Finally, a new version of the very popular Linux distribution mint 18.3 has been released, codenamed “Silvia”.
Linux Mint 18.3 is a long-term release that will be supported until 2021. It comes with updated software and provides many new features and updates.
What's new in Linux mint 18.3
Improved Application Manager
The user interface has a more modern look and is now very similar to the Gnome app store.
Also, Flatpak support has been added to the app store. Thanks to Flatpak you can install latest applications, even if their dependencies are not compatible with Linux Mint.
Backup
The Backup tool has been almost completely rewritten. Everything has been revised: its features, how it looks and how it works.
Now it's designed to back up your home directory, nothing less and nothing more. It saves all your files into a tar archive. When you restore a backup, the files are restored to the same location as they were, with their original resolutions and timestamps.
But that's not all, to the instrument Reserve copy Timeshift has been added, a system snapshot tool that is now installed by default.
– will be the ideal companion for Linux Mint Backup Tool. It doesn't save your personal data, but it does save everything else.
With Timeshift, you can back up the operating system itself.
System reports
For Linux Mint 18.3 was developed new tool called "System Reports". Its purpose is to generate crash reports software and display information specific to your computer and your environment.
When a failure occurs, information is collected and a failure report is generated.
The System Reports tool displays crashes and allows you to create stack traces for them:
Improving applications
Updated text editor Xed, which now has a minimap.
Improved PDF reader toolbar, Xreader. History buttons have been replaced with navigation buttons (history can be viewed through the menu). The two zoom buttons have been switched and a zoom reset button has been added to make Xreader more consistent with other apps.
Now supplied by default. This tool adapts color temperature your screen depending on the time of day, making it warmer at night to reduce the impact on your eyes.
Login screen
The login screen is now more customizable. Options have been added for automatic login into the system, so if you are the only user, you can configure your computer to log in without a password.
The main application menu has also been slightly redesigned, and can now display recently used applications. To enable this feature, click right click mouse on the menu icon, open settings and enable the Recent plugin.
Linux Mint is an excellent distribution developed and supported by a community of users based on Ubuntu. Compared to Ubuntu it contains more programs by default, for example, there are many proprietary drivers, as well as proprietary software that makes working with the system easier, such as a backup or update program.
The Cinnamon shell is based on Gnome, but strives to be simpler for users, has a familiar appearance and widget support. Latest version Linux Mint 18.1 came out a few weeks ago. This release updates the Cinnamon version, software stack, updates Xeader, Xviewer, Xplayer and fixes several bugs. This article will cover setting up Linux Mint 18 Cinnamon after installation.
I have nothing against the Linux Mint logo and dark background, but it is more pleasant to work on the system when the desktop background is set to beautiful image. So first of all, let's change the background. Open Menu -> Options -> Wallpapers:
Then go to the Serena tab and select the picture you like. On the images tab you can upload your own:
2. Theme
Mint 18 also added the Mint-Y theme. It is made in a modern flat style and looks quite beautiful. You can activate it in the settings. To do this, open Menu -> Options -> Themes and select values for all parameters Mint-Y:
Looks quite nice.
3. Add widgets
Cinnamon supports widgets, which are called desktops here. Return to the main menu of the Settings utility and select Desclets:
Here you can add the desired widget to your desktop using the button Add to desktop:
Or install additional widgets from the network:
4. Update your system
It is important to keep your system up to date. Linux Mint has a special update tool, run it from the main menu:
When you first start, the system will prompt you to choose which updates to install; it is recommended to leave it as is to get the new software:
You can then select the updates you want and click Install updates:
Most likely, you will need to do the procedure twice, since you may first need to update the update manager itself.
5. Installing codecs
Previously, codecs were supplied with the distribution and there were no problems with this. But then the developers decided to remove them. But we can install linux mint codecs from official repositories. For this we have an application center:
In the search, type mint-meta-codecs or just codecs, you will immediately see the package found, as well as its rating:
To open the package description window, double-click on it and then click Install for installation.
To install all available codecs, open a terminal and run the command:
sudo apt-get install gstreamer1.0-libav gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly-amr gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly libgstreamer-plugins-bad1.0-0 gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad-videoparsers gstreamer1.0-plugins- bad-faad gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad libdvdnav4 libdvdread4
6. Install drivers
The system already contains drivers for many peripheral devices, even if they are closed source, not all of them are. For example, drivers for a video card must be installed separately. Open the driver manager through the main menu:
When the program loads, select the drivers you want to install and click Apply changes. After installing the driver, you will need to restart your computer.
7. Installing programs
Despite the fact that the system already contains many of the programs you need, not everything is there. Everything you need can be installed through the application center. Skype communication program:
VLC media player:
Audio player Clementine:
Graphic editor Inkscape:
Torrent client qBittorrent:
Aria2 Download Manager:
Mail client Mozilla Thunderbird:
Chromium browser:
BleachBit system cleaning program:
You can find and install other popular programs in the section Favorites:
8. Installing Adobe Flash
Flash technologies are used less and less on websites, and are being replaced by HTML5, but many users still need a Flash player. To install it, use the following commands in the terminal:
sudo apt-get install pepperflashplugin-nonfree
$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure pepperflashplugin-nonfree
9. Install Java
Many programs require a Java machine to run. You can install it from the PPA repository. First add the repository:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
$ sudo apt-get update
Then install the package:
sudo apt-get install oracle-java8-installer
10. System backup
Setting up Linux Mint 18 cinnamon after installation should include backup. While the system is still clean, you can create backup copy, so that you can quickly restore it later. To do this, you can use the TimeShift utility. First install it from the PPA:
sudo apt-add-repository -y ppa:teejee2008/ppa
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install timeshift
Then launch the program from the main menu, then configure the backup frequency and create your first copy using the button Create:
Now you can restore the system if necessary.
conclusions
Even though Linux Mint contains more improvements compared to Ubuntu, it also requires linux setup mint 18 after installation. We have looked at everything in sufficient detail so that even a beginner can figure out how to prepare their system for everyday use. If you have any questions, ask in the comments!
The head of the development team, Clement Lefebvre, approved the release of images to a wider audience on July 2, 2017. Curious that the way out new version Mint coincided with updates to the core desktop environments Cinnamon and MATE, as well as the alternatives KDE and Xfce.
Clement Lefebvre commented on the release:
Linux Mint 18.2 - long-term version technical support until 2021. The distribution comes with updated software and includes improvements and new features that make your desktop even more convenient to use.
Linux Mint 18.2 comes with latest versions desktop shells Cinnamon 3.4, MATE 1.18, KDE Plasma 5.8 LTS and Xfce 4.12. The distribution is based on the Ubuntu 16.04 LTS codebase and kernel Linux versions 4.8. LightDM is used as an authorization manager for Cinnamon. Software Sources, Update Manager and XApps have received numerous improvements.
Now that work on Linux Mint 18.2 (Sonya) is complete, development of the next major version of Linux Mint 18.3 begins. Clement Lefebvre invites developers to think about new interesting features and projects that they would like to implement in the upcoming release.
In the update manager, select the “Check for updates” button to start checking the new version of mintupdate and mint-upgrade-info. If updates are available for these packages, install them.
Start the system update by selecting Edit > Update to "Linux Mint 18.2 Sonya".
Follow the instructions on the screen.
After the system update is complete, restart your computer.
Additional Information:
- Although Linux Mint 18.2 has a new kernel, this update does not change the kernel on your behalf. This decision must be made by the user.
- The same goes for choice. graphic manager or software selection. Brasero will not be uninstalled and MDM will not be switched to LightDM on your behalf. You can apply these changes yourself, but this is not required.
- It is recommended to disable the screensaver before updating. If the screensaver activates during the update and you are unable to log in, switch to the console using CTRL + ALT + F1 , log in and enter killall cinnamon-screensaver(or killall mate-screensaver in MATE). Use CTRL + ALT + F7 or CTRL + ALT + F8 to return to the session.
How to switch from MDM to LightDM
First install LightDM by typing the following commands in a terminal:
Apt install slick-greeter lightdm-settings
When asked to choose a default display manager, select LightDM.
Then remove MDM and reboot by entering the following commands into the terminal:
apt remove mdm
Linux Mint- open source project source code, which provides a completely free and easy-to-use operating system based on one of the most popular Linux distributions - Ubuntu .
Linux Mint includes a large number of applications to perform common everyday tasks.
The best way to describe Mint is as a virtual container in which you can install the Cinnamon and MATE desktop environments on top of a stable Ubuntu base, and add additional features and built-in applications.
Linux Mint is very user friendly Linux distribution, which is used by hundreds of thousands of users, especially those who are not comfortable with the native Unity interface.
Linux Mint Review
Distributed as 32-bit and 64-bit Live DVDs with versions of the Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce shells
The project has separate versions with Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce environments, each of which is available as bootable Live DVD ISO images that can be deployed on both 64-bit and 32-bit architectures. Users can also burn ISO images to USB drives or clean DVDs and download Linux Mint without installation.
The bootable media takes 10 seconds to boot, but advanced users can press a separate key to run the test random access memory or to boot the operating system from a local disk.
A similar bootloader implemented in Ubuntu is used in Linux Mint, only it has its own distribution logo. It should be mentioned that the Cinnamon and MATE environments are created by the Linux Mint developers.
Two graphical environments and numerous useful applications
While Cinnamon is a clone of GNOME 3, MATE represents a separate branch of the classic GNOME 2 environment. Both versions include top-notch applications such as Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, Banshee, VLC Media Player, LibreOffice, Pidgin, Transmission, GIMP and the Synaptic package manager.
Linux Mint is one of the most popular free operating systems in the world. Many Linux users prefer this distribution over Ubuntu OS due to its support for outdated hardware and weak hardware components.
On this moment current version is Linux Mint 18.3, codenamed “Sylvia”, released on November 27, 2017. The most popular and downloaded version is the 64 version with the Cinnamon desktop environment. There are also versions with the working environment Mate, Xfce, KDE, both 32 and 64 bit.
They differ in their graphical shell. KDE is considered the most gluttonous, although it is the most advanced and beautiful, it is not suitable for weak computers. If you decide to install this distribution on a weak computer, then it is better to install the Xfce version, it is not demanding on processor and video card resources. Let's look at the most downloaded version, Cinnamon.
I don’t think anyone will have any questions regarding the installation of this distribution; the installation is quite simple and easy, and also quick, you can watch the installation process. Linux Mint is primarily suitable for those who have decided to switch from Windows to something new. Although some recommendations apply to Ubuntu, but personal experience I will say Linux Mint is more suitable for these purposes.
When starting, we see a guest window in which you need to enter the username and password of the user that you specified when installing the operating system.
The welcome screen window appears, with the help of which you can familiarize yourself with the documentation, new features of Linux Mint, and also configure the drivers. Although drivers are installed by default, the only thing required is additional customization video drivers.
In the tray near the clock we see an icon that looks like a shield; when you click on it, the update manager starts, which will offer to update the system and its components, I recommend doing this right away. The programs are constantly being refined and improved, and updates are constantly being released.
Linux Mint - Update Manager We see that the update manager offers to install updates for certain programs and modules.
Linux Mint - Computer As I said above, Linux Mint has a more similar look and feel to operating system Winodws. We can see this right away on the desktop; there is an icon for “Computer” and “Home Folder”. There is also a “Menu” button at the bottom of the screen, an analogue of the “Start” button in Windows and a panel quick launch. The Quick Launch toolbar is easily customized to suit users' needs.
When we click on “Computer” we see the usual placement of storage devices, and on the side there is a link to folders. What I will say is very convenient and familiar, especially for beginners. Linux Mint - Menu
When you click on “Menu” we see the menu of all installed programs, for convenience they are divided into categories. Even if compared with Linux Ubuntu here the programs are placed more conveniently.
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