this post was submitted on 23 Jun 2025
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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What's with all the Mint hype? I've never used it and have little desire to go back to a Ubuntu-based distro. Just curious why everyone loves it so much.
Mint is easy. Easy is good.
Even if you can configure your way through Arch to a killer custom system, is that really what you want to do every time on every computer in your life?
For the most part, it works well without needing too much tinkering by the user. It's the Fisher Price My First Distro.
I tried it out with a 21.3 dualboot with Windows 11 and within 2 or 3 months I hadn't gone back to Windows other than to push files over. Sure, there were a few "learning opportunities" with tweaks or weird driver issues that were because of the particular hardware I'm using, but they were manageable. At this point I'm running 22.1 only on this machine.
The nice part is that being Ubuntu-based, if I run into a problem, I can search for both the more widely-documented Ubuntu version of the issue, or look for a Mint-related version. Claude does a great job with small-to-medium troubleshooting rather than me dig through forums. It's low-risk, low-work, high-reward.
It's fantastically simple to set up, and it's (well it's linux!) fantastically powerful out of the box.
Easy peasy, just go. No need to fiddle to get it starting, good looking, and everything is there ready to be used.
Maybe all distros are like that today but they sure wasn't (even Mint wasn't before IDK maybe 18 IMO).
I ran it for a while, and loved it. Cinnamon is sleek and feels polished. The installation is really fast and not bloated with garbage software.
Everything generally works, and the interface feels familiar.
It is Ubuntu/Debian under the hood, so compatibility with most software is good. Bleeding edge drivers may run into issues, but most of them work with a little fiddling.
It's worth a try. If nothing else toss it on a USB drive and give it a test drive.
I ran Ubuntu for like 15 years and was especially recently getting frustrated by how far behind the packages always were. I'm full in on Arch - everything about it has been a much better experience.
After 15 years, aren't you questioning: how far out on the bleeding edge do I need to be?
I mean, if the absolute most advanced bleeding edge is "where it was at" five years ago - isn't a stable system that's up to speed with where the good things were five years ago even better?
That's one of the beauties of Linux, if you need something else than want you can probably get another distro that suits your needs. OP was asking about newbies. I set up Mint for my mom. I can guarantee that she won't change.
My son on the other hand distro hops.
The good thing about distro hopping is refining your setup to the point that "burning down the desktop" becomes a relative non-event, your important personal files are elsewhere - nothing of value gets lost if your desktop SSD goes Ollie North: "I'm sorry, sir, I don't recall..."
It's rock solid and the desktop is very close to what people coming from Windows would expect. It's just a very good beginner distro, not necessarily something that more advanced users would choose.
Makes sense. I went from Suse to Mepis, stuck with it for a bit after they transitioned to Ubuntu before just going full Ubuntu, but I was getting frustrated by how long it took for their repos to catch up. I've been on Arch for a year or two now and it's been fantastic.
It just works.