Author Topic: Linux Mint 17.3 a great operating system and its free (Read 9659 times)

Matthew · « **on:** February 03, 2016, 11:50:41 AM »

http://www.zdnet.com/article/why-switch-to-windows-10-or-a-mac-when-you-can-use-linux-mint-17-3-instead/?tag=nl.e539&s_cid=e539&ttag=e539&ftag=TRE17cfd61

I've been using Linux Mint since 2011. The only thing I "need" Windows for is Stamps.com software (to print postage from home), so I just run Windows XP in a Virtual Machine (using VirtualBox) and I can access my printer from inside that box. Pretty cool! But there's nothing special about Windows software, at least not to me, not anymore. Everything is AVAILABLE for Linux. It's different, but just as capable. I mean if you've used one MP3 ripper, DVD burning program, graphical word processor, or email client, you've used them all, right?
The features -- the software equivalents -- are all there. The only question is getting used to the SLIGHT differences. Well, I had to either A) spend a bunch of money to upgrade to Windows 7 from Windows XP and learn a bunch of new programs, or B) switch to Linux for free and learn a bunch of new programs. I figure B) is the smart choice.
At least there will never come a time when I have to give up EVERYTHING and "switch" again. All of the programs I use on a daily basis are open source and independently maintained, and run on ANY brand of Linux. So even if Linux Mint went out of business someday, I could still use Thunderbird, Libreoffice, Assunder CD ripper, Eclipse IDE, Google Android Studio, etc. on my new Linux installation.

Linux has so many advantages, too, that people seldom mention in these articles. It's hard to think of all the advantages, I guess! For example, it's been YEARS since I've had to start from a clean slate PC. Mind you, I've wiped my machine many times (by choice -- I prefer to start from scratch when upgrading to a new motherboard) but I easily copied over EVERYTHING from Firefox, Chrome, and Thunderbird (etc.) So all my plugins, settings, passwords, are instantly restored to a brand-new install of the latest Linux Mint. I just copy over the appropriate hidden folders in my Home folder. Imagine trying to do that in Windows! Impossible without expensive software. Also, small programs that normally involve a trip to the back alleys of the Internet are a simple, clean script on Linux. For example, a small command-line script youtube-dl will download any youtube video. No shady EXEs to install, no malware masquerading as free software. Or a program to remove the "embedded graphics" from inside your MP3s -- another small script. For every program you can't run on Linux, there are great, sometimes small, convenient programs on Linux that aren't available on Windows.

HiddenServant · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2016, 04:56:51 PM »

Great going for that. Now what do i need a pc for now a days .
Some how they get viruses and how and plenty of nonsense on
the internet. I wish a clean safe and healthy online experience !

McCork · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2016, 05:31:09 PM »

I second the motion! Excellent OS. I use it, as well as Virtualbox for my Windows XP when I rarely need it.

As I mentioned in another thread, get the "live" CD, and you can fully try it, without changing anything on your hard drive.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2016, 05:53:45 PM »

Quote from: McCork

I second the motion! Excellent OS. I use it, as well as Virtualbox for my Windows XP when I rarely need it.

As I mentioned in another thread, get the "live" CD, and you can fully try it, without changing anything on your hard drive.

How do you get the "live" CD?

McCork · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2016, 06:05:51 PM »

Quote from: Neil Obstat

Quote from: McCork
I second the motion! Excellent OS. I use it, as well as Virtualbox for my Windows XP when I rarely need it.

As I mentioned in another thread, get the "live" CD, and you can fully try it, without changing anything on your hard drive.

How do you get the "live" CD?

http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

You will have to burn it into a CD (or DVD if it is more thant 750 MB)

Personally, I don't care for bells and whistles, so I downloaded the Xfce desktop. Usually this helps speed things up. But if you have a fast processor and lots of RAM, download a better desktop.

rum · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2016, 06:39:34 PM »

I've been a Linux user for the past couple years, using Linux Mint Xfce. I tried many distros of Linux as my default OS starting in the early 2000s. I always went back to Windows, because there was just too much I had to learn that I wasn't interested in learning. I don't know how practical it is to claim that an ordinary computer user accustomed to Windows can seamlessly switch to Linux, as that wasn't the case with me, and I had above-average computer knowledge when I attempted to make Linux my default system. But my knowledge gradually increased over the years to the point that I now use it with ease. The command line is great, and I often use youtube-dl. You can also download Youtube channels and playlists with it. One of my favorite Linux features is the ability of the file managers Thunar and Nautilus to create custom actions based on CLI commands and bash scripts. So you can make just about any command accessible in the right-click context menu within Thunar or Nautilus, to manipulate files.

Incidentally the principal Mint developer, Clement Lefebvre, has been excoriated for his anti-Zionism. I only learned about this after I started using Mint.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2016, 06:45:20 PM »

Quote from: McCork

http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

You will have to burn it into a CD (or DVD if it is more thant 750 MB)

Thanks.

About 15 years ago an acquaintance told me that Linux was great and that I ought to try it.

But I haven't yet! :thinking:

Paul FHC · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2016, 10:04:21 AM »

Will one notice a difference in browsing speed if they switch to linux? I have an old laptop that I can't part ways with yet. Obviously the "free" was an adjective that was music to my ears but I'm wondering what linux offers in terms of performance.

Matthew · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2016, 12:57:07 PM »

Quote from: Paul FHC

Will one notice a difference in browsing speed if they switch to linux? I have an old laptop that I can't part ways with yet. Obviously the "free" was an adjective that was music to my ears but I'm wondering what linux offers in terms of performance.

Generally it's faster on the same hardware than Windows. Imagine the speed of Windows XP on the hardware in question, increase the speed a bit, and imagine the system being a lot less ancient (giving you a similar experience to Windows 7 or Windows 10) and you'd have Linux Mint.

Matthew · « **Reply #9 on:** February 04, 2016, 01:00:00 PM »

I use the MATE edition.

Cinnamon is probably the fanciest, bells-and-whistles-iest version.

The important part is to use some version of Linux Mint. It's by far the most popular Linux distribution.

I like how everything works from the moment you finish installing it. Your video card, networking, etc. all just works. You can browse the 2016 Internet, watch Youtube videos, etc. without having to install anything first. All those "multimedia capabilities" come with the operating system itself. That wasn't always true, for example Linux in the 90's or the first decade of the 2000's.

rum · « **Reply #10 on:** February 04, 2016, 01:32:52 PM »

It runs pretty good right after installation, but I like to go through the checklist provided here: https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/firstmint

This is good to read: https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/fatalmistakes

rum · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2016, 01:36:57 PM »

Hey Matthew and McCork, what are some of your favorite commands to use?

McCork · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2016, 05:43:08 PM »

Quote from: rum

Hey Matthew and McCork, what are some of your favorite commands to use?

Once you get and use the OS, you won't be asking that question. That is why you are not getting an answer from me.

rum · « **Reply #13 on:** February 05, 2016, 06:33:42 PM »

Quote from: McCork

Quote from: rum
Hey Matthew and McCork, what are some of your favorite commands to use?

Once you get and use the OS, you won't be asking that question. That is why you are not getting an answer from me.

Why would someone who uses the system not ask such a question? Maybe you should ask Matthew for a confirmation, as I'm sure his software can detect the kind of OS people use.

McCork · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2016, 09:12:40 AM »

Quote from: rum

Quote from: McCork
Quote from: rum
Hey Matthew and McCork, what are some of your favorite commands to use?

Once you get and use the OS, you won't be asking that question. That is why you are not getting an answer from me.

Why would someone who uses the system not ask such a question? Maybe you should ask Matthew for a confirmation, as I'm sure his software can detect the kind of OS people use.

Let me put it this way, it's like asking people who have Windows 7 what their favorite command is.