"Mint isn't well known outside of Linux fan circles,
and that's a pity because it's an outstanding distribution. It's
based on Ubuntu, and it tracks Ubuntu quite closely. So, the latest
version, Linux Mint 6 Felicia, is based on Ubuntu 8.10, aka
Intrepid Ibex.
"As such, Mint is an up-to-date desktop Linux. It's based on the
Linux 2.6.27 kernel and uses Gnome 2.24 and X.org 7.4 for its
graphical interface. Mint comes in two versions. The first, the
Main Edition, is the one that comes with support for multimedia
codices and drivers for proprietary hardware. The other, the
Universal Edition, doesn't include any proprietary multimedia or
hardware support."