Best Linux Yet

[ephraimshofar]

I've been flirting with the Penguin ever since RedHat was first released. I've always been a dual-booter, and then Ubuntu came out and I jumped on the bandwagon there, fully installing the OS and ONLY that OS on our primary machine. The result was a disaster... which I will spare you for the moment. I've been a fan of Linux for a very long time, and the entire Ubuntu debacle left a bad taste in my mouth. Not that it was much of a problem to rectify, I've been in the practice of reformatting & re-installing OS's every 6 to 12 months for Security Reasons ever since Windows 95. But I WAS severely disappointed, Ubuntu was supposed to be the point where I left behind Windows forever.

I've been hearing about Linux Mint now for some time, and everything I've heard was positive, so I finally HAD to take a look. I finally decided to Install it on my primary machine after getting tired of Windows 8 trying to force upgrades (no, not Windows 10, but some new ones for WIndow 8 just a few weeks ago).

I've been a programmer for decades and I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S ON MY MACHINE. Many of us familiar with Linux remember the good old days when basically any update on any ware offered info on what was included in the update - extensive info for those of us who were really picky on what we put on our emphasis OUR - machines. No more.

Well, after the above drove me to the breaking point, I decided Linux or Bust, that I would NEVER go to a Windows or MAC OS ever again, due to ethics, privacy reasons, and last but not least the ability to CONTROL MY MACHINE. Just before the new year I installed Mint on my primary machine. The end result? I was TICKED. WHY? TICKED that I hadn't done so sooner! This is by far the most user-friendly, and more importantly to me - stable version of Linux I've ever seen. My children took less than an hour to get the basics and they are already learning command-line. We subsequently have installed Mint on all of our machines and have yet to see any major issues on ANY of them.

Linux Mint is Linux the way I always wanted it to be. I'm happy to be here, and I really want to see this Forum grow - I'm encouraging everyone I know to consider MInt.

[The-Wizard]

Welcome to the Mint family forums

wizard

[Pjotr]

Welcome! Have fun with what is probably, at this moment, the very best that Linux has to offer for the desktop.

The crown jewel of Linux Mint is, in my opinion, Update Manager and its protective level system. A sensible improvement on Ubuntu, and a blessing for system administrators.

[austin.texas]

Howdy, neighbor.
Welcome to Mint and to the forum, ephraimshofar !

Linux Linx 2017
A guide on how to post on the Linux Mint forums
SuperGrub2 - a tool everyone should have!

[ephraimshofar]

Thank you for the warm welcome, everyone.

austin.texas - Neighbor indeed! I'm in Austin too, though I didn't put it on my Profile. Do you know about any local Linux meet up groups here in town?

[austin.texas]

Do you know about any local Linux meet up groups here in town?

No.
A while back I heard of a group refurbing computers for kids, but they never followed up on my offer to help, and I lost track of them.

[JerryF]

...and then Ubuntu came out and I jumped on the bandwagon there...and the entire Ubuntu debacle left a bad taste in my mouth...I'm encouraging everyone I know to consider MInt.

Welcome ephraimshofar!

I too was like you. I read all about Ubuntu and hated it. After reading more, I came across Linux Mint. I'm trying to "sell" Mint to others, but most people are too set in their ways to try something different and too attached to Microsoft Office (even though most use it for very basic work). Even the word "free" isn't enough to make the jump!

[Crewp]

Welcome to Linux Mint, and the Mint forum.

[jimallyn]

Welcome aboard, ephraimshofar!

[WharfRat]

Hello ephraimshofar,

Welcome to Linux Mint and the Linux Mint forum