Uma vez que existem algumas duvidas em relação ao futuro das edições do Mint deixo aqui a FAQ criada pelo Clem:
http://blog.linuxmint.com/
FAQ
1. Which editions are based on Ubuntu and which editions are based on Debian?
Frozen releases are based on Ubuntu. They carry a version number. For instance, Linux Mint 10 is based on Ubuntu 10.10. The next frozen release will be Linux Mint 11, based on Ubuntu 11.04.
Rolling editions do not carry version numbers. They follow the Debian Testing branch. Because of their rolling nature, they’re receiving continuous updates and their version number never changes (technically it’s always “1″ though we do not mention it since it’s not relevant). Note the absence of version number in “Linux Mint Xfce” for instance, indicating its rolling nature.
An important thing to notice is the fact that rolling editions are in constant evolution but that a particular ISO image is a snapshot of this edition at a particular time. So, though rolling editions do not get outdated, ISO images do. For this reason we use a timestamp for our ISO images, such as “Linux Mint Xfce (201104)”.
2. Is Linux Mint switching to Debian?
No. Linux Mint is Linux Mint, it’s not based on anything per say. It provides different editions which include different upstream components. In regards to package bases and repositories, what’s happening today is that the Xfce edition of Linux Mint is switching two important things:
- It’s switching its package base from a frozen Ubuntu pool to the rolling Debian Testing branch.
- It’s switching its lightweight software selection to a more mainstream one.
3. Are other editions going to switch to Debian?
Fluxbox will switch to Debian but remain minimalist in its default selection.
No decisions were made about LXDE and KDE yet, though switching them to Debian Testing would bring significant advantages to both the project and the users.
4. What about the main edition?
The main edition is and always was our flagship product. It implements the vision we have for Linux Mint and represents our most polished desktop. We do provide other editions and alternative desktops to please particular groups of people within our user base, but our main edition is where our biggest focus remains.
Unless major obstacles or changes meant either Ubuntu or Gnome 3 weren’t compatible with our vision of a perfect desktop anymore, this will not change. We’ll release two major desktops this year: Linux Mint 11 in May and Linux Mint 12 in November, and these two releases are by far the most important events for us at Linux Mint.
Switching editions to Debian Testing simplifies a lot of things and brings considerable advantages to everyone involved, but it doesn’t change our main focus and our commitment to our main edition, which is still featuring Gnome on top of an Ubuntu package base.
5. These switches to Debian seem to take the focus away from the development of the main edition
We’re holding back on two major projects, and sadly they’re likely to be postponed to Linux Mint 12. The main reasons for this aren’t associated with LMDE though. Drastic changes are occurring upstream, whether it’s with Ubuntu pushing for the adoption of its Software Center, switching to Unity and planning to switch away from Xorg, or Gnome moving ahead with Gnome 3, Shell and GTK3… we’re expecting that a lot of things will break and we’re not quite sure how big will the challenges ahead of us be. With this in mind, we’re not in a state of mind where we want to innovate and develop additional features, but in a position where we want to make sure everything works as well as before.
In the long run, switching our alternative desktops to a rolling base also simplifies their maintenance. To users, this means faster updates and synchronised releases. To us, this means more focus on the main edition.
