In case you weren't aware, it looks like Linux Mint 12 has been released. But before I get into why I won't be switching to it, I'd like to give a new update on my experience with Ubuntu 11.10.
I'm actually still enjoying it on both my desktop and laptop. The only thing that continuously annoys me is that sometimes when I have an application maximized and I go to close it, the Unity launcher pops up in the way. Granted, this is my fault for moving the mouse to the left of the screen before moving it up to where the close button is located. However, this could be solved simply by moving the close button back to the right side of the screen. By the way, Linux Mint does this, giving us a more familiar interface for closing, maximizing, and minimizing windows.
As far as the Unity dash goes, I wish it were a little more configurable. Especially the primary dash screen. I'd really like to be able to configure which apps show up there. My only other dash related gripe is the Find Files section. It only appears to be searching recently used files. I would think that it would at least search all files on my hard disk and possibly any other mounted drives. But, alas, it does not appear to do so. Of course, I'm not really searching for applications that often because I have moved the few apps I use regularly to the launcher. I'm sure this is the intended effect of Unity. I've also found over time that users who have hundreds of applications installed probably only use a handful of them on a regular basis. I guess I am one of those users, too.
Even though I don't really have any major complaints for the direction Ubuntu has chosen, it's hard not to be tempted by Linux Mint. Version 12 gives us a Gnome 3 environment that looks and handles much like a Gnome 2 system. In fact, it looks like the Mint devs have listened to what people hate about Gnome 3 and tried to make their system do the opposite of what the Gnome 3 developers had in mind. And while I'm the first to admit that familiarity is extremely tempting, there is one major reason and one minor reason why I won't be switching to Linux Mint.
The minor reason is related to how often Linux Mint asks me to input my password. I know this is to protect users from doing something stupid with their systems, but come on! I bet if I looked at Mint sideways it would probably ask me to type my password for doing so. It kind of reminds me of Windows Vista's UAC. Ubuntu still asks for it, but it doesn't seem to do so quite as often. An example is if you install Mint using the CD that doesn't have the extra codecs. On the startup menu, there is an option to install the additional codecs. When you click it, you'll be asked for your password. A moment later, right before the codecs are installed, you'll have to type your password again. It really should only ask once, right before anything new is installed.
The major reason is full disk encryption. My personal laptop and my work laptop are one in the same. Sure, my company would give me a laptop if I asked for it, but I prefer using my own and I have that option where I work. Since I could have work related files on my laptop at any given time, the disk must be encrypted. It's not a matter of how secure full disk encryption is, it's a matter of adhering to company policy. Full disk encryption is something that is done during the installation of the operating system. Everything except the /boot partition gets encrypted and protected by a passphrase. Linux Mint does not give you this option. The funny thing is that Ubuntu does give you that option on their alternate installation CD. Since Mint uses Ubuntu as its base, you'd think they would offer a similar option or at least their own alternate CD. However, they do not seem to offer any such thing, at least at this time.
At the end of the day, I'm satisfied with Ubuntu, but it would still be nice to have an alternative "easy to use" distro as a backup. The fact that Linux Mint seems to be going the opposite direction of Ubuntu makes it an even more appealing candidate. But the lack of full disk encryption as an installer option is what is keeping me away from it. Other than that, I would suggest that you give it a try if you absolutely can't stand the current direction of Ubuntu or other Gnome 3 using distros.
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