Best choice from 20.3 to 21.x?
 

On 20.3 now on old dual-core computer. It runs fine here and I upgraded to kernel 5.15 a while back, can't remember why but it works fine also. The main reason to upgrade to 21.x is some improvements in package updates/choices and I will need to run a printer in the future which I don't have now plus the LTS over 20.3 I think there are some improvements in 21 over 20 in add/device area. 2 questions, 1) can I upgrade to any .x of 21 from 20.3 and 2) if so, since 20.3 works well is there any real advantage of one 21.x version over another?

Thanks

I have 4 PCs with 21.x on them. The oldest is a Core2Duo, which I upgraded from 20.3 12 months ago. As long as you're using a supported release, and keeping it updated, there's probably little point in fussing over the minor version number unless a newer offers something you need that your current doesn't have. If installing afresh, there's not usually any point in selecting other than the latest. Mirror timestamps on 21.3 are from 7 days ago. If you upgrade using installation media, and offline at the time, you're upgrading to that version. I do all my upgrading online, where the content of /etc/apt/sources.list controls the resulting version.

Thanks for the reply. I will do an upgrade, not new install. Do all 21.x have the driverless feature? I don't use wifi or bluetooth and that is the main reason for upgrade is to make adding a printer easier. I already use kernel 5.15 which I think all 21.x use so that's the same but there is the newer Ubuntu 22.04 from 20.04 which I read may be more secure. There is an Mint upgrade from 20.3 to 21 that seems pretty solid and if 21.0 will do what I need, no need to go for 21.3 then.

what do you mean by driverless feature? drivers are usually created as modules and the system can dynamically decide which driver should be loaded. But probably you want something different.

This is what I'm referring to:

Linux Mint 21 uses IPP, also known as Driverless Printing and Scanning (i.e. a standard protocol which communicates with printers/scanners without using drivers). For most printers and scanners no drivers are needed, and the device is detected automatically

From this point of view all distro are the same, it is available.

WhyLinux0,

Please don’t draw the conclusion that simply by using Linux Mint 21 with its included IPP that all printers using LM 21 will be supported, because they will not.

https://linuxmint-user-guide.readthe.../printers.html

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...pp-4175729700/

For the future of CUPS 3.x not supporting classic CUPS drivers any more:

• Drivers will still exist, but they will come in a new format, the Legacy Printer Applications which are software emulations of driverless IPP printers. Manufacturers are supposed to ship drivers in this format in the future.

• All free software classic CUPS drivers are already converted to Printer Applications and readily available in the Snap Store.

• For proprietary legacy CUPS drivers, like the one from Samsung, we have also a solution, the so-called Legacy Printer Application. It sees classically installed classic CUPS drivers, independent whether there is a classically installed CUPS 2.x on the system or not, and makes them available as Printer Application, so that CUPS 3.x sees and uses them.

Just to add that CUPS 3.0 (CUPS 2.4.7 is the latest version) has still not arrived and is well behind schedule.
https://github.com/openprinting/cups/releases

https://www.phoronix.com/news/CUPS-3...cture-Overhaul