The Linux Mint team have another monthly update blog post out, to talk about the state of Linux Mint and it sounds like things are going well. They also announced the small-form-factor MintBox 3 and something about Snaps.
Teaming up with Compulab once again who did the previous MintBox, it's based on their current Airtop3 and will come with Linux Mint installed with their branding. The specifications, while not final, are below:
- 1. Basic configuration: $1543 with a Core i5 (6 cores), 16 GB RAM, 256 GB EVO 970, Wi-Fi and FM-AT3 FACE Module.
- 2. High end: $2698 with Core i9, GTX 1660 Ti, 32 GB RAM, 1TB EVO 970, WiFi and FM-AT3 FACE Module.
While a bit on the pricey side, I do have to admit it's a pretty tidy looking unit! I wouldn't mind something like this to replace the ridiculously large PC case I have sitting under my TV:
Additionally, Mint's Clement Lefebvre who wrote the blog post had some interesting words to say about the Snap package format and how it's currently being handled. Touching on topics like being locked into a single store, Ubuntu possibly replacing the Chromium repository package with one that installs the Chromium snap and things like that. However, Lefebvre did say they've been invited to participate by the Snap developers, so hopefully they can all agree on something.
As for the whole 32bit debacle recently with Ubuntu, they said if it becomes an issue they will solve that too. It's good to know they're making plenty of plans no matter what happens, as desktop-focused distribution the Mint team seem to be doing a fair amount of good work.
They also continue to pull in an impressive amount in donations, with June getting $11,825 which is on top of their various Sponsors which was around $7,700. Seems like quite a healthy amount.
You could get a failry powerful laptop for that money.
I guess the small form factor pushes the price up.
But at the moment if I had a choice i would probably build a mini-ITX box over buying something like that.
Cool idea though.
QuoteTouching on topics like being locked into a single storeSnaps are usable without the Canonical snapcraft.io storefront, I thought. Or is that a Flatpak only thing? Because I remember Alan Pope making a big deal about it.
Didn't even know that... rather weird and seems strangely against the concept.
Quoting: TheSHEEEPSnap only works on Ubuntu?That is definitely not the case, though snaps work best on Ubuntu. I can use them just fine on Debian, and there are instructions to use them on other distros. For example, Linux Mint.
Didn't even know that... rather weird and seems strangely against the concept.
https://docs.snapcraft.io/installing-snap-on-linux-mint
Quoting: 14I haven't played with Mint for a long time. Man, that was my first dual-boot choice when I started migrating my general computing and some gaming to Linux. I found messing between Steam and PlayOnLinux and USB WiFi drivers not to be fun on Mint, and I wasn't a fan of the Ubuntu desktop environment back then. I also wanted to get away from major OS upgrades. Anyway, I'm still somewhat fond of the distro. I'll throw LMDE into a VM and take a peek.
i read as my vm lmde install finishes, haha ;3 very similar story here
Last edited by Jahimself on 3 July 2019 at 8:27 am UTC
Its good to see Linux mint devs seems commited now with all the news involving Ubuntu :(.
Linux mint was one of the first Linux destros I tryed, and there was always problems for me, I couldnt use it like a windows machine and it was just frustrating for a beginner.
Now that Iv been more comfortable with linux and how to use it I might check out linux mint again sometime in the future.
But also add the old kernel and the security problems linux mint has hade in its history, Im still a bit sceptical.
But I think its still a good OS for valve to support :).
Last edited by Zelox on 3 July 2019 at 10:04 am UTC
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