuntu installs and this is a vital part of going “beyond” and trying to learn Linux for the enterprise (as servers (at least the ones I install) are all LVM based).

Thanks for the comments, they are great ones and quite enlightening to area’s I may have missed with Linux Mint.

All 3 latest versions.. I have had video issues. stalls in the distro. And many of times unable to update to there resp servers.

I would give SUSE a 1 out of 10

These are top 3 flavors I would recommend from beginners. as well. Note if you are past beginner then you done know…None of the distros limit you to what ability you can advance to. For by this time you will know how update your package fluently. So I really don’t get the remark about good for beginners only.

anyway on to top dist

1. Linux Mint
2. Ubuntu
3. Fedora

Rest derive off of rpm or debs that you can add resp for or remodel if your pro.

Best Regards.
P.S. I by no means covered all the polishing that mint has to offer. There is so much you would just have to try it to enjoy it all.