Macbook2,1 Specs:

Intel Core 2 Duo 2.16 GHz
1GB DDR2 SDRAM 667 MHz (2x 512MB)
120 GB Hitachi Hard Drive
HL-DT-ST DVDRW  GSA-S10N (LG DVD Drive)
Intel GMA 950 Graphics
Atheros Wi-Fi
Intel HD Audio
Apple Bluetooth

You may download and try out Linux Mint here if you wish. YMMV.

Installation

As usual, I wipe my entire hard drive and start from scratch. Installation is almost identical to and just as good as Ubuntu 8.04. Easy and flawless.

Wireless

Still no MadWifi drivers mean no out of the box wireless. However, Mint does pre-install both Ndiswrapper and unrar. That way, I had to just pop in my Boot Camp disc, find the Atheros XP drivers (atherosxpinstaller.exe) and using the terminal, unrar the file. Then, I go to the Control Centre, click Windows Wireless Drivers, and choose the net5416.inf file.

It’s unfortunate that the user still needs to take steps to get their wireless working, but Mint helps by pre-installing some required software.

Trackpad

The trackpad feels essentially unchanged from a regular Ubuntu install which is to say, disappointingly bad. A better configuration is provided in the Ubuntu Documentation and my previous Ubuntu experience post.

Keyboard

The keyboard functionality is identical to Ubuntu 8.04 except the brightness indicator looks different from the volume indicator.

Graphics

Desktop effects works out of the box as expected, but Mint includes the Advanced Desktop Effects application (also called CompizConfig Settings Manager) which lets you use a plethora of other, flashier, desktop effects. Nice.

The external monitor issue that I have described in my Ubuntu post is still present.

Sound and Microphone

Quietness and non-logarithmic volume controls are still present. Microphone fix available in Ubuntu Documentation.

Bluetooth

Working, as expected.

Battery

I’ve used Mint for about half an hour now and the battery has already dropped to 79%. The battery life seems to be no different from Hardy.

Conclusion

Linux Mint is a souped up Ubuntu (and that’s a good thing). I sometimes prefer Mint over Ubuntu because it does a lot of things that Ubuntu should be doing or would be convenient. This distro is more featured than Ubuntu out of the box with Ndiswrapper, CompizConfig, unrar, and more that I haven’t come across. Unfortunately, that is all. Mint does not bring better compatibility to the table (at least, for the 2nd gen Macbook) than Ubuntu does. The things that worked still do, and those that didn’t still don’t.

For more information, refer to my Ubuntu Hardy experience.