Letter from the Editor
The Hot Seat
What's the top distro on the famous Distrowatch page hit ranking list? Not Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, or Fedora. According the Distrowatch, the hottest Linux is none other than Linux Mint – an Ubuntu-based, community-driven desktop system that is known for ease of use and efficient out-of-the-box multimedia functionality.
What’s the top distro on the famous Distrowatch page hit ranking list? Not Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, or Fedora. According to Distrowatch, the hottest Linux is none other than Linux Mint – an Ubuntu-based, community-driven desktop system that is known for ease of use and efficient out-of-the-box multimedia functionality. Mint has been around since 2006, and many Linux users are familiar with it. We’ve put Mint discs on several issues of this magazine (the latest being the issue that you are holding now). But Mint has found new appreciation recently. Some are calling it the new Ubuntu, which seems a little bit of an overstatement, since Mint is based on Ubuntu (kind of like calling CentOS “the new Red Hat”). Nevertheless, Mint has been on something of a roll recently. Commentators have lauded the simplicity and elegance of the latest release, including Adrian Kingsley-Hughes of ZDNet, who writes, “…after just a few hours of using Mint, I think that I might be a convert.”
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Digital Autonomy
• The Answer Was Already on the Shelf
• Changing the Chip Industry: How Public Investment Has Grown Open Silicon
• United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
• EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
• France Says “Au Revoir” to Microsoft
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Pine64 Halts Production of Linux Devices
With continued DRAM and eMMC shortages, Pine64 has decided to discontinue production of Linux devices.
-
The Bullet-Proof KDE Software Initiative Is Coming
KDE, Techpaladin, and Kubuntu Focus have announced a new initiative that will provide at least three years of support for KDE Plasma 6.6 LTS and related software.
-
Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution
For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
-
CachyOS Gets an Update
CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
-
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.
-
Linux Surpasses Double-Digit Market Share
According to two sources, the Linux operating system has hit a major milestone in market share that naysayers thought would never happen.
-
AI Helped Develop a Linux Exploit
A use-after-free race exploit was discovered and exploited on CentOS Stream 9.
-
Yet Another Linux Kernel Vulnerability Discovered
Affecting millions of systems, a kernel flaw discovered by Qualys could allow users to gain root privileges.
-
Ubuntu 26.10 to Include Ubuntu Certified Hardware Check
If you've ever wondered if your laptop or PC is officially certified to run Ubuntu, that curiosity will soon be met.
-
Substantial Update to IPFire Now Available
The lastest version of IPFire features a fundamental change to how the system handles DNS.