14 DAY TRIAL // Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, but its makers are also working on a Debian-based one. The leader of the project has confirmed that they have no intention to replace one with the other unless the Debian edition becomes immensely popular.
When the Linux Mint team decided to make a separate operating system based on Debian, many users thought that they are planning to replace the Ubuntu base that's been in use for years. The Debian edition has been in the works for quite some time, and there are still quite a few problems to fix, but it's nowhere near the main distro in the series.
It might seem redundant to have two identical operating systems, developed side by side. It would be impossible to distinguish Linux Mint Cinnamon based on Debian and Linux Mint Cinnamon based on Ubuntu if they were running in parallel, just by looking at them. The developers are still working very hard on the Debian version, but it will take some time until it's ready.
Debian won't replace Ubuntu anytime soon
It's all about popularity. As it stands right now, Linux Mint is a very popular distribution, and that means the developers have no intention to switch to a different base. If things were to change dramatically, they might consider it, but until then things are staying put.
"I know fans can be quite vocal about their favorite package base, project and/or desktop environments, and you might have heard some of them wishing for us to discontinue this or focus more on that. We’re already reacting to feedback and popularity though, so I can confirm that we’ve no plans to do such thing. If an edition was discontinued or another promoted, that would only be in response to their respective popularity. Linux Mint is by far the most popular distribution at the moment," wrote Clement Lefebvre on the official website.
In the meantime, you can download Linux Mint Debian Edition MATE/Cinnamon 2 RC if you want to give it a spin.