| Linux Mint 8 (Helena) | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 15 2009, 07:01 PM (241 Views) | |
| Phaedrus | Dec 15 2009, 07:01 PM Post #1 |
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Thought I`d share my thoughts on Linux Mint 8. Decided to give it the once over and see how it compares to Ubuntu. Mint is a Debian/Ubuntu derivitive and not surprisingly is quite similar to Ubuntu. The first thing you notice is the distinct lack of brown Instead the default theme in Mint is a cool green. Its nice.The default install gives a single taskbar so all the menus are accessed from the bottom of the screen. Everything seems to be working right out of the box. A click on the network icon pops up a box asking for my wireless encryption key and we`re connected. All the restricted media codecs appear to be installed and working by default. Go to youtube and play a video -flash is pre installed. Clicked on an mp3 and away we go. Even mp4 (which has a restricted sound codec under ubuntu that requires medibuntu installing along with medibuntus version of mplayer) and Mint played the file with sound perfectly out of the box. The menu system is clear and easy to use and many of my must have apps and programs are installed by default. Compiz and Emerald were up and running in no time. Lots to play around with. Not had much time with it yet but overall if feels crisp and sweet......and minty.
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| Gina | Dec 15 2009, 07:25 PM Post #2 |
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tHANKS FOR THAT tREV <---- ah nutz|!!!Ubuntu are very worried by legalities of codecs and such! They are also intent on getting the main distro into 700MB. The DVD version is too big IMO - not that I've looked at it recently. I'm taking another look at Mint - I looked at it quite a long time ago now. I think it had only just come out so it must be longer ago than I thought I remember that I liked the colours - green is nicer than brown IMO. But what I didn't like I forget.I have not been terribly pleased at how Ubuntu has been going lately and the stability seems to have gone downhill Mint might be no better being based on Ubuntu but worth a try. I see it's a Gnome based GUI so should be basically like Ubuntu. I don't like the KDE GUI in many ways. I've been thinking I might take a look at other distros. No real reason to stick with Ubuntu particularly. I think it's five years or more I've been with Ubuntu - I could be in danger of getting stuck in a rut ![]() Actually, when I think of it I have been trying derivatives of Ubuntu like Ubuntu Studio and Ultimate Edition and I've tended to go back to plain Ubuntu. Of course, Linux as a whole provides a wealth of distros to try. The Debian/Gnome -> Ubuntu is just one limb and branch In the past I've tried RedHat, Suse and a couple of others before finding that Ubuntu was a complete and user friendly replacement for M$.
Edited by Gina, Dec 15 2009, 07:26 PM.
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| Phaedrus | Dec 15 2009, 08:08 PM Post #3 |
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Yeah its pretty much the same with me. I have used a few distros and had a quick look at one or two as well. I think I had mint a while back too. I`m a gnome user. I don`t like what they have done with KDE. Obviously Mint is different to Ubuntu and the most obvious thing is the menu system. Its a bit kde ish in some ways but better. More organised and user friendly. Its funny, you can feel its got Ubuntu`s guts, but a different interface. Its still Gnome though so its not that different. My guess is after a little playing around to acclimatise you`ll like it. I`m running off the cd for now. I`ll find a flash drive tomorrow and install and run it off that for a while. |
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| Gina | Dec 15 2009, 08:25 PM Post #4 |
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I've just bought a triple pack of 2GB USB sticks (arrived today) through Amazon. They're coloured - one red, one white and one blue. So I'll be able to see which is which at a glance Beats coloured insulation tape to mark them They're SanDisk Cruzer so should be OK. Much more convenient than DVDs!
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| Phaedrus | Dec 15 2009, 09:08 PM Post #5 |
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Yes I`m going to have to get another USB drive tomorrow. Better than DVD`s like you say. I notice in Mint the USB Creator isn`t on by default. Its in Synaptic though, so I`ll put that on and set up a USB stick tomorrow. |
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| Gina | Dec 15 2009, 09:32 PM Post #6 |
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USB Live CD being created as I type this In UE 2.3
Edited by Gina, Dec 15 2009, 09:33 PM.
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| Gina | Dec 16 2009, 12:05 AM Post #7 |
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Running Mint Live CD USB Stick on my laptop ATM while typing this post Can't see how to enable multiple desktops as yet. Otherwise mostly OK. Like the menu system.
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| Phaedrus | Dec 16 2009, 10:20 AM Post #8 |
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They don`t put a desktop switcher on the taskbar by default in Mint, I guess coz they have 4 Desktops set up and compizconfig settings manager ready installed too. You can either right click the panel and add a Workspace Switcher, or press Ctrl+Alt and the Arrow key, or go to Control Center compizconfig settings manager and enable Desktop Cube, Cube Rotate and 3D Windows. You may have to go to Control Center> Appearance and tick the extra or custom button. Then you can use middle mouse button to rotate the cube and access your virtual desktops that way.....(or Ctrl+Alt and arrow key). |
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| Phaedrus | Dec 16 2009, 10:49 AM Post #9 |
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I found a nice collection of Emerald themes for Mint. Install Emerald from Package manager (synaptic) and install the the .deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/pool/main/e/emerald-themes/emerald-themes_0.6-mint4_all.deb In terminal do: emerald --replace Add the command emerald --replace to your startup applications (Control Center at the top). Emerald Theme Manager appears in Control Center at the bottom section (Other). |
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| Gina | Dec 16 2009, 11:10 AM Post #10 |
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Thank you Trev It was just a quick try last night before settling down to sleep I'll try in on a desktop today when I have time. Might install it. No room left to install it on the laptop HD.
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| Phaedrus | Dec 16 2009, 11:16 AM Post #11 |
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I`m running it off the pen drive for a bit. If I`m using it more than UE2.3 I`ll install in place of that. I`ll check out the Mint forums later. I guess a lot of what applies to Ubuntu in general, applies also to Mint. |
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| Gina | Dec 16 2009, 01:14 PM Post #12 |
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I've been doing the same. But I had a system lock-up so I'm back in UE 2.3 ATM. I'll have another look later. |
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| Phaedrus | Dec 16 2009, 01:33 PM Post #13 |
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A system lock up? I find Emerald theme manager can lock up sometimes. especially if you rapidly change themes, but you can either leave it to come to its senses, or else force quit it. |
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| Gina | Dec 16 2009, 02:34 PM Post #14 |
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Wasn't running any of that. I think it was Firefox - happened when I opened a new tab. I'm thinking I might try another browser. Though just why it should do it on just the AMD64, I don't know.
Edited by Gina, Dec 16 2009, 02:35 PM.
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Instead the default theme in Mint is a cool green. Its nice.



I remember that I liked the colours - green is nicer than brown IMO. But what I didn't like I forget.
Mint might be no better being based on Ubuntu but worth a try. I see it's a Gnome based GUI so should be basically like Ubuntu. I don't like the KDE GUI in many ways. I've been thinking I might take a look at other distros. No real reason to stick with Ubuntu particularly. I think it's five years or more I've been with Ubuntu - I could be in danger of getting stuck in a rut 
12:20 AM Jul 11