Linux Mint releases Linux Mint 4 Debian Edition

[Karlston]

Linux Mint releases Linux Mint 4 Debian Edition

The popular Linux distribution Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu but the developers are maintaining a side-project that bases the Linux distribution on Debian instead.

 

There are several reasons for that: first, because it provides them with an option if Ubuntu would no longer be maintained, disappear, or be turned into a commercial application. Second, because it provides Linux Mint developers with an opportunity to test Linux Mint software designed specifically for the distribution using another Linux distribution that is not based on Ubuntu.

 

The developers of Linux Mint have released LMDE 4, Linux Mint Debian Edition 4, last week.

 

 

The overall development goal is to make the Debian edition of Linux Mint resemble the Ubuntu version as much as possible. One of the main differences is that the Debian version uses a package based provided by Debian and not by Ubuntu.

 

As far as requirements are concerned, devices need at least 1 Gigabyte of RAM, 15 Gigabytes of hard drive space and at least a display with a resolution of 1024x768 (the more the better). The developers recommend the 64-bit image but a 32-bit image is also provided. Note that the 64-bit image supports UEFI and BIOS while the 32-bit image only BIOS.

 

The new version includes lots of improvements, here are some highlights:

• Automated partitioning with support for LVM and full-disk encryption
• Home directory encryption
• Support for automated installation of NVIDIA drivers
• NVMe support
• SecureBoot support
• Btrfs subvolumes support
• Revamped installer
• Automatic installation of microcode packages
• Automatic resolution bump for the live session to a minimum of 1024×768 in Virtualbox.
• Linux Mint 19.3 improvements (HDT, Boot-repair, System reports, language settings, HiDPI and artwork improvements, new boot menus, Celluloid, Gnote, Drawing, Cinnamon 4.4, XApp status icons…etc)
• APT recommends enabled by default
• Removed deb-multimedia repository and packages
• Debian 10 Buster package base with backports repository

Interested users find the entire release notes for LMDE 4 here. The notes include installation instructions among other things. Devices with a beta version of LMDE 4 can be upgraded automatically by installing available updates.

 

 

Source: Linux Mint releases Linux Mint 4 Debian Edition (gHacks - Martin Brinkmann)