I respect a lot what they did though. Ubuntu and Fedora worked and improved a lot of Linux's new technologies. Plus their focus and model is more focused on the server side.
Yeah. Ubuntu has kind of taken a turn over the years but its still a super user friendly distro and they have done a lot to make linux more accessible for the masses. They also serve as a base for a number of other distros to build off of an as a result theyre an easy choice for a newbie to gravitate towards.
Although, speaking as a fan of Mint who used it as my "daily driver" for years, I think the time has come for them to switch from Ubuntu to Debian and embrace Wayland. I know that, if I'd stayed with Mint, I've have gone to LMDE by now.
That's why some people at wondering why wont Mint not rebase to Debian, and go from there... would be better than 'repairing' everything Ubuntu breaks.
Only issue I can see with LMDE compared to the Ubuntu variant is that some of their homegrown tools and stuff aren't included in LMDE for whatever reason. But, if they shifted their focus to LMDE and added all the tools there to give you the proper Mint experience, I think it would be amazing.
I agree with this entirely. Back when it was like V 3 or 4, it was amazing to get non-tech people into the Linux userspace. Now, it is atrocious and the last distro I'd ever suggest to someone.