LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition), a Debian-based alternative variant to the main Ubuntu-based Mint edition serving as a backup plan for Mint developers in case of unforeseen developments with Ubuntu, is a release that often (and unfairly) gets overshadowed by the leading one.
It offers the best of both worlds: Debian’s renowned stability and reliability, paired with Mint’s perfectly implemented Cinnamon desktop environment. In fact, many (including me) believe LMDE should take the lead and become the Mint’s main offering, but this is a story for another time. This news is about something else.
A few days ago, Linux Mint 22.1 “Xia” was released, and today, I want to share more good news with all LMDE 6 “Faye” users—the new Cinnamon 6.4 desktop environment from Mint’s 22.1 release is now available as an update for them.
So, without further ado, open the Update Manager and click the “Refresh” button. You’ll see a notification about an update for the application itself. Once you apply it, the list of pending packages will refresh automatically, and you’ll find the brand-new Cinnamon 6.4 ready to install.
It introduces a new default theme with darker tones, rounded corners, and increased contrast to create a sleek, modern aesthetic. Furthermore, the redesigned confirmation dialogs and on-screen display elements provide a more consistent and pleasant view. The improved Wayland compatibility also took a place among the novelties.
So, just install it, reboot your system, and enjoy the fresh new look of your LMDE 6!
To make things even better for LMDE 6 users, Cinnamon 6.4 isn’t the only novelty coming as an update. The revamped Update Manager (v7.0.5) now benefits from upgraded multithreading and multiprocessing code.
Another highly anticipated new feature – the Night Light mode, designed to reduce blue light exposure and minimize eyestrain during late-night computing is also here. It supports both Xorg and Wayland and automatically adjusts based on your local sunrise and sunset times.
Lastly, I’d like to point out that with this update, LMDE 6 and Mint 22.1 now look so alike that it’s almost impossible to tell them apart at first glance—and honestly, that’s great. So, congratulations to everyone who has chosen LMDE 6 as the daily driver for their desktop systems. There is only one thing to say – it’s a wise choice.
