Linux Mint 20.3 'Una' gets a Beta release

With this release you're getting Kernel 5.4, a packaging base of Ubuntu 20.04

That seems really weird. Most Ubuntu 20.04 users are going to be on 5.11 already because of Hardware Enablement. If you're going to go through the effort to make a new downstream release based on that, why wouldn't you pick up the newer supported kernel from upstream?

With this release you're getting Kernel 5.4, a packaging base of Ubuntu 20.04

That seems really weird. Most Ubuntu 20.04 users are going to be on 5.11 already because of Hardware Enablement. If you're going to go through the effort to make a new downstream release based on that, why wouldn't you pick up the newer supported kernel from upstream?

Is it because during development they stick to one kernell for testing? In general updating kernell on linux mint does no harm to the system, but it might be done this way to avoid the final user unwanted surprises. Just a possible explanation. I'm not dev, just trying to guess why they are a bit late with kernel in general. On top of that Mint comes with so many packages, dependencies and libraries provided with the distribution that might also be a reason why they stick to a particular kernel.


Last edited by Jahimself on 14 December 2021 at 5:22 pm UTC

With this release you're getting Kernel 5.4, a packaging base of Ubuntu 20.04

That seems really weird. Most Ubuntu 20.04 users are going to be on 5.11 already because of Hardware Enablement. If you're going to go through the effort to make a new downstream release based on that, why wouldn't you pick up the newer supported kernel from upstream?

The 5.11 HWE kernels, as well as 5.13, are available in the kernel manager app. Are the HWE kernels installed by default on Ubuntu LTS?

With this release you're getting Kernel 5.4, a packaging base of Ubuntu 20.04

That seems really weird. Most Ubuntu 20.04 users are going to be on 5.11 already because of Hardware Enablement. If you're going to go through the effort to make a new downstream release based on that, why wouldn't you pick up the newer supported kernel from upstream?

I’m a little disappointed with the older package base myself. I was hoping for updates to some applications I don’t want to use AppImages or FlatPacks for (or compile).

The 5.11 HWE kernels, as well as 5.13, are available in the kernel manager app. Are the HWE kernels installed by default on Ubuntu LTS?

In previous releases it was different for whether you were using the original iso or a later one - the .2 release and later would put you on the HWE kernel by default but the first two wouldn't. With 20.04 they switched it so that the installer would decide, regardless of iso, whether you should be on the HWE kernel or not; I don't know what method it uses to decide.

A new Document Manager called Thingy.

Does it look like a turnip?


Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 14 December 2021 at 8:05 pm UTC

Good stuff! I need to do backups and update my system at some point next year

I installed 5.13.0-22-generic trough the update manager.
Runs just fine and a bit fresher than the one that comes out of the box.

Think the Cinnamon Calendar widget changes look interesting. Not sure how much of the theme changes I'll see as I've kept with the older Mint-X theme and icons.

I've also been using kernel 5.13 installed via the update manager, running great with no issues.

agree on the calendar app...looking forward to test it out

So they're going to windows with rounded corners. That's nice, I've always rather liked windows with rounded corners. Partly because the tendency for computer stuff to want to look all sharp and technological just because it's computer stuff makes me weary. I never liked Swedish Modern in furniture, I don't see why I should have to look at it all day on my screen. Partly because windows with rounded corners make it easier for me to tell whether my window is maximized properly or if it's actually going off the edge of the screen a bit or something--like, when the corners are square I can't tell if that's actually the corner of the window there at the corner of the screen.

With this release you're getting Kernel 5.4, a packaging base of Ubuntu 20.04

That seems really weird. Most Ubuntu 20.04 users are going to be on 5.11 already because of Hardware Enablement. If you're going to go through the effort to make a new downstream release based on that, why wouldn't you pick up the newer supported kernel from upstream?

I kind of thought Mint stopped using the Ubuntu kernel some time back because Ubuntu had done something that no one agreed with (can't recall the details) so they offer the Ubuntu kernels, but install their own?

But that would be my guess of why they are using 5.4. Too many people concentrate on what version of the kernel the distribution uses without realizing how much the distributions patch qnd change their ker els to support new hardware, and tweak features. It is not a 1:1 to kernel.org.

With this release you're getting Kernel 5.4, a packaging base of Ubuntu 20.04

That seems really weird. Most Ubuntu 20.04 users are going to be on 5.11 already because of Hardware Enablement. If you're going to go through the effort to make a new downstream release based on that, why wouldn't you pick up the newer supported kernel from upstream?

I kind of thought Mint stopped using the Ubuntu kernel some time back because Ubuntu had done something that no one agreed with (can't recall the details) so they offer the Ubuntu kernels, but install their own?

No, they're Ubuntu kernels still.

With this release you're getting Kernel 5.4, a packaging base of Ubuntu 20.04

That seems really weird. Most Ubuntu 20.04 users are going to be on 5.11 already because of Hardware Enablement. If you're going to go through the effort to make a new downstream release based on that, why wouldn't you pick up the newer supported kernel from upstream?

That kernel has been causing quite a few annoyances on my xubuntu install, from touchpad drivers stopping to function up to an 10sec shutdown time increase.

I've been able to fix everything, but it's adding up to the annoyances (snap, slow software manager, sleep problems, etc) the more recent so-called lts release has been adding on a system what was doing fine in 18.04. Funnily enough, linux mint, based on the same ubuntu version, has none of those problems.


Last edited by emphy on 17 December 2021 at 8:52 am UTC

If it wasn't for the AUR, the kids' computers would be on Mint. It feels great. I used to run it on my own main rig years ago. But I'm the tinkering type who keeps a computer as a pet, so I needed to break out into a rolling distro.

With this release you're getting Kernel 5.4, a packaging base of Ubuntu 20.04

That seems really weird. Most Ubuntu 20.04 users are going to be on 5.11 already because of Hardware Enablement. If you're going to go through the effort to make a new downstream release based on that, why wouldn't you pick up the newer supported kernel from upstream?

That kernel has been causing quite a few annoyances on my xubuntu install, from touchpad drivers stopping to function up to an 10sec shutdown time increase.

I've been able to fix everything, but it's adding up to the annoyances (snap, slow software manager, sleep problems, etc) the more recent so-called lts release has been adding on a system what was doing fine in 18.04. Funnily enough, linux mint, based on the same ubuntu version, has none of those problems.

Well, could be worse... Ordered a System76 Pangolin. Booted it up, and it came with Pop_OS! 21.04 (21.10 came out while it was in transit). Well the initial setup prompted for a username and password... and the keyboard didn't work. The only key I could get to do anything was Fn+F2, which would turn off the LCD...

Hooked up a USB keyboard to type that in, then after a reboot it worked fine. Very odd!

But I think 21.04 came with 5.15. Updated to 21.10, and I think it still uses 5.15.

But I think 21.04 came with 5.15. Updated to 21.10, and I think it still uses 5.15.

Linux 5.15 is the current stable kernel release and it only came out on the 31st of October. 21.04 had Linux 5.11 according to distrowatch.

But I think 21.04 came with 5.15. Updated to 21.10, and I think it still uses 5.15.

Linux 5.15 is the current stable kernel release and it only came out on the 31st of October. 21.04 had Linux 5.11 according to distrowatch.

I'm guessing they had a new image installed when it shipped. But it definitely had 5.15.

Mint 20.3 is out of beta now, in case someone is waiting for it.