Linux Mint Debian Edition 7 gets OEM support -- does that signal the impending death of Ubuntu-based Mint?
Umm… something very strange is happening in the world of Linux Mint, folks.
You see, the developers are adding OEM support to Linux Mint Debian Edition 7 (LMDE 7) -- a version of the operating system that’s allegedly nothing more than an emergency fallback. Based on the upcoming Debian Stable release, LMDE 7 will soon be able to be pre-installed on machines sold or donated around the world. That might not sound like a big deal on the surface, but let’s cut through the bull crap -- this could be a sign of something much bigger.
As you may know, OEM installs are typically reserved for operating systems meant to ship on hardware. It’s how companies preload Linux on laptops without setting a username, password, or timezone. When the customer first powers the machine on, they walk through a setup wizard, just like they would on Windows or macOS.
Mint has supported this for years -- but only in its Ubuntu-based version. So why is this feature suddenly coming to LMDE, which the team has repeatedly described as a contingency? In other words, if the Debian variant is merely a plan B, why make it ready for OEMs? It simply doesn’t make sense.
Well, that’s where things get quite interesting.
Some Linux users have grown increasingly uncomfortable with Canonical’s direction -- from its reliance on Snap packages to decisions around telemetry and packaging. LMDE, which is based on pure Debian, avoids all of that. It offers the Mint experience without any Ubuntu baggage. So could OEM support in LMDE be a quiet signal that the Mint team is rethinking its future?
It’s possible that LMDE is being groomed for more than just emergencies. Hell, maybe it’s being prepared to take over entirely.
Right now, LMDE 7 is still in development, and there’s no release date yet. Once it is released, however, don’t be shocked if you start seeing it show up on laptops and desktops from vendors who want Mint without Ubuntu.
And that’s a future some Linux users might actually welcome.