Linux Mint 17

Every summer for the last few years I have been ditching Microsoft Windows and attempting to live without the Microsoft Dream. Thankfully as long as you don't mind ditching some of the programs that only run on Windows it isn't such a hard thing to do as you would imagine. This summer I have selected I have selected the newly released Linux Mint 17 which comes complete with all the multimedia extensions you are likely to need and more.

Linux Mint 17 Desktop and Start Menu 

Linux Mint 17 Update Screen

Linux Mint 17 Software Manager

 Linux Mint 17 OpenOffice 4 Word processor 

Linux Mint 17 OpenOffice 4 Spreadsheet 

Linux Mint 17 Media Player 

Installation is a breeze compared to Microsoft Windows. All you have to do is download the software flavor you want and boot the machine off a pen drive or a DVD. Once up and running it starts in a live version of the operating system where you can test all is well before you install. The installation process from a pen drive takes about 20 minutes and your up and running complete with drivers for your hardware. In fact the only system I have had, in recent years, that didn't have the specialist driver for a piece hardware was an Intel Atom N2600 based system that lacks the graphics card driver because Intel refuse to release the code of the chip despite petitions by users.

Once up and running like any new operating system you will need to update it with security patches and fixes. This is as simple as simple can be. The update manager is available in the task bar and tells you when you need to update. You just click on it and enter your password and off you go. Updates occur at top speed and within 30 minutes of you starting your install you will have an updated working system. Future updates are then indicated in the task bar as and when they are required and this includes updates to the packages you have on the system.

Unlike Microsoft Windows the first thing you will notice is that the operating system comes complete with many of the applications you will need to use the computer straight out of the box. This includes a word processor, a spreadsheet, a database and various graphics packages. However if you want something that you can't find already installed there is a Software Manager that lets you search for the package you want by keyword or select from the most commonly installed packages. There are simply thousands to chose from Games to Educational software. Even if you are missing your favourite windows package you can always install a Microsoft Windows emulator such the WINE package or set up a virtual machine to run windows within Linux.

First impressions of Linux Mint 17 are more than favourable in fact it is easier to use than Microsoft Windows yet does all the same things but much much faster and without wasting the system resources such as memory. It boot in less than a minute so you don't have to wait around and once your on the desktop everything is ready straight away. As for looks it ticks all the boxes there too and it does the job required and you can customise it to be the way you want it and even add features like the launcher from Apples OS.X, which is in fact the only major operating system still using UNIX on which Linux is based. Multi tasking is fast and the multimedia support excellent with a choice of inbuilt media players. The only thing missing it that hated, by many, program iTunes which seems to get so much flack on the Internet in its Microsoft Windows form. 

And finally the best it is that it is all free and doesn't cost a penny to use. All the packages you need can be downloaded from the Internet and that the only cost is the subscription you pay to your ISP.  If more people used it in business and well as at home it would be the end of bloated and slow Microsoft Windows for good. May be when time permits I will do a side by comparison post and added it to the blog.