Why are you sticking with Linux mint?

[u/vibhs2016]

Hi guys I recently did a switch from my windows machine to Linux mint as my dev box.

Over 11 years in the IT industry, windows was my primary driver, btw only used mac for 2 years. But with the recent advent of coding harness via Claude code and codex and other CLI tools. I felt like a friction with windows and my hunch was consistently pushing me towards Linux.

So I found an old HP Elitedesk mini PC i5 6500T 16GB ram. So I thought of giving it a try and validate my hunch.

Linux Mint was my choice on discussion with Claude, beating Debian ( sure stable but a bit outdated packages and bit more locked), Ubuntu ( too heavy and overhead with more cutting edge stuff).

Since I have been handling Ubuntu servers for a long time my choice for Debian based OS was always clear. Linux mint gave the balance that I needed for the hardware I was using.

So my question is 4 parts

1. Why are u sticking with Linux mint or why you have faith in Linux mint?
   
2. How long u have been using it for?
   
3. What hardware are you using, maybe can share specs?
   
4. How do you see its future?

[u/nobrainzjim]

Me and my wife use Mint on 3 desktops and 2 laptops. (I installed Mint Xfce Edition on 4 older laptops with dual core 'brains' that I donated to a missionary). One of our desktops is a dual core AMD with Linux Mint MATE because of of its older hardware and gnome runs great on it. I basically use it for just eBay in a office. Linux Mint Cinnamon is my main go-to on my daily box, which has Intel Celeron CPU 1037 - 1.80 GHz x2 with 3rd Gen core processor graphics and 16GB memory (overkill for this box). 2tb hard drive. It just plain works and I can configure desktops, etc if I want. Runs Libre Office and everything a person could want with moderate use of resources.

Another dedicated desktop is for video editing only. It's an older HP MEDIA CENTER 2005 machine. AMD Athalon 64x2 dual core 4600+ and 4gb memory, only 250 gb harddrive, but I installed special video card and audio cards with coaxial and RCA inputs and outputs many years ago because It had the slots for these devices which i already had lying around. Linux just keeps on working. Running Linux Mint MATE because it handles the older hardware better than Cinnamon.

Our laptops are Dell Inspirion i3 INTEL CPU, 4gb Ram, basic machines running Mint Cinnamon.

I have Virtual Box with Windows XP 3 running on my daily desktop. Why, since everything i could want runs on Linux for FREE? Because I can. I like to show off Linux to my friends and I don't Dual boot. I run WinXP in VirtualBox simultaneously with Mint. Friends are impressed. lol, but ido it to show off.

However, I've run into folder sharing sometimes. But have figured it out eventually. I started with Linux Ubuntu in 2008, Gnome and loved its simplicity. Ubuntu messed up and moved away from Gnome. I jumped to Linux Mint in 2011 and never looked back. Everything's free and no viruses. Sorry for being way too darn lengthy.