Include the New PRIVACY SWEEP Feature In Mint 13 LTS

[ASmith]

The public today has been given a glimpse of the new Ubuntu 12.04 (Beta) LTS Precise Kernel Release. One of the new features which I certainly urge the Linux Mint 13 team to not throw away is the outstanding one click Privacy Sweep feature.

The new Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin) operating system which Linux Mint 13 LTS will be based upon offers a nifty security addition which allows the users to erase all user history with a single click (Privacy Sweep). Yes, the Privacy settings entry has been added in the Control Panel of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Beta 1, allowing users to with a single click to instantly erase every piece of history from your system.

Such a social and political conscious choice is very keeping with combating the enormous invasions of user and personal privacy's on their computers, desktops and Ubuntu/Linux Mint based devices. Devices? Yes the new Ubuntu Kernel can be run in a Android OS powered device provided it is multi-core, has sufficient RAM and capable of utilising a remote keyboard, mouse pointer.

This feature (One Click Privacy Sweep) coupled with a Full Disk Encryption Option should be included in the Linux Mint 13 LTS releases reflecting the need for increased security and privacy in todays social and political climate.

What else was revealed or can be expected in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Beta 1 and hopefully also found in corresponding Linux Mint 13 LTS? Well, there's a new kernel, based on the stable Linux kernel 3.2.6, which enables RC6 by default for Sandy Bridge systems, allowing GPUs to enter into a very low power consumption state. Resulting in far longer battery/device uptimes.

Also, Automatic Apport, the Ubuntu Crash Reporting Tool has been redesigned to be more user friendly. I don't recall a automatic crash reporting tool for Linux Mint, perhaps it would take more hosting space or staff for such a essential feature, not sure. Seems like a important inclusion for a LTS stable platform to quickly ferret out a repository file conflict or problem and just as quickly successfully solve it.

References:

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Beta 1 Release
Softpedia is once again the first to announce today, that the first Beta release of the upcoming Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin) operating system is now available for download. As usual, we've grabbed a copy of it in order to keep you up-to-date with the latest changes in the Ubuntu 12.04 LTS development.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Download-Ubuntu-12-04-LTS-Beta-1-Release-256118.shtml

Testing, testing Ubuntu 12.04 is in beta now
http://www.ubuntu.com/

[AlbertP]

You can find all Ubuntu packages (of the version on which your Mint is based) in the software manager on Mint. That way you can just install the package providing this feature, if it is not yet installed by default.

By the way, we don't really like using ALL CAPITALS on this forum so please turn off your Caps Lock.

[xenopeek]

Sorry AlbertP if you had not a single clue as to what I was suggesting. I can add XYZ. I can even pull down a MIT source code from bumtown, college and add that if I wanted to, that however in no fashion, shape nor form is what I was advocating.

Personal security in regards to computers and personal electronic devices are paramount in the list of needed features. NOT a feature which could possibly be downloaded, compiled by a end-user, but a FEATURE which is ready to be used.

Business's look for personal security features already built in to a Linux distro, NOT what xyz can be possibly added later in determining if they even want that Linux distro. The Linux Mint team should keep that in mind if they want to be approached by the business community and broader acceptance of the Linux Mint distro's. Lacking privacy, security options as suggested in my original comment AND lacking full disk encryption options marks Linux Mint as rather weak on security and privacy concerns. For business owners and desktop owners concerned about privacy and security that is a no-go feature, doesn't matter if it can 'possibly' be added later or dl the source code, compile it and add it.