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Linux Mint 18.2 Ubuntu-based OS is Named 'Sonya' (betanews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the sneak-peek dept.

Brian Fagioli, writing for BetaNews: The uncertainty about Ubuntu has not deterred the Linux Mint team, however, as they are moving ahead with plans for version 18.2. While details about the upcoming version of the operating system are scarce, we have learned two important details. First, the code name for the OS will be 'Sonya,' and second, the distro will use LightDM as default display manager.

34 comments

  1. S for S by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Time to get rid of your Windows "S" for Linux "S"

  2. Earlier version was named Serena by sartwell · · Score: 2

    Maybe with her getting prego with Reddit, they want to move away.

  3. FINISH HIM! by Killall+-9+Bash · · Score: 5, Funny

    Waiting for a Windows version code-named "Kano".

    SONYA WINS. FLAWLESS VICTORY.

    --
    "Prediction: within 10 years, Windows will be a Linux distribution." Me, 7-6-2016
    1. Re:FINISH HIM! by epyT-R · · Score: 1

      Perhaps the Kano build should use systemd and the Sonya build should use openrc.

  4. Re:"uncertainty about Ubuntu" by the_saint1138 · · Score: 0

    Yeah, same here...

  5. Color Scheme by necro81 · · Score: 1

    I hear there will be display optimizations for using the OS while doing a handstand. (ref)

    And LightDM will come pre-configured with a red color scheme, in which case people will refer to the OS as "Red Sonya". (obscure ref?)

    1. Re:Color Scheme by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *Red Sonja

  6. Good by squiggleslash · · Score: 3

    I run Mint but switched to LightDM after I found I kept having to agree to software licenses for Adobe Reader every time the latter was upgraded.

    It turned out that Mint's default DM, mdm, uses webkit. Which it had configured to load plugins. So when mdm was started, the Acrobat Reader plugin was loaded, and I was being prompted to agree to the license.

    And you're probably thinking "OK, squiggie, that's a minor inconvenience, so what?"

    Well, what user do you think is running mdm, and running all those plugins? Give you a clue: starts with 'r'. Ends in 'oot'. Four letters.

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    1. Re:Good by Kokuyo · · Score: 3, Funny

      Running anything adobe as root seems... Unwise.

    2. Re:Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you don't want to agree to the Acrobat Reader license, why did you install the plugin?
      It's not like there aren't free alternatives.

    3. Re:Good by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

      But how are you going to incorporate PDFs into your login screen now? (Okay, actually there are a lot of other safer plugins for that if you wanted to...)

      It does seem pointlessly annoying, but it's not as though mdm's webkit can be remotely exploited until you install a malicious theme.

      --
      This space intentionally left blank
    4. Re:Good by squiggleslash · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well, if it's running plugins automatically, then the bar to exploiting it has dropped considerably from "until you install a malicious theme". Now the exploit could be as simple as "Malicious plugin", or as complex as "Someone, somehow, because that NEVER happens, finds a bug in Adobe Reader, that they can exploit."

      That's my major concern.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    5. Re:Good by steveg · · Score: 1

      Hmm. I just checked, and the only Adobe anything that's installed on my Mint instance is the Flash plugin. Is that what you mean?

      And although mdm *does* load webkit, I don't see anything to indicate it's loading any plugins. Maybe I'm missing something. I certainly haven't been prompted to agree to any licenses.

      --
      Ignorance killed the cat. Curiosity was framed.
    6. Re:Good by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

      Hmm. I just checked, and the only Adobe anything that's installed on my Mint instance is the Flash plugin. Is that what you mean?

      Nope, I'm talking about Acrobat Reader, which I downloaded and installed.

      Maybe I'm missing something. I certainly haven't been prompted to agree to any licenses.

      You haven't installed Adobe Reader. If you go to Adobe's website, install the GNU/Linux version, and reboot your computer, you should see the licence agreement behavior I'm talking about on the login screen.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    7. Re:Good by squiggleslash · · Score: 2

      Actually, I just checked, and I believe acroread is in the repositories (which is presumably why it asks for me to agree to the license periodically rather than just once) so "sudo apt-get install acroread" should do it.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    8. Re:Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Randy Woot?

    9. Re:Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      why do you need adobe reader actually?

      captcha: figures

    10. Re:Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Running anything adobe seems... Unwise.

      FTFY.

  7. Re:"uncertainty about Ubuntu" by Kjella · · Score: 4, Informative

    You are apparently using that phrase working from the ridiculous assumption that I know what you are talking about. Well, I don't. What is this "uncertainty about Ubuntu" you speak of?

    It's a direct quote from the linked article without the preceding paragraph or further links, so poor submission/editing. In short:

    1. Convergence: Dead
    2. Mir: Dead
    3. Unity: Dead

    In terms of "why wouldn't Mint continue to be based on Debian", I don't see the big deal though. They go Gnome3/Wayland, Mint will continue to do their Cinnamon thing, don't see there's any uncertainty about Ubuntu continuing to exist as an okay base for other distros.

    --
    Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  8. Still Contains systemd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is it time for a Devuan based Mint?

  9. The is news? by sqorbit · · Score: 0

    This goes in the "don't care" pile.

    --
    Sent from my TARDIS
  10. Quite an Unfortunate Choice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sonya (which is the Russian diminutive of Sofya or Sofia) also happens to be the noun meaning "one that likes to sleep" or (of lesser use) "sleepy" (ÑонÑ).

    Russian speakers will make never ending fun of a sleepy OS.

    1. Re:Quite an Unfortunate Choice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ..or they could just use their brains and realize it's a random name given to a release build of an operating system.

    2. Re: Quite an Unfortunate Choice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Giving "random" names is completely pointless. 18.2 is as informative as Sonya.

      Every language has its own culture, with a unique sense of humour, wit, and fun. It is not related to "using brains", or, simply, thinking.

    3. Re:Quite an Unfortunate Choice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Russian speakers will make never ending fun of a sleepy OS.

      Is that you Donald?

    4. Re: Quite an Unfortunate Choice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or you could have RTFA and realised that the name "Sonya" was far from random.

  11. Re:"uncertainty about Ubuntu" by steveg · · Score: 1

    Exactly.

    Ubuntu is dropping things that Mint doesn't use. Why would that suggest any uncertainty about Ubuntu?

    The base that Mint uses doesn't appear to have any shift in direction. Well, Wayland instead of Mir, but that's down the road and may end up in Debian as well at some point.

    --
    Ignorance killed the cat. Curiosity was framed.
  12. Re:"uncertainty about Ubuntu" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ubuntu killed Unity etc., had layoffs and made a deal with MS due to finances - we can safely assume they are running out of funds and their future is uncertain. Mind you, there was no single company with a deal with MS that survived unscathed, and most likely died (remember Novell, NOKIA etc.?)

  13. Re:"uncertainty about Ubuntu" by ender8282 · · Score: 1

    To be fair that is kind of the opposite of uncertainty. The old situation was that it was unclear whether wayland support would be added or how long X11 would continue to be supported on Ubuntu. With Cinnamon unlikely to support Mir this left an open question about whether the Mint team would be able to package Cinnamon on top of the Ubuntu base. The new situation is that Ubuntu will go the Wayland route like most other distros. Cinnamon will likely gain Wayland support somtime after the Gnome Devs complete their support. Personally I run Kubuntu or KDE neon. The KDE devs have said that they had no intention of supporting Mir so the future of those releases was very uncertain. Now that Mir is out and Wayland is in I think that there is far more certainty.

  14. Re:"uncertainty about Ubuntu" by Trogre · · Score: 1

    And Upstart. Don't forget Upstart.

    Also dead.

    --
    "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife