Linux Mint is at a tipping point. Our interview with Clem and his team revealed their plan to move away from the GNOME back-end. They feel it’s been holding them back somewhat, and now that Cinnamon and MDM are feature complete in their eyes, now is the time for the next step in the distro. Linux Mint 15 then is a preview of a mature, more independent Mint that will allow for great innovation over the coming year.

This has us extremely excited, as the Linux Mint presented in version 15, Olivia, is definitely the best Linux Mint so far, and one of the finest distros we’ve used. Cinnamon 1.8 now comes with more features, and for the first time a cleaner, universal API for developing add-ons. MDM has not only caught up with modern login managers, it’s also forging new ground with HTML 5 theming. MATE has received an overhaul, with a lot of background packages and core libraries replaced and updated. While that all sounds good on paper, it’s not just these specs that have got us loving the latest Mint. Read on to find out more.

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