Linux Mint 18.3 is Great! Here is my desktop with a view of the Software Manager with all the free software.
Good Hunting... from Varmint Al
Posted on 12/12/2017 10:08:32 AM PST by dennisw
Linux Mint isn't just the best Linux desktop, it's the best desktop, period.
I run many operating systems every day, from macOS, to Windows 7 and 10, to more Linux desktop distributions than you can shake a stick at. And, once more, as a power-user's power user, I've found the latest version of Linux Mint to be the best of the best.
Why? Let's start with the basics. MacOS has been shown to have the worst bug I've ever seen in an operating system: The macOS High Sierra security hole that lets anyone get full administrative control. Windows, old and new, continues to have multiple security bugs every lousy month. Linux? Sure, it has security problems. How many of these bugs have had serious desktop impacts? Let me see now. None. Yes, that would be zero.
Oh, and by the way, in using Linux desktops for over 25 years now, I have never needed to use an anti-virus program because, for all practical purposes, there are no Linux viruses. Yes, I know you've read stories saying they exist. And, they do, but you must actively try to infect your system to get them.
Then, there's ease of use. Despite ancient FUD, Linux, especially the new Linux Mint 18.3 but really all current Linux desktops, are simple to use. Mint's Cinnamon interface uses a classic Windows, Icons, Menu, and Pointer (WIMP) interface. If you've ever used Windows XP, you'll feel completely at home.
Want to install an application? Sure you can use shell-based tools such as apt-get on Debian-based Linux distributions or yum on the Red Hat family of operating systems. But, ordinary desktop users need not bother with these. Instead, they can just use an app store approach such as Mint's Software Manager. You search for your app, you point, you click. Not very hard is it?
Want to update your system to a new one? With Macs and Windows, that can take hours. With Mint, it took me less than an hour and most of that was waiting for the download to complete. Compare that with Windows, where as a friend recently pointed out, just updating a Logitech mouse driver took about 10 minutes.
Linux desktops are also fast even on older hardware. High Sierra runs as fast as pouring maple syrup on a cold day on my maxed out Mac Mini with its 3.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM. Windows 10, on my Dell XPS 8700 with a 3.6 GHz Intel Core i7-4790 processor and 16GBs of memory, runs fast enough to be useful, but fast is not the word I'd use to describe its performance. Mint 18.3, on my 2011 Dell XPS 8300 with its 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and 8GBs of RAM, charges along like a champ. I wouldn't waste my time trying to run Windows or macOS on a six-year-old box.
But enough about Linux vs. the others, let's talk about Linux Mint 18.3.
If you've never installed Mint before, you can download its ISO files from the Mint Downloads. There are still both 64-bit and 32-bit versions for the Cinnamon desktop, but unless you're running a really old system, just down the 64-bit version. Then burn the ISO image to a DVD using a tool such as ImgBurn. Or, you can put it on a bootable USB stick with a program like Rufus.
Then, boot your computer using the DVD or stick and make sure Mint works with your computer. If it does -- and I've never met a PC it wouldn't work on -- you can then install it. For further details see my How to install Linux Mint on your Windows PC article.
The one possible problem is if your PC has a newer NVIDIA graphics. In that case, for a better display, use NVIDIA's own drivers rather than the open-source ones provided by NVIDIA. To do this, take the following steps:
Run the Driver Manager Choose the NVIDIA drivers and wait for them to be installed Reboot the computer
If you're already running an earlier version of Mint 18, click on the Refresh button in Update Manager to check for any new version of mintupdate and mint-upgrade-info. If there are updates for these packages, apply them. Then, refresh the packages and install any updated package. Finally, launch the System Upgrade by clicking on "Edit->Upgrade to Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia". Within an hour, you'll be running the latest, freshest version of Mint.
This version is based on Ubuntu 16.04.3. Like 16.04, it's a long-term support version. Mint developers will support it until April 2021. This distribution is based on the 4.10 Linux kernel.
Linnix bookmark
https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&IsNodeId=1&N=100011693%20600414920
One terabyte SSD is about $300. Last time I looked a 500GB SSD was around $250
Floppy disk? Haha!
you don’t need a top brand one if it’s going to be 30 50 more or so- ignore all the hype about ‘prioratory components- sand such- they don’t mean much until you get into high end SSD’s then it can mean something- but for now go with something fairly cheap- crucial is a good brand and fairly cheap- and there are some even cheaper that are supposed to b really good0- IF you can afford it- go for 240 gig or so (i had originally said 124 but I think 240 would be good if you plan on storing lots of photos or graphics or something- They are under $100 and worth it- after all it is christmas- have relatives pitch in for a present for you :) (but if you do go for 1 terabyte lol)
i had got hte pro samsung because of increased life expectancy claims- it was abotu $450 at the time-0 300 isn’t ba for regular one though which I’ll get next for my secondary SSD to store photos on
That must be a floppy disk or a lightweight distro I never heard of. The last floppy disks I had held 1.44MB. I don't think there were very many with higher capacities in popular use.
Linux Mint 18.3 has a download size of 1.7+GB.
And I don't think dennisw was asking about a lightweight distro, since the article is about Mint 18.3.
Install it in a VM. VMware is free
Good Hunting... from Varmint Al
silicon power is gaining a pretty good reputation from what I’ve read on it- here’s a 250 for $44
Get em before they go higher which they likely will do once they become more well known- They only have a 9% dissproval rating on amazon which is pretty good- means lots of satisfied customers 91% so far-
it’s free but doesn’tr it keep wantign you to upgrade or something now? I use virtualbox- very pleased with it
Ok a better question, what CANT it do that windows can? I run 7 now, basically surf the web, and run my synology disk station from it... dont play any games, the only real software I run from time to time is a brewing related software called Beersmith...not sure if it will run in L or not...
All my movies/music/photos are all on the synology and streamed to whatever...
> i never had luck with virtualization- so i dual boot isntead- works well-
You need the hardware support. If your CPU doesn’t support virtualization, it won’t work well, if at all.
And even if your CPU does support virtualization, you need to enable it in the BIOS/EFI before you can use it.
I’ll get a 120GB one for Linux Mint. I see good ones for $45 at New Egg and Amazon. ADATA and Silicon Power. I have 240GB San Disk SSDs in my two Desktops. With Some storage in regular 7200rpm SATA hard drives.
You got the high end Samsung SSD. Samsung is always good no matter what their product is. First SSDs I installed in my computers was 2 years ago. I was amazed at how much they increased response and speed.
[[Ok a better question, what CANT it do that windows can?]]
Run windows only software and games (the software can however be run in virtual machine- but games, not so much- I can’t use photoshop in virtual machine- )
And it has a wakcadoodle install via command for software notl isted in software manager or synamptic packages- but really, all the causal user woudl need is what’s listed in software manager and that’s pretty easy to use- one click really-
[[the only real software I run from time to time is a brewing related software called Beersmith]]
Run it in virtual machine with windows installed on it- should run fine-
yeah i did- still wouldn’t run games well
oh man, i loved going from HDD to SSD- what a difference in speed- games load uber fast now- and desktop loads fast too (for me at least- went from loading windows in about 3 minutes (before you could click on anything and have it actually run) or so to under 40 seconds now and everything is instantly available as soon as desktop is up)- Much quieter, much less heat generated too- love it-
check out that 256 gig one i listed above on amazon from silicon power for $44- looks like a great bargain
oh shoot nm- it’s 120 gig not 256
I have a 240GB Silicon Power SSD. I have used it for moving files around but will be installing it in a laptop. It’s a good brand.
Amazon reviews are a great resource no matter where you end up buying an item from. I like to add the two top numbers (4 and 5 star) and the two bottom numbers (1 and 2 star) and see what that ratio is. Then do the same for another item if I am having trouble making a choice, which one to buy.
I once bought a health item on Amazon because it had zero 1 and 2 star reviews out of a total of 40 reviews. Astragalus in bulk one kilo.
you can save little bit o money on the 240 gig- (double the 120 capacity but $12 cheaper- two 120’ woudl be about $89) for around $72- looks like a good bargain
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