Linux Mint Debian Edition 7 to Introduce OEM Support and Key Cinnamon Improvements
The Linux Mint project shared some important updates in its latest monthly newsletter, with the most notable being the introduction of OEM installation support in the upcoming Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE 7). This long-awaited feature will allow LMDE to be pre-installed on computers intended for sale or donation, without needing to configure the final user in advance.
As project leader Clement Lefebvre explained, OEM support is essential to broaden Linux Mint’s presence in the hardware market. It enables system installation without setting up a username, password, language, or time zone, as these are defined later by the end user through an initial setup wizard. This is useful for large manufacturers and individuals alike who donate or resell devices.
Unlike the main edition of Linux Mint, which is based on Ubuntu, LMDE is built directly on stable Debian. The current version, LMDE 6, is based on Debian 12, while LMDE 7 will be based on Debian 13 “Trixie,” expected to be released in the summer of 2025. While there is no confirmed release date, based on previous cycles, Debian 13 could arrive between June and August, with LMDE 7 following shortly after.
In addition to OEM support, Lefebvre highlighted improvements in the Cinnamon desktop environment. These include an enhanced search function in the Nemo file manager, which now supports regular expressions to match filenames, and progress in Wayland support, with new input methods and keyboard layout handling. Although Cinnamon's Wayland session is still considered experimental, it has been functional since the Linux Mint 21.3 release.
The development team is also working on decoupling the versioning of the CJS (Cinnamon JavaScript) engine from Cinnamon itself. Future versions of CJS will follow the versioning of the Mozilla JavaScript engine it uses, making it easier for distributions like Debian and Ubuntu to maintain Cinnamon without needing to handle multiple JavaScript engine versions.
With these additions, LMDE 7 not only catches up with the main edition in terms of essential features but also strengthens its role as a reliable, closer-to-Debian alternative, while maintaining the friendly and polished experience Linux Mint is known for.
