Linux Mint 20 isn't exactly bursting with freshness but, hey, there's kernel 5.4 and it's a long-term support release
- Reference: 1593590585
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/07/01/linux_mint_20/
- Source link:
Linux Mint comes in three flavours, all of which are now available in Mint 20 "Ulyana" editions. One uses the minimalist [1]Xfce desktop environment. The second, called MATE, uses a fork of the GNOME 2 desktop, while the third, Cinnamon, uses a fork of the GNOME 3 desktop created and maintained by the Mint team. Cinnamon appears to be the most common choice among Mint users. More details on the origins and difference between MATE and Cinnamon are [2]here .
Although the Xfce edition is more lightweight, all three have the same stated system requirements: 1GB RAM (2GB recommended), 15GB disk space (20GB recommended) and 1024 x 768 screen resolution. By way of comparison, Canonical recommends 4GB RAM and 25GB disk space for Ubuntu 20.04. Microsoft's Windows 10 has almost the same [3]minimum requirements as Mint: 2GB RAM, 20GB disk space and an 800x600 display, for 64-bit systems. In practice we think Mint Xfce is likely to perform better than Windows on a low-end PC.
Mint is based on Debian and Ubuntu, and the new releases are based on Ubuntu 20.04, released in April. Ubuntu itself is also linked to Debian. The question of what's new in Mint 20 is therefore a matter of perspective. It all starts with the Linux kernel 5.4, which is also a long-term support release. There is a rhythm to these Linux releases and it is important to stay up to date to keep pace with hardware compatibility, software compatibility and security.
[4]
Mint 20 Cinnamon is aimed at users who want a lightweight and easy to use Linux desktop with no corporate baggage
There is a difference in philosophy between Mint and Ubuntu. Unlike Ubuntu with Canonical, there is no large corporation behind Mint. The project is conservative in its approach, aims to be lightweight and easy to use, and is resistant to including proprietary software.
The relationship with Ubuntu now looks strained thanks to Canonical's commitment to its Snap Store, a mechanism for installing packages which uses virtualization to enable greater compatibility and simplify package maintenance. There are downsides too, and the [5]Mint team is opposed to Snap , saying that it links too tightly to the Ubuntu store and breaks compatibility with the APT package manager.
[6]
Attempting to install Chromium ... blocked by default, but with a message on how to install it if you can accept Snap
"Linux Mint 20, like previous Mint releases, will not ship with any snaps or snapd installed," [7]said the team . There was particular concern about the Chromium browser, which is now only packaged as a Snap, with a script for APT that installs Snap, acting "as a backdoor by connecting your computer to the Ubuntu Store". In response, Mint 20 has disabled the ability for APT to install Snap, and if you look for Chromium, you find an empty package and instructions on how to install if you choose.
[8]
Mint 20 Software Manager
What is new and specific to Linux Mint 20? One thing is a file transfer application called Warpinator, inspired by an obsolete 10-year-old application called Giver. "FTP, NFS, Samba is overkill for casual file transfers" [9]is the claim , and Warpinator (based on gRPC) is a simple utility for copying a file across the network. It works, but feels a step backwards from the ability to browse and copy files using a file share – which is perhaps why Giver is no more.
[10]
A new application called Warpinator lets you transfer files across an internal network without file shares
Mint also has new support for Nvidia Optimus, which is designed for systems with more than one GPU, one embedded in the motherboard plus a standalone Nvidia graphics card. New features let you switch between cards for processing, though output remains via the embedded GPU.
There is also improved support for high-resolution displays. The display settings now allow scaling to be configured separately for each display, and to set scaling at fractional levels such as 125 or 150 per cent – though this feature is described as "experimental and may not work well with all hardware and drivers".
[11]
Sensible options in the Mint 20 startup dialog
Mint also has a focus on colour and contrast. The "Mint-Y" theme colours have been refined and you can also now have yellow folders. There is a new user-friendly welcome screen that lets you select the base colour for the theme and choose between light and dark. The same screen also invites you to set up automatic system snaphots, recommending two daily.
How do you upgrade from Mint 19.3? The advice is to wait until next month when instructions will be available. Upgrading can be painful in Linux thanks to potential dependency and configuration issues so waiting for the official guidance is a good plan.
Overall, Mint 20 is not bursting with new features – there were more in 19.3 at the end of 2019 – but nevertheless an important release in terms of keeping Mint up to date. ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://xfce.org/
[2] https://linuxmint-developer-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/cinnamon.html
[3] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028142/windows-10-system-requirements
[4] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/06/30/mint20.png
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/02/linux_mint_team_snap/
[6] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/06/30/chromium1.png
[7] https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3906
[8] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/06/30/mint20cinna.png
[9] https://www.linuxmint.com/rel_ulyana_cinnamon_whatsnew.php
[10] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/06/30/warpinator.png
[11] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/06/30/startup.png
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Linux flavours
"Are all the cool kids still using Mint"
Highly unlikely, I'm using it and I'm deeply uncool.
Re: Linux flavours
Looking at Distrowatch Mint is at number three with MX Linux and Manjaro ahead of it.
So it looks like these distros are more popular at the moment though most people agree that Mint is an excellent distro.
Re: Linux flavours
Distrowatch doesn't prove popularity.
Re: Linux flavours
Since when has anyone deemed "cool" EVER used a Linux/Unix variant of any sort?
Re: Linux flavours
Apart from the usual "BTW I use Arch" crowd, Solus and Void are the new hotness.
Form or function?
What would interest me is a description of what new things I will be able to do with Mint / Debian / Ubuntu / any other new linux distro, that I was unable to do before. What "killer" apps it now contains, that weren't there before? What functions that previously were difficult or convoluted have been made easier? What giant strides have been made in the documentation (OK, that one's a joke).
I am sure it is nice to know that the colour scheme has been diddled with - that we can now have yellow folders. But if that makes it to the list of newsworthy features, I feel there isn't anything more significant that would entice me to upgrade.
Upgrading?
"...Upgrading can be painful in Linux"
I have never found upgrading to be a problem but then I use PCLinuxOS which is a rolling release.
Now of course rolling release distros are probably not the answer for business use but as someone running a small private network with only a few boxes it's ideal. A cron job can handle "apt-get update" and " apt-get dist-upgrade" easily enough. PCLinuxOS seems to have got the balance between the cutting edge and solid conservative features about right and I have few complaints about upgrading breaking things though it has happened, usually in respect of video problems.
So, as I say, not for business use but for me it works and I always have the current version of the distro.
Re: Upgrading?
Once upon a time, long, long ago... upgrading Linux used to be a real dogs breakfast.
But 2020 is not that time. I've not had an issue with updating or upgrading for well over a decade. My only gripe is gnome 3. That is a load of smelly dog poo on a good day. I use MATE as my desktop.
Mint is a decent distro. The more it distances itself from Ubuntu/Canonical (who seem to be intent on re-inventing the wheel yet again) the better IMHO. I think it should align itself with Debian.
Re: align itself with Debian ...
... or maybe Devuan. I'm still not happy about systemd. Even though it now seems to be more stable, and indeed useful, it's got (IMHO) some really questionable design choices, and could really do with being refactorised: at the moment it's tho O/S analogue of one of those "OO" programs with a single big class that does everything.
Re: Upgrading?
And for Debian-based distros, the upgrade process has been working pretty well for 15 years or so. Only new versions of apache and postfix can be a bit tricky, but one should not blame the OS for the applications, I guess.
Dependencies are tricky if you try and skip a major release or two. This is "a bit of" a no-no, i.e. a complete and utter mess (you brought upon yourself). What can break are drivers for stupid hardware (like the f'n' *** of ***** *** of a wireless network card in my notebook), if those needed to be installed via a third party solution.
Colour inheritance?
I'm assuming the yellow folders have nothing to do with yellow snow??
Switched from MInt after some years, due to no support for Qt, which runs some of my new apps. Went to Kubuntu, which is F1 Ferrari compared to Mint Family Saloon for features, tuning, precision, esp. for touchpad. Frustrating to set set up due to so many choices, but fixed unfixable Mint problems. Upgraded to Kubuntu 20.04. Excellent. Sorry old Mint, even though Mint XFCE can handle Qt, doesn't do the rest..
Re: QT support?
I use Mint 18.3 with Mate Desktop. Lenovo E460 i5 with gpu.
I don't remember Mint ever not supporting QT based applications. Maybe it didn't once.
I'm sure Viber and Calibre both use QT.
Qt
due to no support for Qt
For some time after Plasma 5/Frameworks 5, other desktops had theme problems with Qt due to no QPA Platform theme set or setup.
Mostly fixed for desktops now, but purist Window Manager users might still encounter problems.
Upgrading can be painful?
"Upgrading can be painful in Linux thanks to potential dependency and configuration issues so waiting for the official guidance is a good plan."
Hugely less pain than Windows, where going NT 3.5x, NT4, Win2K, XP, Vista, Win7, Win8, Win10 is best with a fresh install.
I've tested 18.3 -> 19.3 which needs 18.3 to 19 first. Much slower than a fresh install and needs command line. But works. The 18.3 LTS maybe runs out this October, so no rush, though for existing 18.3 rather than a fresh install, likely it's 18.3 -> 19 ->19.3 -> 20.0
And then there are Mac OS upgrades. They've called all the versions since 2002 or 2003 change from Mac OS 9 version 10.
So rather unfair.
Upgrade ? No..
I've never upgraded a Linux distro in 16 years of using Linux as my main OS.
I've always created a new partition and installed the new version (which has usually taken about 20 minutes) . I keep my personal files on a separate partition.
This also gives me a chance to check out the new one and de-clutter, re-installing applications as and when they are needed.
Well, no
Linux Mint comes in three flavours
.. if they all taste minty, it's only one flavour.
:)
Re: Well, no
Oh? What about spear mint versus pepper mint? Both are minty, but you wouldn't call them one flavor.
Re: Well, no
Especially as PeppermintOS is its own thing, too: https://peppermintos.com/
I was chuckling..
..at the comment about recommended 2GB minimum for Win10. Yeah, I guess it would boot and be somewhat usable (eventually), but pull up a chair and bring a good book, especially if it also as a minimum-spec'd mechanical HDD.
Just downloaded it
Seems fine, and there *is* a "classic" Mint package manager, though, TBH, I usually find myself using command line APT.
I cannot argue with their lack of support for the Ubuntu "store" or the new Ubuntu-only package scheme. It's why I left Ubuntu -- they started telling me what my desktop should look like with "unity" tiles. Mint is just basic desktop Linux and does everything I need.
Low end machines
On the point about low end machines, I've just been messing about with an old Intel Atom 330 board with 2GB of RAM and a 120GB SSD. I tried Linux Mint 20, MX Linux 19, Windows 8 and Windows 10 2004. Of those four, Windows 8 was surprisingly good, MX Linux was pretty usable, while Mint 20 and Windows 10 were both dog slow.
I'm not suggesting Mint 20 or Windows 10 are slow on sensible hardware, but they must have evolved in a way that expects a certain level of CPU power and/or RAM to be available. Lots of parallel tasks perhaps.
My biggest surprise with Linux is how much better the more lightweight window managers now look. Years ago I'd look at screenshots of anything that wasn't Gnome or KDE and turn away in horror. Now, something like xfce looks good to my eye.
Back to Mint 20 - personally I feel that although it still doesn't look quite as polished or modern as Windows or macOS, I'd happily trade that to get away from things like the Catalina security model in the Mac world. In the Windows world there's even more I want to get away from - Windows 10 increasingly feels like a stack of workarounds on top of other workarounds. The UI looks tired and I'm sick of seeing teasers about how it might look if they get their arses into gear. And in general, they are pushing things I don't want - it's now very difficult to sign in with a local account for example. You have to kill the network at setup time, it's just ridiculous.
Linux flavours
Are all the cool kids still using Mint or have they migrated to something more esoteric?