Linux Mint Cinnamon

We have an extra refreshing DVD for you this month, with a double dose of Mint. A few years ago, Linux Mint was just another Ubuntu respin; a good respin and a popular one but nothing too remarkable. Then Ubuntu switched to the Unity desktop, based on Gnome 3, a move that proved unpopular with many die-hard Gnome users who started looking for a way to stay with what they knew and loved. The problem was that Gnome 2 had reached the end of its life, with development efforts being directed at Gnome 3, which left few alternatives but Xubuntu with its Xfce desktop (for most Gnome users, the switch to KDE is unthinkable and vice versa). Then Linux Mint announced that they would be using two hitherto unknown desktops, Cinnamon and Mate. Both of these stick fairly close to the Gnome 2 experience, but without the underlying baggage of the old Gnome 2 code. Suddenly, everyone was talking about Linux Mint; it was the new cool kid in town.

This could have been a short-term backlash against Ubuntu and Gnome’s changes, but the Mint team delivered on its promises and continued with the development of its alternative. Now, several years later, Linux Mint is still a popular and well-respected distro. It’s still based on Ubuntu behind the desktop but with desktops that appear both modern and familiar to users that were happy with the way things were going. This is the 64-bit version of Linux Mint using the Cinnamon desktop, both desktop versions are available in 32- and 64-bit but Cinnamon uses 3D acceleration if your graphics card supports it and it is therefore more suited to more modern hardware.

You can try Linux Mint Cinnamon 17.3 directly from the LXFDVD, as with most of the distros we include, just boot your computer from the DVD and select the option you want from the DVD’s boot menu. This is a complete OS with all of the software most people will need already installed, and much more available through the package manager. You may find that the system is unable to play certain media files, because codecs were omitted for legal reasons. The solution is simple; after installing Linux Mint, go into the Software

Manager (or click the Apps icon on the Welcome screen) and install the package called mint-meta

codecs. This will download and install all you need for a complete multimedia experience.

Linux Mint with the Cinnamon desktop manages to be both modern and traditional at the same time, thereby providing something for everyone (apart from those KDE fanboys, of course).