Linux Mint has announced that its next release will be Linux Mint 27 Adrien, with a launch scheduled for Christmas. It will use Ubuntu 26.04 as its foundation, offer Cinnamon, Xfce, and MATE editions, and introduce a yearly release schedule without point releases.
There is plenty to discuss there, but one part of the announcement brought me right back to a concern I raised last month. Linux Mint is developing another application. This time, it is an alarm app called Clocks.
In September, I argued that Linux Mint needs to stop making apps and focus on Linux. That followed previews of its Library app, Xepub EPUB reader, and Clockenstein calendar. Now the project is showing off Android-inspired alarms, and I am still wondering why building these applications deserves so much attention.
Clocks supports recurring alarms, custom sounds, and notifications even when the application is closed. It belongs to the Clockenstein project, with a background daemon and notification agent handling the alerts. Those are useful features, but usefulness alone does not explain why Mint needs to develop its own solution.
An alarm application is hardly an unexplored idea. Before taking on another piece of software, I would like to hear what existing options cannot do and why contributing to one of them would not work. A consistent interface and desktop integration can have value, but so does sharing the maintenance burden with an established project.
The September development update, published October 13, explains that moving from a six-month development schedule to a full year has given the team room for more ambitious work. Project leader Clem says he cannot recall another release containing so many changes and new features in his more than 20 years working on Mint.
I have no problem with a longer development cycle. My concern is what fills it. Extra time could help improve Cinnamon performance, hardware compatibility, accessibility, installation, and upgrades. These are the things that can determine whether someone sticks with desktop Linux after trying it.
To its credit, Mint says it is fixing a large number of bugs, improving Wayland compatibility, and refining its internal tools and processes. That is encouraging, and it would be unfair to suggest the team has abandoned the operating system to build a clock. I simply question how much additional application development it should take on alongside that work.
The release itself will also change some familiar conventions. The number 27 represents the upcoming year, despite the planned arrival in late 2026. Future versions will proceed to 28, 29, and beyond, replacing the previous point-release structure.
Adrien starts a new naming sequence, too. After working through female names from Ada to Zena, Mint is returning to the beginning of the alphabet with male names. The team is also prototyping additional editions, although it has not identified them in this announcement.
Three more projects, Superlight, Unfold, and Velocitty, are due to be discussed next month. Mint has not explained them here, so I will reserve judgment until we know what they actually do. The features previewed so far remain under development.
Linux Mint 27 could turn out to be an excellent release. But I would be more excited by fewer everyday frustrations than by another bundled utility. If the team has gained breathing room, I hope it uses that opportunity to make the desktop harder to leave.
Support independent tech journalism
NERDS.xyz is independently owned and operated. If you enjoy my coverage of Linux, AI, hardware, cybersecurity, and tech culture, consider supporting the site on Ko-fi.
Support NERDS.xyz
