Linux Mint 9 arrives

The Linux Mint 9 desktop. The Linux Mint development team have announced the release of version 9 of their Ubuntu-based Linux distribution, code named "Isadora". Linux Mint aims to be user friendly and to provide a more complete out-of-the-box experience by including support for DVD playback, Java, and various plug-ins and media codecs. It's currently the third most popular distribution on DistroWatch.com behind Ubuntu and Fedora.

Linux Mint 9 is based on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" and features version 2.6.32 of the Linux kernel, X.org 7.4 and the 2.30 GNOME desktop environment. Like Ubuntu, version 9 of Linux Mint is a Long Term Support release and will receive updates until April of 2013. The latest release adds several new desktop backgrounds and includes a completely rewritten Software Manager with more than 30,000 available applications. A rewritten Desktop Settings tool allows additional options, such as moving the window buttons to the left (Mac style) or right (traditional) side.

Other changes include the return of the mint4win Wubi based installer for Windows, a USB image creator and the addition of a new incremental Backup Tool for both data and software selection. Linux Mint Menu changes and improvements include, for example, the ability to edit any application name and icon, opacity options for the menu and Panel and Desktop shortcuts.

More details about the release, including a full list of new features, can be found in the release notes and on the What's new page. Linux Mint 9 is available to download for 32 and 64-bit systems from one of the project's mirrors and upgrade instructions are provided. The OEM Edition provides the same features as the Main Edition, but without including proprietary software, patented technologies or support for restricted formats.

See also:

• What's new in Ubuntu 10.04 LTS, a feature from The H.

(crve)