I've been using vanilla Debian for a while, but my wife is more accustomed to the more user-friendly distro's out there. I am seriously considering trading in Debian for an easier distro.

Since I've grown to love Debian testing, LMDE is an attractive option. I'm not opposed to the Ubuntu-based Mints, but I'm just a Debian kinda guy.

I've read several reviews and they are all positive, but I'm interested in what the Mint community has to say.

I've found it to be a nice version. The installer was a bit rough, but not unworkable. I haven't installed the last update yet, though. I am sure that Clem and the team are polishing it like the LMUE

They probably are. And the Debian-based Mint is rolling release, which means you'll never be outdated. You'll always have up-to-date software as long as you update.

I'm surprised Clem and the team don't crontab "sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade" for you in the distro so that it is automatically updated every week or so without the user's knowledge.

I guess I don't fall into the "most people" group.
I prefer to do my own updates - on Arch, gentoo, LMDE whatever.

If it's done in crontab, at least I'll be able to "fix" it.

He He, I'll have to agree with you.

Same here, but I would never do it in crontab. It is just not a good idea with Sid (and I think, also in Testing, especially short after a new Stable), and I prefer to read apt-listbugs before doing an update.


@eveningsky: I use LMDE for my "conversions" of people to Linux, and till now there were not any problems. Fine little distro.

LMDE is up and running, and I must say I'm satisfied. GNOME looks good (finally), definitely user-friendly.

It's nice to find a distro that is more user-friendly than Ubuntu. As a bonus, it pulls from the more reliable Debian testing repositories. Now just gotta get used to the green...

ninja edit: I would never crontab my updates. If my system breaks, I want to know what updates did the job ASAP.

There are two neat programs (crontab sucks for updates) apt-listchanges and apt-list-bugs. Use them.

The best way is to update the wife's computer first and if it breaks you know to leave yours a lone. It just makes thing silent and someone glaring at you in the house for a period of time.

I usually suggest she go visit her mother for the afternoon.
That way I can get the restore completed before she gets back home...

Don't think the wife would enjoy me using her computer as a guinea pig.

If you've already got Debian set up (all your codecs. multimedia crap, drivers) Congrats. You ARE running MintDE, All mint does is take Ubuntu, or Debian and add the multimedia stuff in. One is not more "user friendly" than the other Gnome is Gnome, KDE is KDE, the software is the software. Nothing changes. I like Debian myself but they do cripple it with outdated crap, squeeze is good though. If i had to do a fresh install of either one.....Prob Mint to save time. But on an already up and running distro. Don't waste your time.

LMDE is the best distro ever

I've just changed Linux Mint 10 GNOME for LXDE environment yesterday, it's better for my computer, Linux Mint is a great distro and I really find it stable but not too fast for my computer which is not too old by the way, anyway I wanted something more lightweight so I decided to install the LXDE, still wishing a lot to give a try to LMDE.
Good luck friend in your journey with LMDE.