Monthly News – June 2014

Sponsorships:

Linux Mint is proudly sponsored by:

Platinum Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors:
VMware Cloud Hosting

Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors:

Community Sponsors:

Alyx Biologicals B.V.
Windows VPS Hosting
+++ PDF Reader for Android +++
Caturix
Cesar Alvarez
Charles Rivers
Craig
D M Hamilton
DRA MEDICAL
Evgeniy Lykov
fotokasten GmbH
Ivan Rodrigues da Silva
Johan Grip
John Bayles Pianos
Marcus Seidler
Marcus Seidler
Martin del Mazo
Nikolaj Petersen
Sascha Reinsch
SEER Interactive
sefcom computers
Steve Philipp
switchbit
The Survival Monkey
Uwe Klosa

To become a sponsor or to see the full list of Linux Mint sponsors, please visit: http://www.linuxmint.com/sponsors.php

Donations:

A total of $9941 was raised thanks to the generous contributions of 398 donors:

$500, Daniel G.
$265.71, Jörg S.
$200, Neil S.
$132.85, Oliver S.
$132.85, Ute M.
$100 (8th donation), Anonymous
$100 (4th donation), Jon Espenschied aka “xeno”
$100 (2nd donation), Saha S. K.
$100, Duncan G. aka “catraeus“
$100, Lee R.
$100, Michael P.
$100, Lu G.
$100, Matthew D.
$100, webby-books.com
$100, Zhatkin A.
$99, David O.
$79.71, Hans-georg T.
$75 (14th donation), Ralph Siegler aka “ziggy“
$75, Michael M.
$71.74 (3rd donation), Ion B.
$66.43 (2nd donation), Michiel aka “Zonnevuur”
$66.43, David R.
$66.43, Fabio Q.
$66.43, Didier H.
$66.43, Uwe K.
$66.43, Silvio R.
$66.43, Roeland B. V. D. W.
$66.43, Augusto P.
$66.43, Richard S.
$60, Stuart S.
$57.13 (2nd donation), Ion B.
$53.14, hogliux
$51.28, K A. S.
$50 (8th donation), Robert H.
$50 (5th donation), Marcus M.
$50 (2nd donation), David P.
$50, Alan S.
$50, Alassane S.
$50, Bruce M.
$50, Krister P.
$50, Valter E.
$50, Dr.Sam Bledsoe aka “sam”
$50, Simon H.
$50, Permacycle
$50, Bradford H.
$50, Richard D.
$50, Kirby S.
$50, Richard C.
$50, Nathan S.
$50, Neil K.
$50, Kevin K.
$50, Arthur A.
$40 (12th donation), Philippe W.
$40 (7th donation), Andrew M.
$40, Ramon S. I.
$40, Braeburn Inc.
$40, Paul C.
$40, Charles P.
$40, Sheila S.
$40, Robert Y.
$39.86 (52th donation), Olli K.
$39.86 (3rd donation), Gordon T.
$39.86 (2nd donation), Klaus G.
$39.86, Daniel N.
$39.86, Bernard R. aka “Beer4661”
$35.87, S. Bisseswar aka “shailin”
$35 (2nd donation), Leonardo Frazao aka “Leoninx“
$33.21 (6th donation), Joachim M.
$33.21 (6th donation), J J. V. K.
$33.21 (3rd donation), John K. aka “jbrucek”
$33.21 (2nd donation), Mixso QLD
$33.21 (2nd donation), R.S.
$33.21 (2nd donation), Fabio C.
$33.21 (2nd donation), Frank B.
$33.21, Albert B.
$33.21, Ron M.
$33.21, David R.
$33.21, Francesco C. aka “cimux”
$33.21, Cjm V. D. W.
$33.21, Bjørn J. N.
$33.21, António B.
$33.21, Armin F.
$31.34, Clemens H.
$30 (3rd donation), Brooke Dukes aka “BandonRandon“
$30 (3rd donation), Anne-christine U.
$30 (2nd donation), Steve Schaller
$30 (2nd donation), Raymond C.
$30, Gilles B.
$30, chasmodo
$30, Arnaldo S.
$30, Doug Z.
$30, James D.
$30, Bret M.
$30, Lennart J.
$30, Neil W.
$27, Rosalea R.
$26.57 (13th donation), Orlando M. M.
$26.57 (2nd donation), Derry H.
$26.57 (2nd donation), Laurent M. aka “lolomeis”
$26.57 (2nd donation), Rob Mimpriss
$26.57 (2nd donation), Nathan H.
$26.57 (2nd donation), David aka “RedWarrior“
$26.57 (2nd donation), Stephan S.
$26.57, Markus L.
$26.57, Markus F.
$26.57, Santi
$26.57, Karl S.
$26.57, Ihor H.
$26.57, Peter H.
$26.57, Lars E.
$26.57, Stefan B.
$26.57, Iván B.
$26.57, Greg H.
$26.57, Manuel A. M.
$26.57, Pep C. F.
$26.57, Primeford L.
$26.57, Albrecht S.
$26.57, Michael S.
$26.57, Matt L.
$26.57, Grigore G.
$26.57, Clemens B.
$26 (2nd donation), Geoff_P
$25.24, Tetsu S.
$25 (33rd donation), Ronald W.
$25 (19th donation), John M.
$25 (7th donation), Peter T.
$25 (3rd donation), Richard W.
$25 (2nd donation), Joseph G.
$25 (2nd donation), Ryan K.
$25 (2nd donation), Michael Z.
$25, Ron W.
$25, Vi B.
$25, Berardino D. P.
$25, Frank J.
$25, Christopher K.
$25, Torstein F.
$25, Stephen A.
$25, Kiril Z.
$25, James M.
$25, Tomas P. aka “pechyx”
$25, Brad E.
$25, Rebecca G.
$25, Robert W.
$25, Guillaume C.
$25, Reijo V. J. R.
$23.02, aka “WalterCD”
$20 (35th donation), Tsuguo S.
$20 (16th donation), Maarten E.
$20 (13th donation), Utah B.
$20 (6th donation), Phillip H.
$20 (4th donation), David M.
$20 (4th donation), Uncle Geek
$20 (3rd donation), Paul C. aka “pacman67”
$20 (3rd donation), Gregg L.
$20 (2nd donation), David W.
$20 (2nd donation), Bryant L.
$20 (2nd donation), Craig W.
$20 (2nd donation), Bryan F.
$20 (2nd donation), Patrick C.
$20 (2nd donation), Mikael S.
$20 (2nd donation), Michael C.
$20, Bakthavatchalam R.
$20, Steven R.
$20, Seth C.
$20, Craig E.
$20, Tim W.
$20, Larry J.
$20, Steven C.
$20, Automated Applications
$20, David R.
$20, IVA
$20, Infinitely Mystical
$20, Akelas B.
$20, Andrew P.
$20, Anthony S.
$20, George M.
$20, Brian F.
$20, Jeremy K.
$20, Stephen L.
$20, Peter E.
$20, Uğur Ata
$20, Manuel Kehl aka “mank319“
$20, Brian G.
$19.93 (5th donation), Frederic S.
$19.93 (4th donation), Kirk P.
$19.93 (4th donation), Francisco L. D. A.
$19.93 (3rd donation), Stoyan N.
$19.93 (2nd donation), Daniel P.
$19.93 (2nd donation), Patrick M.
$19.93 (2nd donation), Richard
$19.93, Roy W.
$19.93, Todor Hristov
$19.93, Prcasher@gmail.com
$19.93, Roger A. H.
$17 (7th donation), Nate Schmolze aka “Nate“
$17, Mr S. D.
$17, K Soulsby
$16.61, Steven S.
$16 (3rd donation), wb
$15.94, J M. aka “JM0804”
$15.94, Jan K.
$15 (3rd donation), Vjaceslavs L.
$15, Pascal L.
$15, Bonita R.
$15, Yamandu P.
$15, Derric F.
$15, DvW informatiemanagement en advies
$13.29 (11th donation), Mark W.
$13.29 (10th donation), Raymond E.
$13.29 (7th donation), Jean-michel A.
$13.29 (4th donation), Francesco Galgani
$13.29 (3rd donation), Isidro P. A.
$13.29 (3rd donation), Gabriel T.
$13.29 (3rd donation), Tom M.
$13.29 (2nd donation), Henry G.
$13.29 (2nd donation), Edward F.
$13.29 (2nd donation), Armin F.
$13.29 (2nd donation), Stefan M.
$13.29 (2nd donation), Mikko M.
$13.29 (2nd donation), Antonios P.
$13.29 (2nd donation), Stephan M.
$13.29 (2nd donation), Andrew N.
$13.29, Xeodek Aloptec Andreas Wendel Manufaktur
$13.29, Cristian P.
$13.29, Eduard H.
$13.29, Bruno P.
$13.29, Lukas F.
$13.29, Alfred G.
$13.29, Mikkel S.
$13.29, Waldemar K.
$13.29, Srdjan B.
$13.29, Rein D. V.
$13.29, Exec IT
$13.29, Gerard F. F.
$13.29, Bartosz W.
$13.29, Power-on.at
$13.29, Шардинов В.
$13.29, Torsten M.
$13.29, Olly Bolly
$13.29, Günter W.
$13.29, kalfasyan
$13.29, Frank F.
$13.29, Lu F.
$13.29, Bernhard M.
$13.29, Juergen F.
$13.29, Francis R.
$13.29, David L.
$13.29, John E.
$13.28 (2nd donation), Doriano G. M.
$13.28, Philipp H.
$12 (2nd donation), Omar J. A. C. aka “Sanedrak”
$12, Vanessa M.
$12, John W.
$10.63, Harri
$10 (39th donation), Tony C. aka “S. LaRocca”
$10 (8th donation), Christopher R.
$10 (7th donation), Hartmann Maier aka “hkmle”
$10 (5th donation), Neb Radojkovic
$10 (5th donation), Theis Hinz
$10 (4th donation), Michal Narecki
$10 (4th donation), Gabriele G.
$10 (4th donation), Mark C.
$10 (4th donation), Alexander Grigoriev
$10 (3rd donation), Hormis K.
$10 (2nd donation), Shinichi Tagashira
$10 (2nd donation), Glen C.
$10 (2nd donation), Vincent C.
$10 (2nd donation), Jaroslav L.
$10 (2nd donation), Gil W.
$10 (2nd donation), John C.
$10 (2nd donation), Jack M.
$10 (2nd donation), Mikael J.
$10 (2nd donation), Peter B.
$10 (2nd donation), Evgeny Z. aka “rus-fan”
$10, Hernán P. A.
$10, Elraul R. M.
$10, Michel C.
$10, Sarkis B.
$10, John M.
$10, Bennie R.
$10, Lindsey H.
$10, Mikhail A.
$10, S K.
$10, Patrick Moran aka “Cynyster”
$10, Justin H.
$10, Wilson G.
$10, William P.
$10, L R.
$10, Marek z Klodzka
$10, Jae M. P.
$10, Andy W.
$10, Steven W.
$10, Игитханян Г.
$10, PHOENIX UNICOM INTERESTS
$10, Matty P.
$10, James D. B.
$10, Stig P.
$10, James K.
$10, Elizabeth M.
$10, Samet E.
$10, Matheus D. M.
$10, Ievgen K.
$10, Jorge L. V.
$10, Matthew A.
$10, Antonio B.
$10, Raymond M.
$10, David H.
$10, Randy M.
$10, Nicolae M. V.
$10, Robert S.
$10, Franck D.
$10, Stephen S.
$10, Bernard S. E.
$10, Piotr S.
$10, Nathaniel H.
$7.97 (2nd donation), Tomasz K.
$6.64 (5th donation), anonymous
$6.64 (2nd donation), Javier V. B.
$6.64 (2nd donation), Jose A. D. F.
$6.64 (2nd donation), Ivy
$6.64, Endijs L.
$6.64, Karl-heinz P.
$6.64, Hilario G. M.
$6.64, Mr D. K. C.
$6.64, Robert E.
$6.64, Christian O.
$6.64, Sebastian K.
$6.64, Ruggero S.
$6.64, Ralf H.
$6.64, solidorbit
$6.64, Stijn D.
$6.64, Srđan K.
$6, Sarah B. T.
$5.31 (2nd donation), Larimar Media aka “Larimar Media“
$5 (10th donation), Edward S.
$5 (10th donation), Carlos W.
$5 (8th donation), Mordi K. aka “Mordik”
$5 (7th donation), Roman Nikolaevitch aka “rv82”
$5 (4th donation), Stuart K.
$5 (4th donation), Randy R.
$5 (3rd donation), Jimmy R. W.
$5 (2nd donation), Sonmez S.
$5 (2nd donation), John V. D.
$5 (2nd donation), Mauricio Hernández aka “Wicho”
$5 (2nd donation), Ernesto D.
$5, Michael L.
$5, Peter B.
$5, Thomas B.
$5, Dorian F.
$5, Howard S.
$5, www.nyttigbras.dk
$5, Lukman Anwar Arifin aka “locco81”
$5, Jh B.
$5, Emīls S.
$5, Remi M.
$5, Yevgeniy A.
$5, Graham A.
$5, Camilo T.
$5, ranger6
$5, Michael E.
$5, Mark W.
$5, Pikavippi
$5, Benjamin C.
$5, Sonoran S.
$5, David D.
$4.91, Franklin Herrera
$3.99 (2nd donation), Vitali D.
$3.99, Christiaan D.
$3.99, Nathan J.
$3.5, Alan O. M. V.
$3 (5th donation), Thomas F.
$3, Atif A.
$3, Matias T.
$3, Krisanapol P.
$2.66 (12th donation), Javier Guijarro aka “chejofan“
$2.66 (11th donation), Javier Guijarro aka “chejofan“
$2.66 (2nd donation), Gabrielyan A.
$2.66, Jeroen P.
$2.66, Pedro J. G. G.
$25.98 from 19 smaller donations

If you want to help Linux Mint with a donation, please visit http://www.linuxmint.com/donors.php

Rankings:

Distrowatch (popularity ranking): 3369 (1st)
Alexa (website ranking): 5043rd

Events:

Linux Mint 17 OEM installation images were released
Linux Mint 17 KDE RC was released
Linux Mint 17 Xfce RC was released
Linux Mint 17 KDE was released
Linux Mint 17 Xfce was released
The ISO images for the Cinnamon and MATE editions of Linux Mint 17 were respun

News and summary:

Many thanks to all the people who have sent us donations and to all our sponsors. I say it every month but it’s worth repeating: you empower us a lot and we’re really grateful.
All editions of Linux Mint 17 were released. Some important bugs were identified during the RC of the KDE and Xfce editions so the decision was taken to respin the ISOs of the Cinnamon and MATE editions.
Linux Mint 17 was the first release of the 17.x series and it opens a new era for our project and a very important cycle for us. During the next 2 years, popular applications will be backported to 17.x and the team will continue to bring improvements and newer desktop environments with each new release. Security updates will also be served until 2019. Whereas the team would normally focus on the next release, this time around the next release is 17.1 and it shares the exact same base. So although 17.1 will be a distinct release and users will opt-in to upgrade to it, that upgrade path will be trivial and both releases will be fully compatible and represent the same development target. Never in the past did Linux Mint invest so much focus in its base. For the release of Linux Mint 17, attention to detail spanned to new areas and the scope of the project got a little bigger… more upstream components were patched and bugs were tackled immediately without waiting for the fixes to be applied by Debian or Ubuntu. When the base was only used for 6 months, it didn’t always make sense to invest too much into it and fixing something often meant making sure it was being tackled in the next base to come. Using the base for 2+ years means we can improve future releases while better supporting existing ones and our level of expectation can raise to a point where part of what was considered upstream before now also falls under our own responsibility.
This new strategy is already very successful and not only will it make it easier for us to release 17.1 and allow us to focus more on the development side of things, it already benefited the 17 release greatly. The same strategy could be applied to LMDE by basing it on Debian Stable, essentially migrating it from a snapshot cycle to a frozen one, like in Linux Mint. The two distributions would then be more similar to each others. LMDE would gain in quality and attention to detail while requiring less maintenance. The pros and cons are being assessed at the moment. Don’t hesitate to use the section below if you want to comment on this or share your ideas with us.
RAR 5.0x support was added to file-roller, MATE components were upgraded to 1.8.1 and additional fixes are coming in the days to come for Cinnamon 2.2. All of these are published as level 1 updates in your Update Manager.
A lot of feedback and ideas were gathered and we’re getting ready to open the new development cycle. If you want to follow us don’t hesitate to keep an eye on the roadmap and on the Linux Mint Github repositories. Keep an eye out on Segfault also where we’ll try to cover new developments.