Overview

Linux Mint

Stacks288

Followers389

Votes77

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Stacks355

Followers236

Votes3

Linux Mint vs Red Hat Enterprise Linux: What are the differences?

Introduction

Linux Mint and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) are two popular operating systems based on the Linux kernel, each with its own unique features and target audience. While both are open source and have similar foundations, there are several key differences that set them apart.

Intended Users: Linux Mint is designed primarily for desktops and is considered an excellent choice for beginners due to its user-friendly interface and pre-installed multimedia codecs. On the other hand, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is an enterprise-level operating system focusing on stability, security, and support for server deployments.
Package Management: Linux Mint utilizes the Advanced Packaging Tool (APT) for package management, utilizing Debian packages (DEB), making it compatible with Debian-based distributions like Ubuntu. Conversely, RHEL uses the Yellowdog Updater, Modified (YUM) for package management and adheres to the Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) format, which is prevalent in RPM-based distributions.
Support Model: While both operating systems offer community support, Linux Mint does not have an official paid support model. In contrast, Red Hat provides comprehensive support services for enterprise customers via Red Hat Support, ensuring timely security patches, bug fixes, and dedicated technical assistance.
Software Repository: Linux Mint predominantly relies on the Ubuntu software repository, benefiting from its vast range of available applications and packages. On the other hand, Red Hat maintains its own independent software repository, the Red Hat Software Collections (RHSCL), which offers a curated collection of additional software for RHEL users.
Lifecycle and Updates: Linux Mint follows a more flexible release cycle, with long-term support (LTS) versions receiving updates and support for up to 5 years. RHEL, as an enterprise-grade operating system, follows a stable and rigorously tested release model, with fully supported versions having a lifecycle of 10 years, providing extended stability for critical infrastructure.
Licensing: While both operating systems are open source, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is not completely free. It follows a subscription-based licensing model, providing access to its premium features, support, and certifications. Linux Mint, on the other hand, is entirely free and does not require any paid subscriptions or licenses.

In summary, Linux Mint is a user-friendly desktop operating system mainly aimed at beginners, offering a wide range of software from the Ubuntu repository. Red Hat Enterprise Linux, on the other hand, is a stable and secure enterprise-grade server operating system with extensive support and a dedicated software repository, targeting businesses for critical infrastructure deployments.

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Advice on Linux Mint, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Gopi

Jun 21, 2020

Decided

I liked manjaro a lot, the huge support it has and the variety of tools it provides is just awesome. But due to its parent platform being Arch Linux it has bleeding-edge technology and that meaning, we get updated 'daily', and if we keep updating the system daily, due to the bugs in the recent updates the system sometimes used to crash, this made the OS really unstable. However, one can avoid such crashes using periodical and careful system/package updates. I now use LinuxMint which is based on Ubuntu, and this OS is completely stable with reliable(mostly tested) updates. And, since this OS is backed up by UBUNTU the concerns/questions one can encounter while using the OS can be easily rectified using the UBUNTU community, which is pretty good. Though this is backed up on UBUNTU it most certainly does NOT include the proprietary stuff of UBUNTU, which is on the bright side of the OS. That's it! Happy Computing.

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Detailed Comparison

Linux Mint	Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a modern, elegant and comfortable operating system which is both powerful and easy to use.	Red Hat Enterprise Linux is the industry-leading Linux that provides the foundation for next-generation architectures, with support for all major hardware platforms and thousands of commercial and custom applications.
Statistics
Stacks 288	Stacks 355
Followers 389	Followers 236
Votes 77	Votes 3
Pros & Cons
Pros 16 Simple, Fast, Comfort and Easy to Use 15 Stable 13 Elegant 12 Good for beginners 11 Free to use Cons 3 Easy to mess up with a few settings (like the panel) 2 Security breaches 1 Idiots can break it because it is open source	Pros 1 Well known 1 Paid sense of security 1 Learning curve Cons 1 Default Install is lvm 1 Packages have huge dependency trees 1 Glibc based with many complicated hacks 1 Tools and package manager change over time 1 Subcription fees

What are some alternatives to Linux Mint, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.

Debian

Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel or the FreeBSD kernel. Linux is a piece of software started by Linus Torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide. FreeBSD is an operating system including a kernel and other software.

Arch Linux

A lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.

Fedora

Fedora is a Linux-based operating system that provides users with access to the latest free and open source software, in a stable, secure and easy to manage form. Fedora is the largest of many free software creations of the Fedora Project. Because of its predominance, the word "Fedora" is often used interchangeably to mean both the Fedora Project and the Fedora operating system.

CentOS

The CentOS Project is a community-driven free software effort focused on delivering a robust open source ecosystem. For users, we offer a consistent manageable platform that suits a wide variety of deployments. For open source communities, we offer a solid, predictable base to build upon, along with extensive resources to build, test, release, and maintain their code.

Linux

A clone of the operating system Unix, written from scratch by Linus Torvalds with assistance from a loosely-knit team of hackers across the Net. It aims towards POSIX and Single UNIX Specification compliance.

CoreOS

It is designed for security, consistency, and reliability. Instead of installing packages via yum or apt, it uses Linux containers to manage your services at a higher level of abstraction. A single service's code and all dependencies are packaged within a container that can be run on one or many machines.

Gentoo Linux

It is a free operating system based on either Linux or FreeBSD that can be automatically optimized and customized for just about any application or need.

Alpine Linux

Alpine Linux is a security-oriented, lightweight Linux distribution based on musl libc and busybox.

Manjaro

It is an accessible, friendly, open-source Linux distribution and community. Based on Arch Linux, it provides all the benefits of cutting-edge software combined with a focus on getting started quickly, automated tools to require less manual intervention, and help readily available when needed.