Distro Transparency Index (DTI)
Linux Mint
DTI Score: 70.59/100
Detailed Evaluation
- Governance Transparency: 2/3
- Availability of governance documents: Partial (1 point)
- Detail of governance documents: Moderate (1 point)
- Source: Linux Mint About Page
- Decision Making Transparency: 1/3
- Documented decision-making process: Partial (1 point)
- Accessibility of meeting minutes: Not Available (0 points)
- Source: Linux Mint Blog
- Economic Transparency: 3/4
- Publication of financial statements: Annual (2 points)
- Detail of financial statements: Partial (1 point)
- Source: Linux Mint Financial Reports
- Economic Accessibility: 4/4
- Access to financial reports: Free (2 points)
- Ease of access: Easy (2 points)
- Source: Linux Mint Donors Page
- Source Code Accessibility: 4/4
- Availability of source code: Public (2 points)
- Ease of access to source code: Easy (2 points)
- Source: Linux Mint GitHub
- Public Roadmap Availability: 2/3
- Public roadmap: Yes (1 point)
- Detail of roadmap: Partial (1 point)
- Source: Linux Mint Release Notes
- Transparency in Code Review Processes: 2/3
- Documentation of review processes: Partial (1 point)
- Transparency of review processes: Moderate (1 point)
- Source: Linux Mint GitHub
- Community Participation in Development: 3/4
- Number of active contributors: Moderate (1 point)
- Accessibility to development processes: Easy (2 points)
- Source: Linux Mint Get Involved
- Impact of Governance Structure on Transparency: 3/6
- Centralization of decision-making power: Partially centralized (1 point)
- Control and balance mechanisms: Moderate (1 point)
- Influence of commercial entities on governance: Minimal (1 point)
Total score: 24/34
Normalized score: (24 / 34) * 100 = 70.59
Final evaluation of Linux Mint: 70.59/100
Concluding Analysis
Linux Mint demonstrates a good level of transparency across several areas:
Strengths:- Excellent economic transparency for a community-driven project.
- High accessibility of source code.
- Strong community engagement and participation opportunities.
- Regular and open communication about project developments and decisions.
- More comprehensive formal governance documentation.
- Increased transparency in decision-making processes, possibly through publication of meeting minutes.
- More detailed long-term public roadmaps.
- Further decentralization of decision-making power and establishment of formal control mechanisms.
The revised score of 70.59/100 reflects Linux Mint's commitment to transparency in many areas, particularly in economic matters and source code accessibility. While there's room for improvement in formal governance structures and decision-making processes, the project demonstrates a strong commitment to community involvement and open communication.
Linux Mint's approach as a community-driven project with a small core team allows for agility and responsiveness to user needs. While this can lead to some centralization of power, the project's focus on user experience and stability is balanced with a good degree of openness and community engagement.