Wayland is coming to Linux Mint (and maybe a new kind of release)

Linux Mint developer Clement Lefebvre posted a blog update today with a few small but meaningful updates. They include a new HWE image, a possible alpha build, and a preview of some planned features for Linux Mint 23.

Happening now

Clem announced that a new HWE image of Linux Mint 22.3 was available, with kernel 6.17. HWE (short for HardWare Enablement) images are intended to be installed on cutting edge computers whose ability to run Linux properly requires the latest kernel releases. You can get the ISO from the Mint HWE page.

Another important announcement was tentative plans for Linux Mint alpha releases, with the coming Mint 23 release in mind. You'd be able to help test early, unstable new features.

Clem even previewed some of those new features:

We have a new package base, a new screensaver, additional keyboard layout improvements, and a functional Wayland session.

Zooming out

The background: Clem announced last month that Mint was changing from biannual releases to just one release per year, with more time spent developing and refining that one release. The alpha phase is no-doubt part of those extended development plans.

Why this announcement matters: Linux Mint serves as many people's introduction to the Linux desktop experience, so anything it does has a significant effect on Linux first impressions. It's also noteworthy that a distro so valuing of stability is taking to Wayland.

Lingering questions: When will the first alpha be here? Also, will Mint 23 let you switch to an X11 session when needed?

My take: When your distro's goal is long-term stability, fewer releases with community-accessible alphas are a smart move.

Diving in

Go further: Go read the Mint blog post for more details, including a note about a privacy-conscious fix for a screensaver glitch that was pushed to both LMDE and Linux Mint classic.