The moment so many have waited for is finally here. Linux Mint 12 has been released! This update to Linux Mint has had many people on edge since it marks the move from the older version of GNOME to GNOME 3.2. GNOME 3.2, as you might already know, has had many detractors. Linux Mint users have wondered how on earth such a popular distribution would make a transition to such a reviled and hated desktop interface.
Well I’m happy to say that Linux Mint 12 has survived the move to GNOME 3, thanks to the ingenuity of the Linux Mint developers. Until I saw how the Linux Mint developers implemented GNOME 3, I’d feared that Linux Mint might become another GNOME 3 casualty. Thankfully, that hasn’t happened and you’ll find out why in this review.
Linux Mint 12 Live DVD Desktop
What’s New In This Release
Here’s a sample of the new features in this release:
Ubuntu 11.10
Linux 3.0
GNOME 3.2
Mint GNOME Shell Extensions (MGSE)
MATE (fork of GNOME 2)
Two new themes (Mint-Z and Mint-Z-Dark)
Backgrounds (includes photos from India and Yellowstone National Park)
New default search engine is Duck Duck Go
Mint GNOME Shell Extensions make it possible to use GNOME 3 the same way you used previous versions. It includes a bottom panel, application menu, window list and it makes GNOME 3 into a more task-oriented desktop. I’ll have much more to say about them in the desktop section of the review. Suffice to say that they are the biggest things in Linux Mint 12, in my opinion. Other developers using GNOME 3 should add something similar in their distros.
Application Menu
MATE is a fork of GNOME 2 that some users might find helpful. The Linux Mint developers warn on their What’s New page that MATE is still new and is thus not completely stable. So be aware of that if you decide to experiment with it.
I didn’t spend much time with MATE since the focus is really on GNOME 3 for this release. However, I expect that some users might gravitate toward MATE if they still dislike GNOME 3 even with the extensions included. If you spend any time with MATE, please post your experiences with it in the comments. I’d be curious to know how well it worked for you. You can choose MATE from the login menu.
(Edit: I just did a full review of Linux Mint 12 MATE. So that should give you a better idea of what you can expect from it.)
MATE
Linux Mint 12 comes with two new themes. Mint-Z and Mint-Z-Dark are based on Mint-X and Zukitwo.
Themes
The new default search engine is Duck Duck Go. This is part of the Linux Mint developer’s strategy of using search engines as a business model to help support Linux Mint financially. Duck Duck Go doesn’t track or record user information, nor does it show different results depending on who does the search.
Duck Duck Go is Linux Mint 12's new default search engine.
No worries if you prefer to use a different search engine, you can easily switch Duck Duck Go for another search engine. I actually like it and I urge you to give it a try for a while before deciding to change it. It works well and it has the extra benefit of helping to finance Linux Mint. So check it out and see how you like it.
Next, I’ll look at the hardware requirements and I’ll show what the install routine looks like in this distro.
(11 votes, average: 4.64 out of 5)
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Well Jim, I knew that you would get off your duff and review Linux Mint within a week or so of its release, so congratulations on doing so.
For GNOME lovers, Mint really is saving the day, and if GNOME developers and distro builders are smart, they will at least provide something like what Mint has done to provide users with alternatives. Try as they may, not everyone will – today – or any time in the near future, sucumb to the urge to run touch devices. I have stuff from the Droid family. Yes, it’s good for quick access to stuff, but I wouldn’t use it in a million years when I have to be greatly productive, fast, and efficient. The only thing it’s fast at is clearing out SPAM Email, and a REGULAR Email client does a better job any day; it’s just good to have a mobile device when you are away. As far as I am concerned, mobile stuff won’t replace traditional devices in my lifetime, unless revolutionary improvements are still in the works. The “inventions” we have recently seen are disasters when they come to replacing traditional desktops, which, at least to me, were the optimal in speed and efficiency.
As far as the rest of Mint goes, I think it’s good for the novice and casual user. It can be used by veterans as well, but hobbyists who want access to everything may not be quite as thrilled with it. I can do without it myself, but I wouldn’t want to see it go anywhere; it’s great for bringing usable technology to thousands of new potential Linux converts! :-)
Everyone is focusing on MGSE on their reviews. Too bad because I want to read a MATE review. I content to stay with GNOME 2.x and if MATE in Mint 12 is not good enough, I might not upgrade my Mint 11 boxes.
Still waiting for MATE review
Thanks, Brian. Glad you enjoyed it.
Hmm. Liquidkermit, thanks for the feedback. Perhaps I’ll do a quick look for Eye On Linux of it. That could be interesting.
Thanks for the overview. I am a long time LinuxMint fan and am very much interested in how it approaches what I see as the Vista of Linux desktop environments. Even though I am on to the XFCE LMDE variant at this point, I wonder if they have provided the shell extensions to GNOME LMDE. I might be tempted to switch my work box over if rolling release is added to the feature list.
Also, I remember reading several pieces where Carly Simon cited David Geffen as the source of inspiration for “You’re So Vain.” ;) I understand why it wasn’t just put out there years ago; the song incites the listener to introspection without this detail.
Yes, it’s not good enough, both mint 12 and mate. Stay with Gnome 2.x
@ liquidkermit:
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I have not tried Mint 12 but it offers nothing you can’t already do with gnome shell in Arch Linux or any other distro the extensions are all there. The negativity of reviewers is unbelievable not only with Gnome shell but with Linux in general. thank goodness you do try to give a quality review even if i don’t always agree i always read yours.
Interesting review (as usual). Thanks alot! And yes – MATEd Mint review would be super. As by me – merging Mint with Gnome 3 Shell was mistaken. Xfce/KDE would be much much smarter move. In the worst case even Unity would be more reasonable change than Gnome Shell. As I can see, people spit less after using Unity compared with Shell. But well, what`s done is done.
Jim,
As always, a great, balanced review. It does, however, bring up this whole ‘dumbing down’ of the desktop thing. Nothing has polarized the Linux community like this since I have been involved — early 2004.
Not wanting to throw any more gas on the fire, I am still curious about your opinion on one aspect. At what monitor size does touchscreen become a practical, usable element for the desktop? I know there hasn’t been any real research on this (or we wouldn’t be headed down this perplexing development path), but my gut level says:
Touchscreen becomes usable for the average user at 42 inches or larger.
Do you want to hazard a guess?
Hawkeye52
Hi Hawkeye,
Thanks for the feedback.
Good question on the touchscreen. I suppose it depends on how it is implemented. Would they do it like Apple with the Magic Trackpad thing? So you use the trackpad rather than touching the screen itself?
I think leaning forward to touch a large screen would be awkward and rather uncomfortable after a while. But if you were working off a trackpad or some other device that was near your keyboard then perhaps it might work.
But I think the larger question for interface design on the desktop is whether or not you are application-centric or task-centric. Unity & GNOME 3 are geared toward being application-centric while MATE, Xfce and KDE are task-oriented.
I very much prefer the task-oriented approach. I do not want one application taking over the screen and I want to be able to easily switch between applications, minimize windows, etc.
Jim Lynch wrote:
Golden words!
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Thanks for another review Jim!
Just like I thought the first time, Mint 12 is THE Linux distro to watch. Although I’m a little disappointed that nothing was said about MATE (yet?), the review about LMSE in very interesting.
As a happy Mint Debian-user, I will play it safe and hold out for the Mint 13 (LTS). By then, I will finally have my first ever laptop and I’ll use it for Mint while maintaining my desktop with Mint Debian.
Mannn. Don’t review Distros in a Virtual Machine and come to an opinion…. it isn’t the same as installing to the Metal