Mint actually is based on Ubuntu Linux – but these two have developed apart quite a bit. Besides, both of them are designed to be user-friendly and to provide a usable experience for the learners. There are some users that prefer using Linux Mint and others are loyal to Ubuntu Linux, but let’s take first a look at both sides of the case. Which is better for beginners, Linux Mint or Ubuntu Linux?
Users who are looking for the “best beginner distro” usually drop into one of two groups: the first is a set of tech-savvy individuals, who wish to discover Linux for the first time because people usually fall into the idea of a free OS that is able to give them a lot of power. The second set of users consists of individuals that are first-timers of Linux. Maybe you are trying to use Linux in your old computer to update the speed or to regard their even virus issues. Definitely, they know nothing about Linux, and most probably they don’t really care about it, they just want an exceptional computing experience.
As far as speed is all about definitely Linux Mint has an edge. Over the past few editions, Ubuntu is getting faster, however, Mint is always pretty snappy and compatible even on the lower-powered and older versions of hardware. If you wish to speed up your computer using Linux then Mint may offer users the best experience and always the best choice than Ubuntu.
Furthermore, both Mint and Ubuntu have a set of preinstalled apps that usually provides all your needs including a music player, office suite, video player, web browser, and more. In relation to this, I think Mint is a better option than Ubuntu because it includes Pidgin rather than the less established Empathy, feature-filled Banshee, and the easy-to-use VLC, for an instance. However, this is not a big issue because you can always install new apps if you want to.
As well both Mint and Ubuntu have their own app stores that allow beginners to easily research find and download new applications. The Ubuntu’s Software Center is a bit easier to locate, because it is in the dock by default, has an evocative icon of “plastic bag” and is labeled “this is where you get new software.” The moment that you open it, it appears to be a professional app store and consists of screenshots, featured apps, categories, and star ratings.
Linux is great for the Jerks – it allows the users to modify every single inch of your computer system, from the size of menus to the way how windows work to the shortcuts. In the part of Ubuntu, they also did recently a lot of this feature. They also offer some preferences, however, it’s much more ‘what you see is what you get as compared to Mint which has packs of settings for changing the whole things down to the minute details of your interface. Most of the beginners don’t care about this but if you are a tech-savvy user and wish to learn more about Linux, most probably you will find more things to play within Linux Mint.
After discussing these few things for the beginners, indeed it’s hard to choose which one is the best. I am not really a big fan of the two but I presumed that Mint was going to thump Ubuntu hands down; however, the Ubuntu team has put together something okay. Perhaps Linux users don’t prefer it, but the beginners are a diverse story.
Thus, if you have a friend and want to use Linux to speed up their system, give them the chance to try both Mint and Ubuntu. Although my assessment is pretty basic, each individual had a good idea of which one they rather have utilized on their system, hence to solve this argument just let them decide.
About the Author:
Stacy Carter is a tech writer and freelance blogger laying out for tech news via online exposure. She is the author of the site: Cell Phone Spy where you can get valuable information about spy software programs on your cell phone.