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I searched the forum and didn't really find an explanation of each download version:

• Precise
• Oneiric
• Natty
• Maverick
• Lucid

Ubuntu was going in a 6-month release cycle, with LTS (Long Term Service) versions coming out every 2 years. LTS versions are stable, while you could consider all of the versions inbetween to be beta.

Lucid is 10.04 LTS
Maverick is 10.10
Natty is 11.04
Oneiric is 11.10
Precise is version 12.04 LTS

I never run anything but the LTS versions for my production machines, but its nice to install these "non-stable releases" in a VM just to get an idea of where the next LTS is going to end up.

Edité par RoninDusette

Ok, this is all making Sense.
I use Mint and either need the .deb file or can install any of the Ubuntu versions.
Who can I ask to include the work "Mint" in the Ubuntu description?

I just want Mint users to know that they can use the Ubuntu downloads too.

Well, they arent ubuntu downloads. They are both based on Debian (actually, Mint is based on Ubuntu, and Ubuntu is based on Debian). I guess they probably figured you should at least know that about your OS. hahaha.

Open a feature request in the website bug section. We could list it like, "Ubuntu/Mint" or something like that.

Good point...
Since I'm creating tutorials for new Linux users, I'm going to assume they don't know their families of Distro's
Cause I didn't when I started using Linux either.
I'll post in bug section
Thanks

or can install any of the Ubuntu versions.

This is not true. They cannot install just any of the Ubuntu versions. Different versions have different kernels, different versions of GTK or QT, etc etc etc etc etc.. You need to know which version of Mint you have corresponds to which version of Ubuntu.

Basically, if you are not running Ubuntu, stick with the .DEB files, as those will get whats needed, instead of adding repos to your system that my not agree with what you are running.

Yeah. There are quite a few tutorials out there, too. Its just getting users to read their instructions on their own OS before trying more complicated stuff.... Thats the hard part.

Ok, strange because Mint doesn't really give us a clue of what Ubuntu version its based off.
I wonder if they just use the stable version for Mint?
either way, Mint makes it pretty seamless to install and run. It not until a year later and running PlayOnLinux that I find out this information.
This could also attribute to my problems with some PC games.

Yeah. I would say that Whatever stable release of Mint is out, is more than likely based off of the current Kernel version of the current Ubuntu LTS version.

Lol. Ubuntu is pretty seamless, as well. Mint is nice. I dig it a lot. My parents are actually running Cinnamon right now, because I liked it so much in MInt.

Edité par RoninDusette

yeah, it is stable and everything installs very nicely without a lot of hassle and troubleshooting.
Unless you are stubborn like me and want ever PC game to work!
Like I said elsewhere, my goal is to create an environment where windows users can migrate to Linux as easily as possible. Of course for playing games. Everything else is secondary... :)

Ubuntu probably does it the best. Its simple, stable, has massive hardware support, has probably the biggest linux following, and everything is compatible with it. well, almost.

Migrating to Linux is 100% NO DIFFERENT than migrating to a Mac. If they can handle a mac, then they can handle linux. they come with just about the same limitations (hence PlayOnMac), and they have the same learning curve.

The reason that I say this, is just for simplicity, and the fact that Linux behaves radically different as opposed to Windows.

1) users dont bother to read instructions, and need someone to hold their hand through the learning process. Not all, but most, and immediately turn their brains off, like "umm, this is too hard. Help", without even thinking about what "please close cd drive" means.

2) You can explain the simplest things like, click applications, then internet, then firefox... They respond with "wheres applications?" and Im like "the button that says applications. Again, new users will tend to turn off the ability to think when confronted with anything new, even though it may not be a problem.

So, in short, no distro will ever make it "easiest" to do this, but some make it easier than others. Its all up to the end-user to read the documentation and research. Most would gladly crack open their mac manual or go to a mac forum for questions, but a lot of Linux users usually just got to any forum, cry HELP, and wait for answers. It sucks, because this is the slowest way to learn.

Users just gotta read. lol. Id say tutorials on an easy system, like mint or ubuntu, would be better than trying to reinvent the wheel with a new OS that aims to do the same as 100 others. haha

I always felt it was the other way around... strange huh?
Mint and my old Fedora 8 has always felt more like a Windows environment than a Mac environment.
At least with the Graphical User Interface.
Start button
Taskbar
System Tray
Menu's
Folders
Double-click
Right-click

I worked with Mac for a few months and I had to learn navigation because it was so different from Windows. I was so used to right-clicking everything and using menu's or drop-down lists.

When I went to Linux, most of that was the same as Windows, except having to use Terminal for installing/configuring certain things.
And, of course... the direction of slashes when connecting to shares or directories.

and of course, no c: drive, no d: drive, no windows drivers, a kernel that doesnt have to be rebooted for certain changes, completely different command line structure, and whole different set of software with different names, a repository-based install system, block devices representing drives, different shortcuts, passwords to install anything....... FAR from windows on any linux OS.

Navigating around a system is no harder than just looking at it and clicking. Like, gnome2, had "Applications", "Places", and "System". It doesnt get any more straightforward than that.

99% of the time, the only problem that people have is "Where is my Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player", and stuff like that. hahahaha.

thats true, for some reason no C: D: A: didn't bother me so much because Mint provided enough shortcuts to get to my files.
But I see what you are saying, people that only knows the bare-minimum won't have any clue when trying to navigate Linux GUI...

But we are looking at it as IT techs. Most people don't even touch the command line in Windows or configure anything. They just put the CD in, keep clicking next and use the shortcut on the desktop.

For some reason the Mac navigation was so foreign to me that it actually slowed down my day to day productivity. I still figured it out, but man... my windows habits were not there.

I'm finding that some of my windows habits are in Linux, not all, but the quick ones.
Like I said, I'm looking at it from a Tech's perspective where I'm always messing with different interfaces... its my job.

So hard to see it their way because I am very patient and visual. some how I remember all the steps after the first or second time.

Its very hard to come up with a single interface to please everyone. I liked Fedora's Gnome3 "tabletie" interface but it was strange not being able to use my desktop.

I really like Cinnamon's interface because its similar to old Windows XP than any of the distro's I have tried. Ubuntu was fine too and kind of combined the "tabletie" desktop with the XP desktop. Is there are desktop manager for Ubuntu that is more like XP?

Well, Im not just looking at it from a techs perspective, Im also talking as a tech who handles Linux and Windows clients issues and has to troubleshoot blind over the phone. hahahaha.

I dont like Gnome3 ( I did at first. Its pretty but not for me) and Unity. I dont think that Tablet interfaces should be on computers that arent touch screen, period. lol

All desktop managers will usually run on any other Linux version. I happen to be using KDE (which is probably as close to a windows feel without going to ReactOS, which you dont want to do), which has the task bar on the bottom (though, I like mine on top).

If you would have tried Ubuntu 10.04, you would have seen that it was using Gnome2, which is what the MATE desktop manager is forked from. Unity and Gnome3 were met with varying happiness. Most users just dealt with it, but a vast majority switched to other DM's, as it just lost its "Ubuntu feel", if you will.

PS: Gnome3 is not exclusive to Fedora. Neither is KDE, MATE, Cinnamon, LXDE, etc etc etc etc.. They are individual projects (with the exception of Unity). A lot of distros even give you the choice when you are installing of which DM you want to use.

Sounds like you work with a lot of newbee's...

It would be fun to run Cinnamon in Ubuntu.
I have been using Openbox for gaming in Mint, but my game install/configuration is in Cinnamon initially.

I'm going to search for an XP-like desktop manager for Ubuntu

KDE is about it. Thats as close as you will find.

http://www.kde.org/

Well, when you work in support, thats what you are working with. But I also do some really technical stuff, as well.

You shouldnt have to switch window managers. It really wont make that big of a difference. KDE, Gnome, Unity, Cinnamon, MATE. I havent really had issues with any one of them. If you are having problems gaming in Cinnamon, you probably have desktop effects running.

In KDE, I just hit CTRL+SHIFT+F12, and it turns off the effects, which makes my games run fine. Well most of the time. But those are different issues. lol

Yeah, I think I have desktop effects turned on. I don't need them so I will check tonight when I get home.

Cool, I think I will stick with Cinnamon since it and Mate are the default for Mint.

By the way, I am a systems admin too. Work on servers, workstations, laptops, antivirus/antimalware, updates, security, networking, Win/Mac/Linux and even spend some time refurbishing old computers to squeeze some more life out of them.

yup yup.

Yeah. I do the same thing. I own QuickTech MSP, managed services provider, webhost, and all around tech support.