I use Linux Mint 17.1 which is based on Ubuntu 14.04. I thought to ask/contribute here on Trusty issues and on the Mint forums over Mint issues. Last time I went to make a contribution a warning popped up saying that I should think carefully about posting as some of contributions had not been welcomed.
How do I find out what I did to offend?
Should I address all Ubuntu issues to the Mint forums and withdraw from this one?
Yes and no. Mint is off-topic here, no question about that. However, I have been using various flavors of Mint for the past few years and every one of the 448 answers I have posted so far was posted from a system running Linux Mint Debian Edition. I currently have almost 20k reputation so running Mint does not make me incapable of providing useful answers here. I just don't mention that I'm running a Mint flavor.
On the other hand, I tend to answer things that are about the command line and that is essentially the same across most Linuxes. If you want to answer here, you must be sure that your answer applies to Ubuntu. I actually have an Ubuntu running in a virtual machine and I use that to test my answers when dealing with things that are likely to be different on Ubuntu. These include (but are not limited to):
So, in conclusion, yes you can answer questions here as long as you are sure that your answer applies to Ubuntu. If you're not sure, don't answer. Mint questions are perfectly on topic on Unix & Linux and on Super User. If you don't know whether something is applicable to Ubuntu, you might find it easier to answer questions there since those sites are not specific to any one distribution.
I know the help is geared towards asking questions but largely speaking, the same applies to answers. Whatever your personal views on the matter Mint isn't Ubuntu in a similar way that Ubuntu isn't Debian. This limitation may seem arbitrary from the outside but it's a founding distinction between us and other SE network sites (Unix & Linux, Super User, Server Fault, etc).
That said, looking at the things you have answered, you are picking topics that would largely apply to any version of 14.04 (official or not).
I think you're right, I think Mint probably is taboo here and that most people take a shoot-on-sight approach to it. We usually see "Mint" in a question setting and that makes us all the more ready to close/delete posts mentioning it.
So why mention Mint at all? If you can limit yourself to answering things that definitely apply to both Ubuntu and Mint, I can't see why your contributions wouldn't be welcome.
