Linux Mint 13 gets back to desktop basics

Bucking the trend of increasingly experimental desktop interfaces, the developers behind the Linux Mint are adopting a simpler desktop for the next version of the open-source Linux distribution.

Linux Mint 13 will feature an entirely new user interface, called Cinnamon. Earlier this week, the Linux Mint developers released a version of the shell. Previous editions of Linux Mint used a standard version of the Gnome environment.

"We're hoping [Cinnamon] will seduce most Linux Mint users, whether they're coming from Gnome 2, Gnome Shell or other desktops," said Linux Mint creator and lead developer Clement Lefebvre.

In a world where the interfaces of desktop operating systems are increasingly streamlined, Cinnamon appears to be quite a conservative design, not surprising given the goals of the Linux Mint project.

Lefebvre first crafted Linux Mint after reviewing other Linux distributions for various online forums. From this work, Lefebvre developed ideas about what features should be in the ideal distribution. He designed Linux Mint specifically for people who want a desktop OS that is easy to use and requires little maintenance.

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