Linux Mint 8 Helena RC1 released!

[historyb]

historyb

All you have to do is press enter to keep going

Tried that many times, no go.

[on4aa]

I read Linux Mint is going to have new artwork.

There just happen to be a small detail that annoys me terribly when seeing the writing of "Linux Mint", especially when it is projected on a large screen.

Why is the letter "n" from the word "Mint" in "Linux Mint" different from the letter "n" in "Linux" and "m" in "Mint", in the sense that is the first vertical leg of the letter "n" extends beyond the arc of the letter "n" in the word "Mint"?

IMHO, it does not seem to be in complete agreement with the concept of elegance.
This is maybe a small change that can be implemented into the logo and artwork for this release?

[GerMulvey]

So far I'm finding the RC very good. The menu issue regarding the shuffle between items still shows but is no biggie.
Overall very nice. Not too sure of the artwork. Not sure the green corner looks right for me anyway. Easy to change though.
Also theme wise has anyone seen the opensuse gnome theme sonar? This would look nice in Mint as an option or default.
I'm running it as mine so I'm slightly biased
Stability for me is head and shoulders above Ubuntu. Mint just keeps getting better.
Excellent work all.
Looking forward to release - 64 bit for me too.

[Bit Mad]

Not sure the green corner looks right for me anyway.

I don't like the green corner as it is either - it would be better if it was a spotlight effect like the one at the top - possibly in green light rather than the white light at the top.

I just don't think you can beat Dew for freshness and eye appeal - it just screams "Linux Mint - What a refreshing change".
I even use the original logo-less version on Windows Vista

[deep64blue]

The default background is terrible.

Take the green part out of the bottom right corner and it would look nice.

I love the new wallpaper, green is the mint colour but the new background looks great!

[Brian49]

Please tell me how can I create a portable operating system "Linux Mint" into a pendrive?

If you are starting from within Windows, you can go here:

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-linux- ... n-windows/

I can confirm that Linux Mint 7 works very well on a pendrive. No doubt they will update their advice for Linux Mint 8 once the final version has been released.

[impeteperry]

I just installed Mint 8 on my IBM Thinkpad. (Lenovo Z61m)
I bought the "Think Pad" for the "Track point" as I get so frustrated with a "Touch Pad"
I turned off the "Touch Pad" in the "Mouse Preferences" but it did not do It.

Except for this and not being able to put names in the "switcher" boxes, Mint 8 seems ready for my use.

Thaks for any help

[subslug]

Lots of concern about wallpaper, the most insignificant part of any new OS.

How about something about how well the upgrade from Mint 7 to Mint 8 is going to work....?
Changing wallpaper is a 2 second process, I'm more concerned about how upgradeable Mint 8 is going to be.

Anyone?

[hotweiss]

Oh no, is this using Grub 2? Grub 2 didn't work for me when I tried installing Ubuntu 9.10. Can you add an option to use Grub 0.97?

[markcynt]

Lots of concern about wallpaper, the most insignificant part of any new OS.

How about something about how well the upgrade from Mint 7 to Mint 8 is going to work....?
Changing wallpaper is a 2 second process, I'm more concerned about how upgradeable Mint 8 is going to be.

Anyone?

I'm not really concerned about wallpaper but first impressions are important, especially since Mint is aimed at new users.

IMO the default backround is not professional looking.

[Bit Mad]

People might think that they can usually tell a lot from a default wallpaper. Unlike judging a book by its cover, or a person by their face... it's more like judging a person by their taste in clothes, and presentation. If they don't care what they look like, that tells you that they just don't care.

If a default wallpaper looks crummy, it hints at a possible lack of care throughout the distro.

First impressions do count. There are a LOT of distros out there, and one the first things people do is to look around at the screenshots to see what they'd have to live with if they were to install and use the distro. A poor set of screenshots can be enough to make them move on.

Image is everything, as usual. Now, I guess some of you would say that it doesn't matter if someone that "shallow" doesn't "join us", but surely the more the merrier? Don't we all want to feel part of a big success? A distro lives and dies by the number of users.

[gibbs1984]

People might think that they can usually tell a lot from a default wallpaper. Unlike judging a book by its cover, or a person by their face... it's more like judging a person by their taste in clothes, and presentation. If they don't care what they look like, that tells you that they just don't care.

If a default wallpaper looks crummy, it hints at a possible lack of care throughout the distro.

First impressions do count. There are a LOT of distros out there, and one the first things people do is to look around at the screenshots to see what they'd have to live with if they were to install and use the distro. A poor set of screenshots can be enough to make them move on.

Image is everything, as usual. Now, I guess some of you would say that it doesn't matter if someone that "shallow" doesn't "join us", but surely the more the merrier? Don't we all want to feel part of a big success? A distro lives and dies by the number of users.

I have to agree totally with this, I don't distro hop but I do look around at other distros to see what they look like (just because I'm nosey) and the amount of times I see distros that look horrible and then think I wouldn't even consider installing that, even though under the hood it might be brilliant.

Image is everything, even though it can be changed really simply.

[monkeyboy]

Yes but,,, If a new user finds that wallpaper is a deal breaker then they will never make it through their first few months, weeks or days of Mint use or any other Linux distro for that matter. You know, when the inevitable firmware or hardware Gremlin presents itself. If often takes a lot more knowledge, determination and desire to fix those bug then it does then to switch the pretty art around. IMHO

[Bit Mad]

With all due respect I disagree and I believe that you've missed the point a little
Your line of thinking is very much secondary to the problem I described, IMHO. The determination to deal with problems comes after choosing a distro that they like visually. There is no definite correlation between how 'shallow' their choice of distro is, and how keen they will be to deal with issues arising from that point onwards.

Cheers

[subslug]

I guess it all just depends on what you do with your computer that makes the difference.
I hardly, if ever see my desktop, I could have Windows Vista wallpaper on it for all I care.

I usually have many apps open at one time blocking view of the desktop, I'm more of the type that needs the Apps and the System to function more so than the wallpaper to look pretty.
I want things like Virtualbox and Flash to work properly. I don't want something sucking down system resources more than it should.
I prefer file sharing to work seamlessly across my network and printers to set up as they should. I don't want all sorts of permission issues because I prefer to run as user.

I would also love to know how much of a princess it's going to be to upgrade my 64bit Mint 7 to 64bit Mint 8, it hasn't been real smooth in the past.

These things are more important to me. Luckily for Clem and the gang, wallpaper is an easy fix.

[DonPolo883]

I have only been using Linux since March this year, I tried several Live cds and found that, on migration from MS, Mint was the easiest to install, and understand, and improve on installed packages.
As regards the cosmetic desktop wallpaper, each to his own, if ya don't like it, change it. And in this respect I found Mint, Gnome, Ubuntu, whatever you like to identify with, makes it easy.
I love my Linux Mint OS, and have customised the appearance to it's limit.
My technical worry is that I may lose all the hard work of creating this desktop environment when I eventually upgrade from Felicia to whichever is the latest stable release.
It took me a long time to decide to go Linux, and I am glad I did, but changes every 4 months are scary.
If anything the designers, creators, need to look at a smoother upgrade for less advanced users. We don't all have the luxury of time and diskspace to trial new issues.
Not to mention coming to terms with newer, more advanced packages.

[ravengirl1960]

So far, the 8RC1 works beautifully for me. The fglrx driver in the repos hit/installed/activated my ATI Radeon
3300 onboard right away, installing KDE was a breeze. Everything just works.

Except the Regnum Online installer but that's an issue with them. They went to this Installerjammer and I
can't get that to work. But as far as Linux Mint goes, it just works.

[TimelessRogue]

Just this day downloaded/installed RC1 ... and I must say, it was one of the easiest Linux installs in ages. So far a pleasure to work with and quite nice on the eyes.

Only problem so far is Firefox ... just about the slowest bugger of a browser I've ever used. Not sure what the issue(s) is but will either work it out or/and try another browser ... Opera? Haven't used it in years but just might have a go at it again. Even IE6 (shudder) via Wine-Doors seems to be better. Oh well ... we'll see ...

Oh, and then there's the wireless thing ... but that should be easy enough to sort out ...

Great work, guys and gals ... keep it coming ...

[subslug]

I assume you could install Chrome on Mint 8...?

I'll agree with the Firefox comment, I dunno what's happened but each newer, supposedly better version of FF has also gotten slower and buggier.

So far Chrome, or Chromium, has been like a breath of fresh air. Nice and fast.

[DruKe]

So far Chrome, or Chromium, has been like a breath of fresh air. Nice and fast.

Midori, though really young looks like an up-and-coming browser. I do prefer Chromium for everyday browsing now.
Now if they'd get RSS and extensions working...