Two weeks ago the Release Candidate of Linux Mint 9 Isadora became available for download. One week ago Lead Linux Mint Developer Clem Lefebvre announced that the final version of Isadora will be released in a week. And today, one week later, the final version of Linux Mint 9 has become available for download. Linux Mint 9 is an LTS (Long Term Support) release that will be supported for a period of 3 years.

“The team is proud to announce the release of Linux Mint 9 “Isadora”. We look forward to receiving your feedback. Thank you for using Linux Mint and have a lot of fun with this new release!” announced Clem Lefebvre.

If you would like to download Linux Mint 9, you can do so here. The team behind Isadora rolled out a live CD, a live DVD, OEM installation disks, and US/Japan distribution disks – in both 32-bit and 65-bit flavors.

But before you get Linux Mint 9 perhaps you would like to check out what’s new. Here are the main Linux Mint 9 highlights:

• - Based on Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx, Linux 2.6.32, Gnome 2.30 and Xorg 7.4
• - Completely rewritten Software Manager and mintInstall
• - More than 30,000 applications that you can view in Software Manager and online
• - Software Manager Uses and monitors the APT daemon, so clicking “Install” means the action is queued and processed in the background. You can cancel actions, see on-going actions, view action progress.
• - Software Manager is completely asynchronous and independent from APT. The actions you selected will run in the background even if you close the Software Manager.
• - The Software Manager updates itself with all the reviews contributed by other users.
• - Completely rewritten Backup Tool as mintBackup is known. The new tool can perform the following tasks: backup and restore files and directories, backup and restore your software selection, check differences in files and perform incremental backups/restorations, check the integrity of the files after it copies them, backup straight to an archive and compress it on the fly.
• - Menu improvements: editable items, transparent menu, always start with favorites, “Add to” shortcuts.
• - Completely rewritten Desktop Settings tool. It features a new look and feel, new options, usability improvements. Changes made with the Desktop Settings tool take effect immediately (you no longer have to close the tool for the changes to take effect).
• - The Update Manager uses new icons that look like white shields.
• - Update Manage will display an error icon only when something actually goes wrong, like when software sources are malformed, not when your internet connection is down.
• - mint4win, the Windows installer is back.
• - In memory of Mats Geier a.k.a Husse, when you open a terminal, the random messages that shows up features one of Husse’s best quotes.
• - Three new commands for apt: “apt hold <package>”, “apt unhold <package>” and “apt held”.
• - USB-creator added to the default software selection.
• - Linux Mint 9 comes with P7zip, Gwibber, apturl and Startup Manager installed by default.
• - Linux Mint now includes a local repository activated by default
• - New backgrounds and artwork
• - Welcome screen is now rendered in HTML
• - Community website