Linux Mint (Latest Distro)

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Nico@FMA

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Hello Guys,

At this very moment i am cleaning out a laptop so i can install Linux Mint on it.
The reason for this is simple, this is my spare laptop and i would like to give Mint a try.
I do have extensive knowledge about Cent Os, but after talking to a friend, he sort of convinced me to try Linux Mint as a direct counter to windows.

So i said to myself, hell yeah lets give it a spin, and i intend to make full use of this laptop for the next few weeks, so that my Linux Mint exp is solid enough to give it a win or fail verdict.

So here is the laptop config:

32 Bit, 1TB Hdd, 4GB ram, C-Duo P7350 Cpu 2.0Ghz, Intel GMA Graphics card (Shared) and Real T Sound.

That said i mentioned i would use Mint extensive, however i would like to focus on speed, security, and overall usability.

So which programs would you guys recommend to add to mint in order to make it a almost can do it all laptop without losing its potential.

Cheers
 

ZeroDay

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First, from a security standpoint I'd go into Mint update>preferences and enable level 4 and 5 updates. By default mint doesn't update the kernel so enabling those 4 & 5 level updates will give you more security. I'd also install a GUI for the firewall. Linux Mint is a great distro, enjoy :)

Edit to add: Mint already comes with an extensive set of programs.
 

Nico@FMA

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First, from a security standpoint I'd go into Mint update>preferences and enable level 4 and 5 updates. By default mint doesn't update the kernel so enabling those 4 & 5 level updates will give you more security. I'd also install a GUI for the firewall. Linux Mint is a great distro, enjoy :)

Edit to add: Mint already comes with an extensive set of programs.

Mint updater has L4/5 disabled by default. Also i already have installed the GUI of the firewall and turned it on as the FW is disabled by default.
On top of that i have installed all latest updates, so to reply to house maniś question: I am using the latest Release:Linux Mint 16 "petra" Edition: Cinnamon 32-bit.

That said even tho Mint comes with a VERY impressive set of applications, i was looking for additional packages just to beef up its potential.
But as i wrote earlier i was going to test Mint for some time and i can draw ONE massive conclusion:

Even tho windows 7 seems to be more packed with features, Mint is 5 times faster, Way less resource hogging and incredible comprehensive.
Also the quality of individual programs can match ANY windows program, and for those remembering the days where you have to install patches and such manual, Mint comes with a fully working installer that works outside the command line for those who do not have Linux fingers.
And if you are a Linux master then the commandline comes with additional features where you can play around all you want.
Its video and audio processing is in one word: Amazing.
Also my i note that: My wireless internet connection gone up to over 70% in terms of speed and has gone up in terms of stability.

So far i would not say that Mint is better then windows 7, however so far Mint is beating Win 7 left en right while running circles around it.
The days where you did have to manually install everything in linux are DEFFO over.
Mint seems so easy that even my 4 months old son could install it.
On top of that for those who are using windows software you can just emulate it, at a cost of a fraction of the speed.
But it does work and does work well. (Same goes for games)

So far i am DEEPLY impressed.
And that is saying a LOT given the fact i am a CENT OS fan and a windows guru.
If Mint remains as good as it seem to be at the present moment, then it would be not unthinkable that i will say good bye to windows.
Because so far i have not found anything that windows 7 does better (Other then conflicting, getting infected, and slurping resources.) Which btw does not mean that Linux cannot get infected as it CAN. Obviously the bulk of all malware has been written with Windows in mind but make no mistakes those rootkits, trojans and other types of malware for Linux are equally nasty and in most cases even more destructive, because generally its much harder to penetrate Linux, which means that ones it does get infected that a virus can do a bit more real damage.
However the odds that you will get malware is virtually nil because a virus first need to get your password and you need to install the virus yourself explicitly.
So mainly you need a AV for your email to protect those sorry windows users as your Linux install can still bounce windows malware. That said there are malware that can infect and exploit Linux but getting infected by those really does require your stupidity, because beyond that point you have to realize that everyone does tweak their Linux to a point where you can be pretty sure that your config is pretty unique and therefore highly unlikely that a virus will be able to surprise you.
So yes Linux is so much more malware resistant then windows ever will become.

Another thing i would like to mention is that there are people out there, who have claimed that Linux cannot do the same, and cannot be as productive/ versatile as windows.
Well news flash: It can, It does and more importantly it does it a hell of a lot better.
btw did anyone mention drivers? guess what they are packed in Linux mint and working GREAT, out of the box.



Cheers
 
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ZeroDay

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Yes I know level 4 and 5 updates are disabled by default, but you really need to enable them.

Edit to add: level 4 updates are kernel update, Massively important. Clem leaves them disabled for stability reasons mainly for the benefit of newcomers.
 

Nico@FMA

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Yes I know level 4 and 5 updates are disabled by default, but you really need to enable them.

Edit to add: level 4 updates are kernel update, Massively important. Clem leaves them disabled for stability reasons mainly for the benefit of newcomers.

I am aware of that hence why i have enabled them the moment the system did allow me.
The one and only nasty thing i found is that for some reason my cpu fan and video fan stopped.
Now i got the luxury that this laptop is really great at cooling itself even without fan, but if i do not get the sensors running asap then i might get into trouble soon.
And this really is a massive problem to me as this should not have happened.
I am positive that its not a driver issue, non the less this should not happen.
Any ideaś?
 

Nico@FMA

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Brilliant, someone get a wet tuna, so you can beat me to pulp with it.
In regards to the fan issue, i can recommend people installing the synaptic package, which mint has by default.
I just need to add the individual module.
Silly me.

Problem solved, back to being AMAZED.
 
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ZeroDay

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I'd definitely ask about that on the Mint forums, or even the mint irc. It could be a kernel issue. Check what kernel you're running. Open terminal and type su then hit enter, then type uname -r and that will tell you which kernel you're using. Then if there's a newer kernel avaible you can install that and it may solve your problem.
 

ZeroDay

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Mint is a fantastic distro no doubt about it. I can see them dumping the Ubuntu base soon though and focusing on the Linux Mint Debian Edition, which would be great news.

Edit to add: Once you find your feet with Mint I'd recommend installing Arch Linux on a partition. It's a fantastic OS and you'll learn a lot about Linux by using it.
 

Nico@FMA

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I'd definitely ask about that on the Mint forums, or even the mint irc. It could be a kernel issue. Check what kernel you're running. Open terminal and type su then hit enter, then type uname -r and that will tell you which kernel you're using. Then if there's a newer kernel available you can install that and it may solve your problem.

Actually the kernel that comes with Mint package is the second newest, i have updated the kernel and that’s exactly the moment where i needed to recompile the sensor set.
So actually with new users in mind they might wanna stick with the packed kernel and have it updated using the automated function within mint as it does it on the background without intervention, and it recompiles the old modules and adapt the settings to make it work.
The mistake i made was to recompile them by hand.
Which works fine on for example CENT OS, but apparently due to the level of automation in mint this is something that is very different.
So if you are going to play around with Mint i suggest you stick with the Auto update feature and manually only upgrade those modules that auto update does not modify.
Which obviously can be shown in the terminal log.
 

Nico@FMA

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Mint is a fantastic distro no doubt about it. I can see them dumping the Ubuntu base soon though and focusing on the Linux Mint Debian Edition, which would be great news.

Edit to add: Once you find your feet with Mint I'd recommend installing Arch Linux on a partition. It's a fantastic OS and you'll learn a lot about Linux by using it.

Well no offence to Ubuntu as it is a GREAT distro, but it has its specific drawbacks and so far i found only a few minor ones, due to the fact its based upon Ubuntu.
Granted Mint is a entirely new monster..so its save to say if you do not know you would not notice any Ubuntu things.
But that’s my personal opinion. Perhaps when i dig deeper i might change that opinion.

For those who cannot install the sensors please do this:

1) First, you need to install lm-sensors. (from Synaptic, or from the terminal: sudo apt-get install lm-sensors)
2) Now you need to run from a terminal : sensors-detect and just follow the prompts.
3) Reboot !
4) Next, you need to create your fancontrol file. The easiest way is to run pwmconfig. From a terminal : sudo pwmconfig and work your way through the instructions there.
5) Finally, run sensors -s to make your fan configuration take effect. From a terminal : sudo sensors -s
Now, you can check your temps. From a terminal : sensors (this will now work at any time!)
Now to run fan control, type: sudo /usr/sbin/fancontrol & (works at any time!)
Optional: Starting fancontrol automatically on boot:
Create a file called "fancontrol" in /etc/init.d. From a terminal : gksudo gedit /etc/init.d/fancontrol

Copy past this code into it:

Code:
#!/bin/sh
#
# Fancontrol start script.
#

set -e

# Defaults
DAEMON=/usr/sbin/fancontrol
PIDFILE=/var/run/fancontrol.pid
PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin

test -f $DAEMON || exit 0

. /lib/lsb/init-functions


case "$1" in
        start)
                log_begin_msg "Starting fancontrol daemon..."
                start-stop-daemon --start -o -q -m -b -p $PIDFILE -x $DAEMON
                log_end_msg $?
                ;;
        stop)
                log_begin_msg "Stopping fancontrol daemon..."
                start-stop-daemon --stop -o -q -p $PIDFILE
                log_end_msg $?
                ;;
        force-reload|restart)
                sh $0 stop
                sh $0 start
                ;;
        *)
                log_success_msg "Usage: /etc/init.d/fancontrol {start|stop|restart|force-reload}"
                log_success_msg "  start - starts system-wide fancontrol service"
                log_success_msg "  stop  - stops system-wide fancontrol service"
                log_success_msg "  restart, force-reload - starts a new system-wide fancontrol service"
                exit 1
                ;;
esac

exit 0

Save and close, then run from a terminal : sudo update-rc.d fancontrol defaults 99 01
and you should be set.
icon_smile.gif

There are panel applets, gkrellm, conky, or the terminal, to display your sensor readings, your choice . . . richy

EDIT: corrected sudo apt-get lm-sensors to sudo apt-get install lm-sensors . . . sorry for that!
I need to stop thinking in CENT OS terms.
 

ZeroDay

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Actually the kernel that comes with Mint package is the second newest, i have updated the kernel and that’s exactly the moment where i needed to recompile the sensor set.
So actually with new users in mind they might wanna stick with the packed kernel and have it updated using the automated function within mint as it does it on the background without intervention, and it recompiles the old modules and adapt the settings to make it work.
The mistake i made was to recompile them by hand.
Which works fine on for example CENT OS, but apparently due to the level of automation in mint this is something that is very different.
So if you are going to play around with Mint i suggest you stick with the Auto update feature and manually only upgrade those modules that auto update does not modify.
Which obviously can be shown in the terminal log.

Mint doesn't update kernels very often at all, infact the amount of time they leave it makes it a security risk. I'm very experienced with Linux which is why I use Arch Linux day to day. The following video explains in more detail about the kernel issues as regards security within Mint.

For absolute noobs they really shouldn't be messing with kernels, but that's something the Mint team need to find a workaround for. Having an outdated kernel is, without a doubt a security risk. I compile my own kernels from source so I can choose what I need and don't need.

Edit: Link to the video I mentioned
 
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Nico@FMA

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Well my own exp goes back many years with CENT OS, and i am deffo no slough with oter distroś.
But i am a CENT lover. Other distroś i know to work with, hell ill even code some stuff but that’s about it.
I wish i could do the same with other distroś as what i could do with CENT OS.
And the funny thing they are not that different.

That said i agree mint does need to work on their kernel.
Truth to be said the rest is rather sound and well developed, so ill guess you could trade some kernel security in favor of more noobish automation.
Because the distro itself is really well put together and could be one of the most successful distroś out there, because of the automation and more windows like feel.
 

ZeroDay

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Well my own exp goes back many years with CENT OS, and i am deffo no slough with oter distroś.
But i am a CENT lover. Other distroś i know to work with, hell ill even code some stuff but that’s about it.
I wish i could do the same with other distroś as what i could do with CENT OS.
And the funny thing they are not that different.

You will certainly soon be able to do the things you could do on Cent, on Mint. It's just new for you at the moment isn't it.
 

Nico@FMA

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You will certainly soon be able to do the things you could do on Cent, on Mint. It's just new for you at the moment isn't it.

Well its deffo different, infact i have a reasonable hard time seeing trough the cinnamon layout, for whatever reason i catch myself recompiling everything myself, to later find out that the auto updater already has done it or is about to do.
Keep in mind i am used to do it for the OS and not the way around.
And that’s really a new feel, kinda unusual, you know the feeling ill bet you spended many nights compiling the crap out of your Linux box.
So haveing that being taken away and automated is a bless but its also very weird specially because its doing such a good job.
 
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Nico@FMA

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Alright here is a little update: I have installed Linux Mint 16 KDE version.
So i have deleted the other one in favor of this.
Now the above posts show how awsome Linux Mint 16 without KDE is, and guess what? This KDE version is even more robust.
Do not get me wrong i am not trying to get everyone to install it, but ill say this: This rocks and beats windows hands down.
I was playing around with office programs, and yes they are very different of the usual windows based ones, but omg what a experience truely good.
Audio and Video editing was even more a blizz, just nuts.
Playing around with other applications nearly gave me a orgasm lmao.
My wife was sitting next to me, while i was playing around with the Mint KDE version and she was like omg: Shut up

The whole time: Check this check that, omg, really?, damn, ##### and so on.

Right now my verdict is so much higher then my initial posts.
This is truely a refreshing experience, one word: Amazing.
 

House_maniac

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Sep 21, 2011
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yes linux mint kde is very userfriendly and the theme the whole layout beats windows,i tried the 15 version on virtual box might try the new version well what prevent me from using it as main operating system is like on windows you can use dfx etc soundenhancer and on linux you can't its good for people who want just basic stuff but its very good for free :)
 

woodrowbone

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You could try Zorin OS, the most Windows lookalike I have tested in the Linux world as of yet.

http://zorin-os.com/

I liked that all the 3D features of compiz worked right out of the box. Did not see that in any other distros I tested so far.
Very easy to use for us Windows users I might add.

/W
 

Nico@FMA

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You could try Zorin OS, the most Windows lookalike I have tested in the Linux world as of yet.

http://zorin-os.com/

I liked that all the 3D features of compiz worked right out of the box. Did not see that in any other distros I tested so far.
Very easy to use for us Windows users I might add.

/W

Zorin is light years away from what mint has achieved wit this distro.
 
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