Debian Live Cinnamon is an open-source project that has been designed from the ground up to offer a contemporary desktop environment built on top of the latest Debian GNU/Linux operating system. Cinnamon is an open-source desktop environment derived from GNOME 3’s GNOME-Shell user interface and created specifically for the Linux Mint operating system.
Supported architectures and boot options
Just like all the other Debian Live editions, the Cinnamon one is distributed as 64- and 32-bit Live DVD ISO images, both of them containing the same boot options, such as the ability to start the live session with default options or in safe graphics mode, as well as to install the OS on a local disk drive using either a graphical or command-line installer.
Furthermore, it is possible to run a memory diagnostic test using the built-in Memtest86+ utility found under the Advanced options -> Memory Diagnostic Tool entry of the boot menu, as well as to detect if the hardware components of your computer are compatible with Debian GNU/Linux by using the HDT (Hardware Detection Tool).
Standard Cinnamon desktop environment
The Cinnamon desktop environment offered in the Debian Live Cinnamon project is pure, unmodified, so you will get the standard desktop experience that the Linux Mint developers created for their popular operating system.
Users are presented with the standard Cinnamon layout comprised of a single panel (taskbar) located on the bottom edge of the screen, which includes various useful applets, such as the Main Menu, task manager, app launcher, system tray area, and integrated calendar.
A great selection of applications
The great thing about the Cinnamon edition of the Debian Live project is that it comes with a great selection of applications, starting with an entire office suite (LibreOffice) and the most popular apps from the GNOME Stack, and continuing with consacrated open-source software like Pidgin IM, Iceweasel web browser, and XChat IRC client.
Among other noteworthy apps, we can mention the Transmission BitTorrent client, Icedove email and news client, GIMP image editor, Inkscape vector graphics editor, as well as Shotwell image viewer and organizer.