Linux Mint 21 “Vanessa” Xfce – BETA Release

[clem]

https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4346

[RamBurner]

This is a fantastic release, my old Dell 11 3120 Chromebook finally has sound with Mint 21 XFCE beta.
When the Cinnamon version is released it will go on my desktop computer, I'll have to wait and do the upgrade on that one. I'd rather do a fresh install, but I have many major programs installed that are a pain to install.
Thank you for this release.

[rossdv8]

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[JoeFootball]

I'm also pretty sure I can't be the only person who has wondered why they have to go hunting for an option to donate to a good cause.

Donating to Linux Mint

which is over on the Main LinuxMint Site

[HaveaMint]

Install went smooth and so far all is good as usual.
Edit: Virtual Box had no problems.
: All apps I use work.
Yet another fine job from the creators of Mint

[rossdv8]

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[clatterfordslim]

Disappearing panels after removing Thunar or Firefox off of panel with right click, has been in Linux Mint through out the 20 series of XFCE. Really bad in Uma and Una.
I fired up Vanessa XFCE beta in VirtualBox and it is doing the same. It seems that it is trying to default back to default layout, maybe? Leaving the user to have to logout and back in again, the problem does not go away after logging out or rebooting either. I made a video as do not know how else to report my findings. Link to my video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK6qDR3SB-Y

[SMG]

Disappearing panels after removing Thunar or Firefox off of panel with right click, has been in Linux Mint through out the 20 series of XFCE. Really bad in Uma and Una.
I fired up Vanessa XFCE beta in VirtualBox and it is doing the same.

From the release notes, it appears the same version of Xfce is being used in Vanessa that was in Una. Is it?

[clatterfordslim]

Disappearing panels after removing Thunar or Firefox off of panel with right click, has been in Linux Mint through out the 20 series of XFCE. Really bad in Uma and Una.
I fired up Vanessa XFCE beta in VirtualBox and it is doing the same.

From the release notes, it appears the same version of Xfce is being used in Vanessa that was in Una. Is it?

That's weird why use the same XFCE? I thought for every release Linux Mint was made from scratch? If this is the case, that it's the same version as Una? Then over the 20 series for every XFCE build, the regressions of disappearing panels have continuously gotten worse, started from 20.1 Ulyssa that I am running as my daily OS.
This happens through the ISO installs only, not when using the upgrade tool. Uma and Una are the worst hit by this.

[sebastjava]

I feel like throwing oil on the fire but... I guess i just want to have some fun...

I am on an old, very old desktop computer: Dell Optiplex 790. That's an Intel Core i5, 2nd generation, 4 cores / 4 threads, 3400 MHz, with a 12 GB RAM.

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System:    Host: sebastien-OptiPlex-790 Kernel: 5.4.0-122-generic x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: Cinnamon 5.2.7 
           Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una 
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 790 v: 01 serial: <superuser/root required> 
           Mobo: Dell model: 0HY9JP v: A00 serial: <superuser/root required> BIOS: Dell v: A22 date: 07/03/2018 
CPU:       Quad Core: Intel Core i5-2400 type: MCP speed: 1598 MHz min/max: 1600/3400 MHz 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics driver: i915 v: kernel 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.13 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 2000 (SNB GT1) v: 3.3 Mesa 21.2.6 
Network:   Device-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network driver: e1000e 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 581.97 GiB used: 128.26 GiB (22.0%) 
Info:      Processes: 234 Uptime: 14h 45m Memory: 11.58 GiB used: 4.56 GiB (39.4%) Shell: bash inxi: 3.0.38 

That's a computer from 2011. More than ten years old. And i still don't have any SSD yet. And only USB 2.0. Well, this computer is still apparently in good shape. Zero problems. Not even a noisy fan. It just looks and feels perfect.

Bought from an official Microsoft refurbisher on Mon Dec 30, 2019 for 200 $ CAD = 153 $ USD = 152 € euro.

And my point is...

Just about anyone can get a blazingly fast computer for a handful of peanuts these days. Used or new. I am on Cinnamon and it is very fast and very good. Feature-rich while managing to be sober, zen looking.

I am pretty sure that all the Mint developers are on Cinnamon. And i feel they are quicker on seeing the bugs on Cinnamon and fixing them. Everybody, or almost everybody, can get a good computer and be on Cinnamon. Cinnamon is the best distribution. More features, but not cluttered, and with less bugs.

Everybody should be on Cinnamon and then this small Mint development team could focus on only one distribution.

Only one distribution: Cinnamon. And then focus on getting less bugs. And create a real design team for a better look. And then, maybe, it would really be more attractive and the whole planet could be connected. On gold plated brand new computers or on recycled garbage.

[rattkjelke]

That's weird why use the same XFCE?

The latest version of XFCE is 4.16 which which was released in Dec 2020.
XFCE isn't made by Linux Mint like Cinnamon is.
https://xfce.org

[SMG]

That's weird why use the same XFCE?

They can only use what is available. As rattkjelke has indicated, the Linux Mint team does not develop or maintain Xfce.

I feel like throwing oil on the fire but... I guess i just want to have some fun...

It's rather off topic to post this on the Linux Mint team's official announcement for the LM21 Xfce beta. There are people who prefer the Xfce interface regardless of how powerful (or not) their hardware is.

[SMG]

Moderator note: Moved Coggy's post to the Linux Mint 21 “Vanessa” Cinnamon – BETA Release because they mentioned an issue which caused Cinnamon to crash.

Please keep comments in this topic focused on Xfce. There are separate topics for the Cinnamon and MATE Mint 21 betas.

[clatterfordslim]

That's weird why use the same XFCE?

The latest version of XFCE is 4.16 which which was released in Dec 2020.
XFCE isn't made by Linux Mint like Cinnamon is.
https://xfce.org

I get that as Xubuntu or any other Xfce running 4.16.3 does not have this problem with disappearing Panels. Just wondering if Linux Mint team do something different? The Panel Launcher is the same, as in the latest 4.16.0-1 the same as Xubuntu, as I always thought that Mint Xfce was built from scratch, using Xubuntu as a base and taking out stuff not needed and adding the spice that Mint does best with their apps etc?

[SMG]

I get that as Xubuntu or any other Xfce running 4.16.3 does not have this problem with disappearing Panels.

Where do you get that? This comment in the bug report indicates someone running 4.16.3 on Ubuntu 21.10 was having the same problem. They were told the fix would be backported to 4.16.4.

Which version of Xfce is the LM21 Beta using? You indicated you have it installed so you should be able to let us know which version is being used.

[rossdv8]

My first impression, running Mint 21 xfce beta live from a USB2.0 stick, is that it seems pretty snappy (bearing in mind that it doesn't have snap).

I'm tossing up whether to do a backup of all my installed programs and see if a fresh root install of Mint 21 beta will pick up all my settings in /home.
I'm kicking myself now for breaking with tradition and not creating 2 root partitions as I have done for many years.
That was fine when we could get away with a 10GB, and even with a 20GB root. These days even 50GB is a bit small, so I decided not to and I can't do parallel installs to test a new OS.

So, I might get to to a beta 'crash test' for the first time in years.

[clatterfordslim]

I get that as Xubuntu or any other Xfce running 4.16.3 does not have this problem with disappearing Panels.

Where do you get that? This comment in the bug report indicates someone running 4.16.3 on Ubuntu 21.10 was having the same problem. They were told the fix would be backported to 4.16.4.

Which version of Xfce is the LM21 Beta using? You indicated you have it installed so you should be able to let us know which version is being used.

I have it in VirtualBox here is a screenshot


I suppose I could upgrade it myself to 4.16.4? Though Xubuntu is using 4.16.3 in their 22.04 version.

Have upgraded it to 4.16.4 and the disappearing panels have gone.

I don't know why it was not 4.16.4 to begin with, but can highly recommend on final release to do so and do the same in the 20 series especially Una and Uma

[SMG]

Have upgraded it to 4.16.4 and the disappearing panels have gone.

I don't know why it was not 4.16.4 to begin with, but can highly recommend on final release to do so and do the same in the 20 series especially Una and Uma

Please add your findings to your XFCE When removing Thunar off of panel panel gets removed. #65 bug report and to the similar one [XFCE] Entire bottom panel disappears when removing a panel launcher #33 so the Linux Mint development team (and others) know this worked for you.

I do not know what other changes might be in Xfce 4.16.4 nor do I know how testing it versus 4.16.3 might impact the release process, but maybe your feedback will help get 4.16.4 into the product.

[clatterfordslim]

Have upgraded it to 4.16.4 and the disappearing panels have gone.

I don't know why it was not 4.16.4 to begin with, but can highly recommend on final release to do so and do the same in the 20 series especially Una and Uma

Please add your findings to your XFCE When removing Thunar off of panel panel gets removed. #65 bug report and to the similar one [XFCE] Entire bottom panel disappears when removing a panel launcher #33 so the Linux Mint development team (and others) know this worked for you.

I do not know what other changes might be in Xfce 4.16.4 nor do I konw how testing it versus 4.16.3 might impact the release process, but maybe your feedback will help get 4.16.4 into the product.

All I done to get upgraded to 4.16.4 was add

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sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xubuntu-dev/staging

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sudo apt update

Then

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sudo apt full-upgrade

[clatterfordslim]

Have upgraded it to 4.16.4 and the disappearing panels have gone.

I don't know why it was not 4.16.4 to begin with, but can highly recommend on final release to do so and do the same in the 20 series especially Una and Uma

Please add your findings to your XFCE When removing Thunar off of panel panel gets removed. #65 bug report and to the similar one [XFCE] Entire bottom panel disappears when removing a panel launcher #33 so the Linux Mint development team (and others) know this worked for you.

I do not know what other changes might be in Xfce 4.16.4 nor do I konw how testing it versus 4.16.3 might impact the release process, but maybe your feedback will help get 4.16.4 into the product.

All I done to get upgraded to 4.16.4 was add

Code: Select all

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xubuntu-dev/staging

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sudo apt update

Then

Code: Select all

sudo apt full-upgrade

Maybe add it to Linux Mint Vanessa ISO then remove the PPA after upgrade to 4.16.4? The testing I have done has not broken anything else.
Everything is running smoothly. Have reported my findings on the link you provided. Found whilst adding Thunar back to panel, that if you keep on adding Thunar, it goes through from Thunar, then it puts Firefox up from Thunar Right Click in Whiskermenu add to panel, then adding Thunar again it adds Xfce-Terminal. After adding Terminal from Thunar app right click in Whiskermenu add to panel, carried on adding just Thunar. I deleted all icons off of panel, logged out added Thunar to panel, then Thunar again, which resulted in adding Firefox to panel, added Thunar again which yes you guessed correctly added Terminal from Thunar App. I will go back to 4.16.3 and see if it is doing the same in there? If it is, then at least we know that upgrading to 4.16.4 disables the panel disappearing or being deleted.