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07 Nov 10
I've been using Linux distros for a few years now; & the best & easiest distro to use yet is Linux Mint 8 without a shadow of doubt. However versions 9 & 10 really suck for an average user. Version 8 comes with Java & Adobe flash preinstalled & right out of the box Linux Mint 8 works @ all of the websites the average user will use. What's the problem with later distros that Linux can't preinstall both of them in the newer ones?
07 Nov 10
I don't really understand your question.
If the question is "why can't other distros pre-install java and flash?", then the answer could be that they only wish to install free software or it could be that they don't want to risk potential legal issues from shipping proprietary software.
In the case of my preferred distro slackware, by my understanding it is not in the base packages because they do not wish to assume that you will be using the distro for a desktop, they want you to adapt the system to exactly your needs.
07 Nov 10
What do you mean? I use LM and LMDE and I only see it getting better and better with every version...
Linux Mint FTW!! :D :D
08 Nov 10
The different community editions make a big difference as well. Linux Mint 9 Xfce, for example, does not ship with that dumb buggy PulseAudio like the main (Gnome) edition does.
It also appears that the Intel issue has been 99% solved in the new kernel, and that's as easy as
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
I've tried all the 'Buntus (X/K/L/ubuntu as well as the standard Gnome) and the differences are much more than just the desktop environments. Xubuntu, in particular, seems to be more "apart" from its siblings, developed by a different team on a minimal Ubuntu base. It's "separate" enough for Canonical not to offer Xubuntu CDs in its ShipIt service (but Ubuntu and Kubuntu are available from ShipIt). The Xubuntu folks had to make their own separate arrangements with a whole 'nother vendor.
Mint 9 Xfce is built on Xubuntu 10.04 (LTS), but they dumped the abominable PulseAudio and made a few other very cool improvements as well. It's kinda like "Gnome Lite," actually, but Xfce is full-featured and intuitive. You might try Xubuntu or Mint 9 Xfce edition. They really are quite different from their "big brothers."
08 Nov 10
I'm a big Linux Mint fan. When I don't have time to set up a custom install of Arch, I do a nice quick and simple mint install. I've noticed it getting better with every release too.
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