Linux Mint 8
The Desktop
As always the first thing I notice when the desktop loads is the sound. It’s just a quick tone or whatever that happens when you first login. I like it because it lets me know that sound is working fine.
The second thing I noticed was the Welcome to Linux Mint menu. This menu is great because it lets you discover the distro, get help, or contribute to Linux Mint. There’s a list of new features button (handy for reviewers like me), release notes and also a user guide in PDF format that you can download.
Since it uses GNOME as its desktop environment, Linux Mint 8 will be immediately familiar to anybody who’s used GNOME before. The panel at the bottom of the desktop contains the Linux Mint Menu button (similar to the Start button in Windows), a notes app icon, a show-the-desktop icon, and the usual updates, network, sound and date/calendar icons and links.
Controls
To make changes to your desktop, the easiest way is to click the Menu icon on the panel and then choose Control Center. The Control Center incorporates all the usual stuff including:
Personal
Look and Feel
Internet and Network
Hardware
System
Other
Themes
Linux Mint 8 comes with a number of themes including the following:
AuroraMint
Carbon
Cassandra
Clearlooks
Felicia
Lightning
Peppermint
Shiki-Wise
WildMint
You can also click a link to get more themes online.
Wallpaper
For some reason the new default Linux Mint 8 wallpaper leaves me cold. It seemed warmer and classier in Linux Mint 7 than it does in this release. I don’t like the bubbles and the color gradient.
Your mileage may vary, however, so take my comments with a grain of salt. And, of course, it takes two seconds to change the wallpaper so it’s really not that big of a deal.
I was pleased to note that the old wallpaper is available if you right-click the desktop and choose Change Desktop Background. And there are a few other choices as well. Plus you can get more wallpaper online too.
If you prefer to have a cleaner desktop, you can use the Desktop Configuration tool in the Control Center to get rid of the default icons that appear. You can remove Computer, Home, Network, Trash and Mounted Volumes.
- The Linux Mint 8 welcome menu greets you after you login.
(26 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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Good detail on the install vs. running requirements. Most folks would have never caught that.
Speaking of rolling your own. I noticed over at the Susestudio.com site that if you choose openSuse 11.1 Gnome, you get a very similar desktop to Mint with the menu on the bottom etc… I just wonder if there is some cross collaboration going on there or something?
Interesting that you find Chrome to be a better browser. I’ve found that with a few tweaks (found here http://www.tuxradar.com/content/make-linux-faster-and-lighter) that Firefox smokes Chrome on Mint 8. Chrome is noticeably slower loading pages…plus I don’t care much for its interface. I think Firefox is the way to go for the installed browser with Chrome available through the Software Manager.
hmm Very nice post and pic thx…
I just said again over on the ExtremeTech site that Mint remains my choice for first-time Linux people. It really does “just work”, at least on my hardware. (System 76 laptop. Same experience with Asus laptop) This the best Gnome implementation and until KDE 4.3.2 came along I had called it the single best Linux desktop. (Not that I am an authority on such things!)
Mas, I am not sure Mint and Suse collaborate. The Suse “slab” came earlier. Looks to me as though Clement saw it and decided to go it one better. And he did. But we ought to let a Mint person tell us if you are right.
Jim, your new format is good, thank you for that. If anything is missing it is an assessment of wireless capability, but I understand the virtual machine problem. Still, with more and more laptops being sold it is a concern. And easy wireless remains a question, though if Mint uses Network Manager it will not be a problem.
Codecs? Well there is this question of legality for Americans. It seems to me Linux needs some solution other than the “across the pond” dodge. Distros concerned about the legal exposure n the U.S. do not install them by default. Silly situation? Yup, but so it is.
Linux Mint is a great distro for beginners. Of course as stated before the legality of some codecs in the U.S. is always a concern.
It really sucks in the U.S. because of government stupidity but that’s another story. 
I’m not really a fan of the Mint menu setup but it is great for someone coming from the Windows environment. They get the superiority of Gnome with the familiarity of MS Windows. The only problem I have with Linux Mint is the way it handles software updates and software installs. Mint doesn’t really go for the newest software updates and is kind of conservative in that regard like Debian. That is just find and dandy and not a bad thing. Just don’t update using something like Synaptic. Just use their tools and there should be no problems. I use Ubuntu on my computer and my wife using Linux Mint and Windows XP.(She is hooked on hidden object games and uses XP for that)We do have Mint in the house. Overall Linux Mint 8 is a very nice re-spin and deserves the score it got.
Linux Mint is one of three distributions that ought to be on the short list of consideration for those who want a plug it in and it works kind of experience with very simple management. Mint is one; SimplyMEPIS and PCLinuxOS are the other two. A few others come close.
What, no Superman DVD this time? What about the classic Led Zeppelin with the “chainsaw” guitar, “Whole Lotta Love”? :-)
The lack of Chrome Browser is a Pro, not a Con, as the Chrome Browser is absolutely and undeniably a 5th rate browser, and nowhere near ready for use. It does not render websites correctly, is nowhere near fast, and crashes constantly. Firefox 3.7 Pre-Alpha is a better browser.
“In Mint Synaptic is crippled. It shows all the software updates but the Select All Updates button is greyed out.”
Apparently someone doesnt read much. That button has been removed because upgrading outside of “Mint Update” (ie using apt-get upgrade or synaptic) can cause problems with Mint. You can still use it to install any and all applications that are available in your selected repositories, you just cannot use it to upgrade. Use Mint Update and you will have a much more stable system.
I have Chrome on my Mint 8 install, but I always revert back to Swiftfox (a custom version of Firefox geared towards specific proc. families!). If you haven’t tried Swiftfox, then give it a spin, I wish it was the default browser personally!
All in all though, Mint 8 is GREAT! Can’t wait until Mint 10 though, that will be the LTS for Mint.