Linux Mint team targets May or June 2018 for Linux Mint 19 release
The release of Linux Mint 18.3 in November 2017 put the development focus of the team on Linux Mint 19, the next major version of the popular Linux distribution.
Linux Mint 19 is the first significant release of the operating system since June 2016 when Linux Mint 17, codename Sarah, was released by the team.
The developers plan to release Linux Mint 19 "around May/June 2018". Just like its predecessors, Linux Mint 19 will be supported for a total of five years until 2023. The previous versions of Linux Mint, Linux Mint 17.x and Linux Mint 18.x, are supported until April 2019 and 2021 respectively.
Continued support for older versions means that users don't need to rush to upgrade machines to the new release version of Linux Mint as previous versions are still supported when Linux Mint 19 is released.
Linux Mint 19 will be based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Long Term Service release). Ubuntu's development team aims for an April 2018 release for the new Ubuntu version that is codenamed Bionic Beaver, and Linux Mint 19 will follow soon thereafter.
The two current versions of Linux Mint, Linux Mint 17.x, and 18.x are also based on Ubuntu LTS releases. Linux Mint 17 is based on Ubuntu 14.04, and Linux Mint 18.x is based on Ubuntu 16.04.
The new Linux Mint version goes under the codename Tara, and it is likely that future versions of Linux Mint 19.x will use codenames starting with T as well as previous versions followed that scheme.
The only other bit of information that the team shared in a blog post on the official Linux Mint Blog is that Linux Mint 19 will use GTK 3.22.
GTK 3.22 is a major stable release for GTK3. From there on, the theming engine and the APIs are stable. This is a great milestone for GTK3. It also means Linux Mint 19.x (which will become our main development platform) will use the same version of GTK as LMDE 3, and distributions which use components we develop, such as Fedora, Arch..etc. This should ease development and increase the quality of these components outside of Linux Mint.
Now You: What would you like to see in Linux Mint 19?
I wish Martin Brinkman would stop promoting Linux Mint.
Its developers dont patch against most security breaches CVE’s etc. When patches come in are well far behind other kernels/general patches.
Using Linux Mint, is like using a strainer for security then turn the tap on and hope no water goes through the holes. People… Wake up!
Now I like Cinnamon just as much as anyone whos a fan, but I prefer installing a minimal ubuntu and then adding cinnamon ontop.
People should stop thinking of Linux as scary and then use the worst possible distros in order to satisfy their visual and usability out of the box expectations and realize that using Linux is not a automatic immunization against hacks/spyware/ransomware,rats/etc. But Using Linux Mint is like an open door invitation to a crapshoot into avoiding becoming another bot in a botnet.
I dumped everything Microsoft in 2004 when I discovered Ubuntu. Over the past 14 years, I installed Linux Mint and LMDE on all my computers. I don’t get errors, I never get viruses or malware, I’ve never had ransomware-but I know many Windows users who did. My system doesn’t give me any headaches. I like the security the Linux firewall offers too. It really does work. I have put a wide variety of other Linux operating systems of anyones computer who knows me. I swim in the same Internet as everyone else, but Linux operating systems are very stable, at least when I install them. I’m checking out Qubes OS right now. I needed to order the correct CPU that has VT-D capability, and ebay was right there with exactly what i needed. That OS looks promising. I keep my systems up to date, and will never even look at anything closed sourced again, ever.
OH My Lord …
I am using Linux Mint Cinnamon for almost 1 month, I have no software, hardware BUGs,
I’m so happy and I will never go back to Windows.
The whole system and programs, for example: Gimp is much more powerful and effective than photoshop, the operating system is simple and perfect.
I use Linux Mint Cinnamon and frankly I had more errors using Windows 7 Sp1 and 10 than Linux Mint Cinnamon (no errors so far).
I, repeat Linux Mint Cinnamon, practically leaves these Windows: 7 Sp1, 8.1 and 10 in one step behind in every way …
Linux Mint Cinnamon is (after 20 years using Windows) The best operating system I’ve used in my entire life, I’m 39 now …
.
Windows … I’ve used it, since 98 Second Edition …
If, you think, it is not possible to migrate and understand, Linux Mint Cinnamon.
I tell you one thing: I suffer from a disease called schizophrenia (mental problems, since I was born), I have learning problems and my brain gets worse every time I get older …
I was able to migrate, understand and use Linux MInt Cinnamon.
You can also, since you are a person: normal, healthy and live in the best countries in the world: USA, England, Italy, Germany, Spain, Canada or somewhere in Europe and etc …
I do not, I’m sick, old and I live in Brazil and I was able to migrate …
Why, you can not use Linux Mint Cinanamon?
You are better than me…
I do not live in the favela, the favela person has more rights than I do …
I’ve been hungry, lost a lot and suffered a lot and even then, a favela person has a Macbook, Iphone, I do not …
Instead of any new features I’d like to see the few bugs there are fixed.
Agreed (although I haven’t noticed any bugs in LM18.3 MATE).
I’d much rather see software developers fix bugs and improve performance, rather than adopting MS’ W10 release model.
It is certainly true that users don’t need to rush to upgrade systems to the new release version of Linux Mint. However, in some instances users may have to upgrade to a new release version if they want a more, or the most, recent version of an application. I’ve noticed this with one or two applications in the past (the updated apps for the particular Mint/Ubuntu version were not in a PPA either).
There are a lot of comments on the Mint blog page with the announcement. Very interesting is this one from the Mint team: “Mint 18.3 was full of new features. Don’t expect as many in Mint 19. We’ll focus mostly on the base, GTK, possibly theming as well and structural changes.”
One of the major new features in 18.3 is built-in support for flatpaks (a new way to easily install software and all dependencies without worrying about which specific distro you are using). The Software Manager in 18.3 offers all software as both traditional .deb package and as flatpak when the latter is available.
This essentially solves the concern you raised about upgrade schedules. If you want fast updates for a particular software item that has a rapid development cycle, but you also do not want to upgrade Linux Mint itself, you can install the software as a flatpak and get the software updates while preserving your system “as is”.
Jason,
1) Not everyone wants to use Flatpak.
2) Flatpak updates aren’t always up to date (so I noticed).
Then those people can use rolling releases instead of Linux Mint, right? I mean, a distro can’t be all things to all people. Personally I’m very excited about flatpak inclusion in Mint 18.3