What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Chat about anything related to Linux Mint
Forum rules
Do not post support questions here. Before you post read the forum rules. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Locked
thinkrorbot

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by thinkrorbot »

Being using Mint as my main OS for a little more than half a year now switching from Windows 8.1. I have been running CAE linux on virtualbox for 6 months prior just to use openfoam. I decided to install Linux is because I wanted paraview and salome to run quicker instead to switching files and models from virtualbox to windows. At that time, I still expected to use Windows most of the time and to just switch over to Linux when I wanted to use OpenFoam. In the end, I was unable to install openfoam but I decided to keep using Linux and eventually use Linux full time because Windows takes minutes longer to boot, startup applications takes forever, windows updates take longer, constant manual updates of programs, drivers not working and taking up 4 gigs of Ram. Besides, I don't use many Windows applications that are windows only. As I result, I just switch over to Windows when I want to do a heavy render or to play games.
arunarmstrong

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by arunarmstrong »

r00t wrote:[MODERATOR]
Just a friendly reminder: This is a "What made you switch to LM" topic, not a "bash windows" topic.
[MODERATOR]
It depends what type of bash you mean. If you mean bash as in bashing call of duty or bash as in destroying. If its bash as in destroying then its ok. For example I bash windows because i hate it. which then in turn made my switch to linux. And I came across linux mint and I really like it and have used it a lot. :D
English Invader
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 247
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:53 am

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by English Invader »

I was using Ubuntu until the motherboard on my PC packed up and when I replaced the board I couldn't be bothered to install the codecs/PPAs Ubuntu needs for YouTube/DVD playback.
arunarmstrong

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by arunarmstrong »

English Invader wrote:I was using Ubuntu until the motherboard on my PC packed up and when I replaced the board I couldn't be bothered to install the codecs/PPAs Ubuntu needs for YouTube/DVD playback.
glad you prefer mint with all its easyness :D
reddot

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by reddot »

i tried a few distros opensuse, fedora, kubuntu, xubuntu, ubuntu, pclinuxos but never linux mint until april 2015. to me the best is ubuntu 10.10, i used xubuntu 14.04 LTS for a while but every time i customize my panels they would crash lol. ubuntu took a huge shet when unity came out and gnome 3 is also to noobish for me, to slow and annoying. when i learned about mate and cinnamon i immediately tried linux mint 17.1 since it was standard on the os, i got hooked on mate now!!! i still prefer gnome 2 menus on the panels, i hope mate does not do what gnome choose. if it works never change it !!! thats my opinion but hey thats the beauty of linux sooo may DE/GUI to choose from hooray for that!!!
tone303

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by tone303 »

I use windows XP & Mint

Mint because its Ubuntu with extensive out-of-box functioning. The switch occurred when i encountered a laptop computer where Ubuntu could not find the wireless drivers for it. a Toshiba Satellite. This same laptop simply had WiFi in mint immediately, without doing anything.

I use Blues & Century Gothic Font. Screen Shot with Bookmarks Toolbar hidden. The small tools top bar autohides. the Top RAM chip button drops the RAM cache in a split second as I use a lot of RAM caching on purpose. The bottom Ram Chip button opens a folder that's really a mounted RAM disk.

http://i.imgur.com/W0ZWQFe.png
tone303

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by tone303 »

reddot wrote:i tried a few distros opensuse, fedora, kubuntu, xubuntu, ubuntu, pclinuxos but never linux mint until april 2015. to me the best is ubuntu 10.10, i used xubuntu 14.04 LTS for a while but every time i customize my panels they would crash lol. ubuntu took a huge shet when unity came out and gnome 3 is also to noobish for me, to slow and annoying. when i learned about mate and cinnamon i immediately tried linux mint 17.1 since it was standard on the os, i got hooked on mate now!!! i still prefer gnome 2 menus on the panels, i hope mate does not do what gnome choose. if it works never change it !!! thats my opinion but hey thats the beauty of linux sooo may DE/GUI to choose from hooray for that!!!
Yes you are right, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS or 10.10 w Gnome 2 was the best, but it cant find hardware drivers anymore for WiFi, sound & graphics; and people's manual instructions to get things working never works. And its repositories wont update Wine or Firefox anymore and you have to that manually too.
reddot

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by reddot »

tone303 wrote:Yes you are right, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS or 10.10 w Gnome 2 was the best, but it cant find hardware drivers anymore for WiFi, sound & graphics; and people's manual instructions to get things working never works. And its repositories wont update Wine or Firefox anymore and you have to that manually too.
:cry: i found out the hard way, i was force to update and move to xubuntu, but could never make my desktop how gnome 2 was, it kept crashing when i would customize in 12.04 lts and 14.04 lts. In april 2015 i learned the mate was based on gnome 2 and i got way too exited :) i switched to linux mint 17.1 mate real quick the same day i learned about mate. I been avoiding linux mint for a while, ignoring cinnamon and mate. I wish i took the steps earlier to research other DE. Theres nothing wrong with other DE its all about taste im just a gnome 2 user!!! i dont like change.
User avatar
Lumikki
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2012 5:21 pm

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by Lumikki »

I switched Linux Mint from Windows XP (tryed for year), so more like from Windows 2000. Reason is very simple, because Windows started too much controll what I can or can't do.

Meaning OS designers started to define how the OS should be used and did not give anymore other choise. It was more like someone else idea how the computer should be used, there just wasn't enough freedom to do what I wanted. I ques it's like trying to make OS simple enough for anyone to use but it also removed possibilities to what someone could wanted to do. Simple example is that there is consept that computer users share folders. It's based idea that most people do that, but what if You never share anyting but actually live consept of deny access.

I ques it's same with Ubuntu when they change philosophy how the Desktop should be used, but they never thinked does every Ubuntu user want to use they computer desktop that way. I example start multible same softwares sometimes, but modern systems doesn't even allow that to happen anymore as default. It's like single mind that you can do one thing at the time, like multipossessing brain isn't allowed.

I don't mind that Ubuntu or Windows are what they are, because I'm sure there are a lot people who likes them. How ever I'm not one of them. I like my own freedom to do what I want the way I want. I don't like others to define how I should use my computer or what services I should use. I't like people use popular services and the designers puts every one of those services in OS so that they can't be removed. But what if You don't need any of those services, so there is system filled stuff what you don't need and you can't take them off, because it's not allowed. So it's about killing freedom of choise and trying to force designers own idea what they think is the right way.
Asus P7P55D, i5 750 2.6Ghz, 8GB DDR3, GeForce 750Ti, 80GB Intel SSD, Dell 1600x1200, Dual boot, Linux Mint 19.3 Cinnamon, Windows 7
DeMus

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by DeMus »

When I read the messages posted here I think it is fair to say it all comes down to a couple of things, with the exception of a few other reasons:

Move to Linux because nobody likes what Microsoft has been doing with its software resulting in BSOD's, updates forced upon you when you don't have the time for them, uncountable reboots and re-installs, nor what it is doing after Windows 7 with that horrible interface they started to use on Windows 8.

Move to Mint and therefore leaving Ubuntu behind because nobody likes what Mark Shuttleworth is doing with its product since about 11.04: changing the desktop into Unity, getting more and more commercial, changing the basis of the OS and drifting away from Linux.

I don't know about you but I see a resemblance between the MS CEO's and the Ubuntu CEO: they both want to enforce things upon you which you don't want. Mint is different in such a way that here you are in control of your computer, you do with it what you want, not what you have to do, here you have the choice, here you have freedom. Isn't that what it is all about?

Clem and partners: please don't change and let us enjoy your wonderful product for many years to come.
killer de bug

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by killer de bug »

tone303 wrote:I use windows XP & Mint
I hope you are not connected to the Internet :wink:
English Invader
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 247
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:53 am

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by English Invader »

killer de bug wrote:
tone303 wrote:I use windows XP & Mint
I hope you are not connected to the Internet :wink:
People are still using XP online with no problems, but I keep XP offline and use Puppy Linux for online tasks. XP runs a lot faster without anti-virus software and it's still the best OS there is for video game emulators (any other OS will involve compromises in quality, choice and ease of use).

My XP laptops have actually run a lot better since Microsoft stopped supporting them :lol: .
xtremo

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by xtremo »

Like many others.....I switched from Ubuntu (used it since 2008) when Unity came along!

I use my systems purely for work and there's just no way that Unity (or Gnome 3) are suitable for what I want in a desktop.

Cinammon with Mint is the perfect combination for me......so I'm going nowhere!
GermanyChris

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by GermanyChris »

I switched to Linux a few months after Apple said they were going to stop making Macs it'll be 10 years in June. I've probably been through 30 distros at this point. In 2012 when I heard Arch was moving to systemd that's where I went and where I've basically stayed. I was recently distro hopping a bit since I got a new portable and put LMDE 2 on it, it's a fine distro and the LM team does excellent work but I wiped it last night and went back.
Lil O Lady

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by Lil O Lady »

I know nothing about real computers having been raised on Windows, but frustration and lack of cash made me learn how to install and use a good free OS. So I kept an ancient Asus eee going on Ubuntu 9.10 which was OK, but then I got another preloved netbook with more RAM. It was running Windows & and even I could see it was very creaky. So first I tried Linux Lite - hahahah the keyboard! Couldn't get the letter 'M' to work!!!! No idea. So then I tried Mint and I'm really spiffingly jolly pleased.
I needed something that would show complex presentations I've already made in powerpoint, and Mint does that out of the box, connected to the internet like a charm, and even lets me type the letter M.
I am so indebted to clever chaps and chapesses who kindly bring forth these programs to make the world a better place for impoverished British grannies.
jonmarx

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by jonmarx »

Work for an NGO sometimes takes me to Bangladesh, where I need to share files from USB drives with locals project members. Attitudes to virus protection are pretty relaxed there, so instead of taking my main laptop (Windows), I put Ubuntu onto an old Dell laptop that was mouldering in a drawer and took that. The project's IT guy noticed I was using Ubuntu, and said 'Have you tried Linux Mint?' That was four years ago. I now live in a three Mint no Windows household. So thanks, Orko, if you read this.
Whya

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by Whya »

Hello everyone,

I made the switch to Linux Mint a while ago and would like to share my thoughts on it. I will openly compare and criticize operating systems here, please do not regard this as bashing. I describe my own experience with different products as seen from the point of view of an average user.

In the past I have been a Windows user. However, the latest Windows releases gave me a feeling of lack of control over my own PC as well as infringement on my privacy, so I started searching for an alternative operating system.

I had always pictured Linux as an advanced system for programmers, not for everyday users like me. Then I came across descriptions of Linux Mint as being a good alternative for newbies. I decided to try LM 17.1 Rebecca.

The first step - uninstalling preloaded Win 8.1 - was difficult. It required hours spent on the internet - learning about disabling SecureBoot, choosing between UEFI and Legacy modes and other BIOS tweaks. This however motivated me even more - I don't feel it's right for any software to install itself permanently againts my wishes on my laptop, or to make it almost impossible for an average user to remove it. I presume it's also possible to install Linux alongside Win8 - I however wanted to remove the product completely.

Then came Linux Mint 17.1 MATE. The installation was very easy. I liked the classy display, was surprised at how easy it was to navigate through the system, how fast it was. There were nevertheless issues, which required me to spend hours searching the internet again. My WIFI wouldn't work (RTL8723BE issues), then worked improperly. I also couldn't install any printers or scanners despite multiple time-consuming trials, so that office work proved impossible. Among other minor issues: USB-Drives sometimes functioned improperly, opened windows would sometimes freeze.

For these reasons (office work and WIFI problems) I decided for a dual-boot with freshly-bought Windows 7. And here came the surprise. Where Linux Mint (a free operating system) did poorly, Win7 (which I paid for) managed far worse. Almost nothing worked - from mouse to USB-drives to screen-resolution to printers/scanners to WIFI... Again, I spent hours downloading drivers from the internet (on a separate PC, of course, which involved problematic transfers) - but Win7 wouldn't install them, because it "knew" better. Again - hours spent reading Windows Forums how to bypass the "Intelligent Installer" (or something like that), how to (quoting MS) - "regain control" over my own PC (which is, I think, impossible anyway). Then I spent some time deactivating uncalled-for processes which were constantly running in the background. Sometimes there were malware floods too, as it seems that, in my search for drivers, I opened a few wrong pages. Then came the updates. If one buys a product, it should after all be a finished one, without endless "patches". How long must one patch something up? If it requires patches, then it's broken in the first place and one should get a refund. Furthermore, there are several kinds of updates. When one thinks one has finally deactivated them in all possible places, there are surprises.

Well, going back to the driver problems in both Linux Mint and Win7 - I thought, maybe my laptop has general compatibility issues. So I transferred the yet unactivated Win7 to a different laptop, from another company. The results were not much better. Well, the mouse worked.

When one pays for an operating system, one has the right to expect better quality. Incompatibility issues and system requirements (in my case, what was required, was a second PC with working internet and hours of work) or the total setup-time should be mentioned beforehand ... Or should they?

In any case - here I was stuck with two operating systems,none of which allowed me to do regular office work. I spent a lot of time upgrading and configuring both.

As for Linux Mint - I decided to download a new version from a different repository than before, did a fresh install, a lot of reading, some copy-pasting in the Terminal regarding drivers, then upgraded the kernel. And no, I didn't really know what I was doing.

The results:

Linux Mint: works fine. WIFI is working fine. Printer is recognized by the print manager, but doesn't print. I still have high hopes, though. I customized the system a bit and am happy with the results.

Win7: WIFI works, but improperly. The screen resolution is still much too low. USB drives are finally working. Printer is not seen by Print Manager, so I cannot print anything. They say, that in order to install the right drivers, I have to deactivate some Win7 security features. They say, this may cause system to crash. I still have a lot of work ahead of me.
Maybe Win7 fixed the driver issues in one of its updates (maybe?). But why can't I choose and install drivers as usual without downloading gigabytes of dubious data? Why do I have to be so internet-dependent with a product that supposedly works out-of-the-box?

This is the stand as of 17.06.2015. We'll see what the future brings, but right now LM is my main operating system.

I hereby want to express my gratitude to the Linux Mint Team for creating a good product and constantly improving it.

Regards.
User avatar
Spearmint2
Level 16
Level 16
Posts: 6900
Joined: Sat May 04, 2013 1:41 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by Spearmint2 »

"There were nevertheless issues, which required me to spend hours searching the internet again. My WIFI wouldn't work (RTL8723BE issues), then worked improperly."
One reason I usually advise to not fight it, just buy a Panda or Etek which works "out of the box" with it.
"Well, going back to the driver problems in both Linux Mint and Win7 - I thought, maybe my laptop has general compatibility issues. So I transferred the yet unactivated Win7 to a different laptop, from another company. The results were not much better. Well, the mouse worked."
Laptops are always a pain. If using windows, best to only use the restore media you have to purchase separately for another $20 from the manufacturer. I laugh in windows forums when I read of another laptop user who got fresh updates from Microsoft for their hardware and uh-oh, the laptops not working right again.
"Linux Mint: works fine. WIFI is working fine. Printer is recognized by the print manager, but doesn't print. I still have high hopes, though. I customized the system a bit and am happy with the results."
ALWAYS run the "integrity check" FIRST before installing from a LIVE DVD. Too easy to have a glitch on download which renders the ISO corrupt, thereby making a bad installation, for which the system is then blamed. I find NAS printers easiest to use, since once they have an IP assigned, finding the printer with the system settings is then a breeze. Best if the printer has a good firmware program on it which does most everything even for windows computers instead of needing drivers to run the program from the computer. HP printers are good for that.
"Win7: WIFI works, but improperly. The screen resolution is still much too low."
WIFI has nothing to do with resolution.
"USB drives are finally working. Printer is not seen by Print Manager, so I cannot print anything. They say, that in order to install the right drivers, I have to deactivate some Win7 security features. They say, this may cause system to crash. I still have a lot of work ahead of me."
For windows, boot to SAFE MODE, install the manufacture provided driver files, then reboot. In W8 you must hit the RESET or first turn off FAST BOOT, since the hiberfile will interfere with proper install.
"Maybe Win7 fixed the driver issues in one of its updates (maybe?). But why can't I choose and install drivers as usual without downloading gigabytes of dubious data? Why do I have to be so internet-dependent with a product that supposedly works out-of-the-box? "
NET 3, what a PIA, and not really necessary for most things that matter, other than what windows wants.

ALSO;
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2859120/ ... tware.html
Windows 7 users may have automatically updated themselves into a pickle with a recent patch from Microsoft.
Microsoft has confirmed that the KB3004394 update it issued on December 10 can cause various problems. What's worse is that it may also prevent users from installing newer updates. The problems are reportedly limited to Windows 7 machines, and don't affect users running Windows 8 or newer.
March 2015, they did it again.

http://www.idigitaltimes.com/how-fix-wi ... ing-422816
Has Microsoft’s latest Windows 7 update got your computer in an endless restart loop and you don’t know how to fix it? You’re not alone. Apparently a lot of Windows 7 users are having the same problem. On Tuesday, Microsoft issued an update —KB3033929 – that is causing Windows 7 users to experience a reboot loop problem.
"We'll see what the future brings, but right now LM is my main operating system."
Welcome to the many former windows users now using Linux Mint.
All things go better with Mint. Mint julep, mint jelly, mint gum, candy mints, pillow mints, peppermint, chocolate mints, spearmint,....
killer de bug

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by killer de bug »

Spearmint2 wrote: ALWAYS run the "integrity check" FIRST before installing from a LIVE DVD. Too easy to have a glitch on download which renders the ISO corrupt, thereby making a bad installation, for which the system is then blamed.
Spearmint2 wrote:WIFI has nothing to do with resolution.
Could you please read what he has written before replying?
Especially the story about WIFI and screen resolution not working, and then your answer... :shock:
Whya

Re: What made you switch to Linux Mint?

Post by Whya »

Hello Spearmint2 and Killer de bug,

Thanks for your replies. It's good to know there's somebody out there reading what newbies have to say.

In my story about Wifi and Resolution, the two do have something in common, and that is - that they're both broken. But apart from that not much - agreed.

Spearmint - thank you for the tip about loading windows drivers in safe mode - I had forgotten about that option and will try it out.
The realtek WIFI is now working fine on Linux, hopefully the same can be achieved for Windows. If only one had time for this constant fixing.

As for those self-reboot-patches - that's a funny story (from my point of view, since I avoid systemic updates) but I can picture my own frustration if something like that occurred on my pc.

There are no perfect operating systems, I guess. One however expects more from those which you have to pay for.

It was nice meeting you,

Whya
(a she, not a he, I do have to point out :)
Locked

Return to “Chat about Linux Mint”