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"Linux Mint" version? It should be "Debian" version. Mint is based off Ubuntu which is based off Debian. ".deb" are for Debian-based distros, not for Linux Mint

by munchor 14y ago

"Linux Mint" version? It should be "Debian" version. Mint is based off Ubuntu which is based off Debian. ".deb" are for Debian-based distros, not for Linux Mint.

viraptor 14y ago
If they depend on something specific to Mint, or on Mint-specific versions of packages, then these are Mint packages. I'm not sure if they do, but it's a possibility. Practically it may depend on where they were produced / tested. If Mint is all the developers use, then it would be tricky for them to decide if the packages are compatible with previous distros (Ubuntu, Debian)
- ralfn 14y ago
  There is no such thing as 'mint-specific' packages. It's just the Ubuntu repository, with a different default installation and some 'out-of-repository' settings, script and GUI applications. Mint is not a build target in any way shape or form. Ubuntu however, deviates enough from Debian (patched kernel, patched/out-of-sync glibc, as well as patched core libraries) that one would have to explicitely test on Debian proper. To call these packages Mint specific is like calling the windows executable HP-Windows-Executable, because you had HP crapware preinstalled.
ralfn 14y ago
Ubuntu patches the kernel, and glibc. They are not binary compatible. Ubuntu's stuff is synced from debian unstable, which is a moving target. So, for a dynamically linked application, you need to build specifically for Ubuntu. With a statically linked app, that is distrobuted with its libraries .. you can make a generic linux application that should work just about everywhere. Mint is a completely different story. They don't patch the kernel, or stuff like that. They just preinstall different packages from the Ubuntu repo, and have a different default user-skeleton. (different default settings in userspace). They also add some extra GUI tools and scripts. But they are Ubuntu, just like HP Windows is just Windows and run Windows applications.

by munchor 14y ago

"Linux Mint" version? It should be "Debian" version. Mint is based off Ubuntu which is based off Debian. ".deb" are for Debian-based distros, not for Linux Mint.

viraptor 14y ago

If they depend on something specific to Mint, or on Mint-specific versions of packages, then these are Mint packages. I'm not sure if they do, but it's a possibility. Practically it may depend on where they were produced / tested. If Mint is all the developers use, then it would be tricky for them to decide if the packages are compatible with previous distros (Ubuntu, Debian)

ralfn 14y ago
There is no such thing as 'mint-specific' packages. It's just the Ubuntu repository, with a different default installation and some 'out-of-repository' settings, script and GUI applications. Mint is not a build target in any way shape or form. Ubuntu however, deviates enough from Debian (patched kernel, patched/out-of-sync glibc, as well as patched core libraries) that one would have to explicitely test on Debian proper. To call these packages Mint specific is like calling the windows executable HP-Windows-Executable, because you had HP crapware preinstalled.

ralfn 14y ago

Ubuntu patches the kernel, and glibc. They are not binary compatible. Ubuntu's stuff is synced from debian unstable, which is a moving target. So, for a dynamically linked application, you need to build specifically for Ubuntu. With a statically linked app, that is distrobuted with its libraries .. you can make a generic linux application that should work just about everywhere. Mint is a completely different story. They don't patch the kernel, or stuff like that. They just preinstall different packages from the Ubuntu repo, and have a different default user-skeleton. (different default settings in userspace). They also add some extra GUI tools and scripts. But they are Ubuntu, just like HP Windows is just Windows and run Windows applications.