Hello.

I just switch to Linux mint from Windows. And I found that there is some software that are preinstalled that does the same that what I would have installed myself.

For example, I use qbittorent and there is something called “Transmission” that does torrenting.
I use VLC for video playing and there is something called “Celluloid”.

Are the software preinstalled on Mint generally good at what they are doing and beginner friendly? Should I check for Linux version of the software I use on Windows or rather experiment with what is here?

Thank you for your help.

  • 𞋴𝛂𝛋𝛆English
    3·
    10 days ago

    You are on Mint, so it is more of a Long Term Support LTS distro. The thing to understand is why LTS actually exists in the first place. The underlying reason for LTS kernels is so that anyone can create a server that is connected to the internet and uses simple high level scripts to connect software and do useful stuff. Many types of software are constantly in a state of flux that break backwards compatibility. Actively developed software in the open source world often stays up to date with the latest packages. Other distros like Fedora or Arch stay up to date in the latest software. If you write a script on a server that runs one of these distros it will likely require regular maintenance. If you write the same script on a LTS kernel distro, your script is likely to work the same for years without any need for intervention. In this LTS arrangement, kernel maintainers are committed to back porting any security patches required for the packages they include in the distro. Some of these packages may already have their own independent commitment to never breaking backwards compatibility. These will still get updated regularly in a LTS distro.

    So the choices the Mint packagers are making are centered around LTS like stability. Many of the packages may be outdated especially in the glue and obscure edge case software in the native software repository. You may need to manually add sources to get newer versions in the package manager.

    This fundamental understanding of what a LTS kernel means is key to understanding Mint overall, and by extension the reason most distros exist; they all have a niche purpose.