Mint 18.3: The best Linux desktop takes big steps forward

zdnet. ^ | 12 12 17 | Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

[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.

[goodnesswins]

what I want to know is...can I as a non-techie make this happen on my Dell Inspiron laptop, bought March 2017, Core I7??? I’ve allowed some Win10 updates....but am hesitant to continue for fear it will screw up my laptop...

[markomalley]

mark- i have steam on my windows boot os- how do i get it on linux?

Just go to your software manager and search on the keyword "steam"

I would think you could access it from any distribution. This article describes how to install it on Ubuntu by way of the terminal. There are similar instructions for the Red Hat variants that I've seen...and I'm sure there are instructions for SuSE as well.

The nice thing is if you use the Software Manager or one of the repositories, all the dependencies should be listed and installed.

Hope that helps.

[Bob434]

thanks mark i’ll check that out- didn’t even realize steam was in there lol- shows how little i explore linux lol

[Bob434]

try what?Linux? To ee if you’ll like it? Sure- download the .iso- burn it to a disk and ONLY run it from the diswk til yuo get an idea you will like it enough to switch- that’s what i did- i loved it- but it waqs kinda slow fro mthe4 disk so don;t let that dissuade you- it’s super fast when fully installed- you’;ll have a chocie to either isntall it when you boot up with the disk or to run the CD- make sure you salways choose the CD- till you decide youl ike it or not

You can make changes to the os but they will —not— affect your windows os- the changes you make will revert though once you reboot back into the disk again- so leave it going for a few days while you make changes and mess aroudn with the os - if you make mistake,s you can always just reboot and it will be back to normal disk os again-

[Fungi]

download from where? Forgive my ignorance.

[fuzzylogic]

As a fan of Linux, please take these claims with a huge grain of salt. Over the recent past we’ve seen some significant vulnerabilities found in Linux components. It’s a poor claim that none can affect the desktop. Linux is used on a large scale in servers and embedded devices. The chance of somebody attacking a given OS is directly proportional to the number of instances of that OS running. Linux is everywhere now so there’s far more hackers attacking it.

[dennisw]

I am in the same boat as you. Going to install Linux Mint on an SSD and give it a trial. I have already gone live with Mint on a flash drive to see what’s up but I really need to install Mint and then install software I need. To really test it.

[markomalley]

“download from where? Forgive my ignorance.”

https://linuxmint.com/download.php

[dennisw]

I would keep Windows 10 on your laptop. Dell and Intel and Microsoft coordinate closely so that Dell equipment works. Plus you have Dell support. When I install windows 10 on a home brew computer I am on my own but have had no problems with Win 10 updates so far.

You can test drive Linux Mint by loading it onto an 8GB flash drive. Then upon computer booting up (starting) you have it boot via the flash drive rather than your hard drive with Win 10 on it.

It’s like a virtual form of Linux mint and does not touch or alter your windows 10 installation at all. It disappears when you turn your computer off.

Ask and I will give you more details on making the Mint flash drive.

[dennisw]

LULZ....too much!

[wyowolf]

thank you!

[wyowolf]

thank you, I downloaded and will try on the win ten machine i never use...

[Fungi]

thank you. Is it compatible with all windows applications, ie publisher, word, etc?

[markomalley]

thank you. Is it compatible with all windows applications, ie publisher, word, etc?

There are two ways to deal with this:

First, you can run Windows within a virtual machine (either VMWare or Oracle Virtualbox). That works for almost anything.

In many cases, you can install applications directly in Linux using Wine. Here is a database of applications that have been tested. Don't get me wrong: Wine is not a panacea, but it does work in many cases. You can check what kind of testing has been done on your specific software using the link above.

Personally, when I absolutely have to use Windows software, I use a VM (through Oracle Virtualbox). Just easier in my case. If you don't have robust hardware, a VM may not be an option.

Also, there are perfectly good Linux alternatives to many of the paid software packages.

Having said that, I consider this to be a fault with software publishers rather than a fault with Linux. There is, admittedly, a cost of developing software to work with a different operating system. However, when I see software publishers taking the expense to make software that works both with Windows and Mac, I can't see the justification to not go the extra 2% and look at compatibility for Linux. Maybe at some point.

[minnesota_bound]

The icons and colors are better looking then any Windows version. Microsoft Windows is dull looking.

[Dalberg-Acton]

“Sounds like Linux if finally catching up to the 2001 Windows.”

It’s better than Win 10 or 7.

[Dalberg-Acton]

I just let the Update Manager update my desktop computer from 18.2 to 18.3. The entire process took less than 10 minutes and a single reboot.

[adorno]

It’s better than Win 10 or 7.

Then, why is Linux always trying to be Windows. Since forever, Linux has been following in the footsteps of Windows. Every release of a Linux distro is always compared to Windows, whether the newest Windows version or some other version from the dinosaur era of Windows.

It's always the same for the Windows wannabe Linux.

BTW, I have tried different versions of Linux, for over 20 years, and I have always ended up coming back to Windows.

According to the Linux fanatics, it's always better than Windows, so, why do you suppose it still has a market-share of below 2%. I've heard the "better than Windows" mantra for over 15 years, and it's never proven to be so. And, no, Android is not "Linux" on the desktop, so, don't give me that other mantra about "Android is Linux".

Same-old, same-old story for Linux. I know I'll be hearing the same story forever with Linux.

[adorno]

you need to read the truth about this story , they used very old Distros of Linux and never upgrade their equipment I have been following the Munich conversion, and it's always one excuse after another.

I must have read around 500 different versions of the story, and now, there are different versions and excuses as to why Linux failed in Munich.

BTW, Linux is ALWAYS touted as being capable of working with older equipment, so even that excuse is garbage. Munich swallowed the hype back even back then that Linux could work the same on old and new equipment. Munich did upgrade a lot of their equipment, but the biggest problem for them was the many incompatibilities of their Linux-based applications with the "current-at-that-time" applications which were written for Windows. And that is where the problem will always lie, the huge number of applications which are not "cross-platform" compatible. I could have told them that back in 2003, but no, they were bound and determined that it was Linux or bust. Well, bust it was.

[adorno]

Good golly i hope not- I’ll have to find another os then

You won't need to, because, the way things are going, browsers will be running all applications, so, you'll have to figure out which browser is the best in that future date. But, I suppose they'll all be basically the same. The only OS-like pieces of software will all be performing the same function, and that is supporting the browsers. And all browsers will have to support ALL applications, no matter from who, through the internet.