How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

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SlappySquirl

How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by SlappySquirl »

I'm a total noob to linux, I've been a Windows user for many years, have used most Win versions since 2000 (2000, XP, Vista, 7, now 10). I find Win 10 to be a little bloated and slow, I got a couple of cheap netbooks (Dell Latitude 2100) from a friend, I've been trying different flavours of linux (LXDE, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Zorin, Light, Bodhi) and have finally settled on Mint.

With this crappy netbook (2x Atom CPUs @ 1.60GHz, 2051MB memory) I find I need something super light, after playing around with some linux distros, I think I like Mint the most, I find XFCE and LMDE2 the lightest of all the Mint flavours.

I'd like to use Mint, and in the future (couple of years??) move to Debian.
I've read some basic information about LMDE, stating that it's a version of the OS which is lighter than the rest, yet not more experienced users.

Just for a little background on my computer experience, I've installed almost all windows versions as stated above, from scratch. I've usually partitioned my system with a C: & D: partition for the OS and D: for all user folders, to make re-installation easier. I know how to setup and use anti-viruses, firewall and sand-boxing effectively to keep my computer clean (haven't had a security issue in years). Even thought I'm the only user on my laptops, I use a standard user account for daily use and an administrator one to troubleshoot and install/update stuff about twice a month (both password protected).

While I completely understand that linux is completely different under the hood to windows, would some of that previous experience be useful with LMDE or is the difference just too great to plunge straight to LMDE? Is some linux experience a MUST to use LMDE??

Thanks!!
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Arch_Enemy
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Arch_Enemy »

One thing you can do with Linux you can't do with Windows (see my sig line...)

Partition your drive in 2 (or 3) partitions. Make one ~30G and make this / then make either one or two depending how big the disk is. Make a large one for /home, to keep your stuff, and then another formatted to FAT32 in case you need to access something from a Windows disk. Also, maybe a 4G swap, although if you have 8G RAM unless you're doing something really intensive like hacking Google you may not need it.

Then, when you make the inevitable new Linux user fudge, you reinstall the OS, use the same user name and user id (for mint generally user 500) and as long as you didn't completely nuke the disk all your stuff comes back to you!

Wish I'd realized this back in 2001, but then, I was a n00b...:D
I have travelled 37629424162.9 miles in my lifetime

One thing I would suggest, create a partition as a 50G partition as /. Partition the rest as /Home. IF the system fails, reinstall and use the exact same username and all your 'stuff' comes back to you.
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Arch_Enemy »

Soorry, man, didn't see the 2G RAM spec. Yeah, you need a swap partition. Also, I would recommend upgrading the RAM. For this machine it should be fairly inexpensive and if you do get it from Dell it will be Lifetime warranty.
I have travelled 37629424162.9 miles in my lifetime

One thing I would suggest, create a partition as a 50G partition as /. Partition the rest as /Home. IF the system fails, reinstall and use the exact same username and all your 'stuff' comes back to you.
Frazatto

Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Frazatto »

I use LMDE2 on a Macbook Air with only 2Gb of RAM, just make a 4Gb swap partition and you should be fine, Linux is super light compared to ANY Windows version.
But if you have no previous experience, I would start with Mint Cinnamon, much friendlier to converted Windows users. It's easier to install proprietary drivers and with PPA you can add other download sources without much hassle.

And like @Arch_Enemy said, once you get tired and want to move on, just install LMDE or straight Debian over your root partition and all your stuff stays in place!
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Arch_Enemy »

Frazatto wrote: Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:31 am I use LMDE2 on a Macbook Air with only 2Gb of RAM, just make a 4Gb swap partition and you should be fine, Linux is super light compared to ANY Windows version.
But if you have no previous experience, I would start with Mint Cinnamon, much friendlier to converted Windows users. It's easier to install proprietary drivers and with PPA you can add other download sources without much hassle.

And like @Arch_Enemy said, once you get tired and want to move on, just install LMDE or straight Debian over your root partition and all your stuff stays in place!
Caveat: Mint uses user id 500. Most others use user id 1000. I came from PCLinux OS to Mint and got an error message, none of my stuff available! Couldn't figure out what the h :shock: ll happened until I booted a live USB and found Mint's different id number! :shock: ;)
I have travelled 37629424162.9 miles in my lifetime

One thing I would suggest, create a partition as a 50G partition as /. Partition the rest as /Home. IF the system fails, reinstall and use the exact same username and all your 'stuff' comes back to you.
Frazatto

Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Frazatto »

Arch_Enemy wrote: Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:42 am Caveat: Mint uses user id 500. Most others use user id 1000. I came from PCLinux OS to Mint and got an error message, none of my stuff available! Couldn't figure out what the h :shock: ll happened until I booted a live USB and found Mint's different id number! :shock: ;)
I see.....
Well, I "upgraded" from Mint to LMDE2 with no problems.
Don't really have the experience migrating from other distro, good to know this can happen.
Skara Brae

Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Skara Brae »

I run Mint 17.3 MATE on my main computer, LMDE2 and Debian "jessie" in dual-boot on my old Core2Duo machine.

LMDE2 indeed "looks like" Debian more than it does Mint, but I don't think that LMDE2 is really harder to use than Mint.

As for Debian - I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Debian. In general, Debian has given/gives me more "hassles" than Mint or LMDE2, and I would recommend Mint or LMDE2 over Debian; especially to people who are new to Linux.
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by sdibaja »

I was a long time LMDE user. I did not find it "much" more difficult than Mint.
I found it a tiny bit more effort to auto mount partitions and drives, but that was it for me.

That said, LMDE3 will be coming out in the near future... I am guessing that will be in a couple months.
I think you should Wait for LMDE3 for 2 or 3 reasons:
1. it be based on Debian Buster (testing), but perhaps it will be based on Debian Stretch (stable). They are Both much different than the current base of Jessie. ... so upgrade LMDE2 to LMDE3 could be brutal, that learning curve could be complicated.
2. LMDE3 will be Cinnamon only. No other desktops. If you like/want Cinnamon, good. If not then it will not be a good choice for you. I am a long time Mate user, the change to Cinnamon only was a deal breaker for me.
3. Cinnamon is far from "super light"

PS: Mint has been experimenting with "new things" on LMDE. So we got regressions with Mate and loss of what I consider basic functions. (and making it less stable than Mint)

PPS: do try it! Install alongside your other distros and see how you like it. You may fall in love.
Peter
Mate desktop https://wiki.debian.org/MATE
Debian GNU/Linux operating system: https://www.debian.org/download
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Fred Barclay »

sdibaja wrote: Thu Mar 29, 2018 11:47 am 1. it be based on Debian Buster (testing), but perhaps it will be based on Debian Stretch (stable).
It will be based on Debian Stretch (stable) -- see https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3509
2. LMDE3 will be Cinnamon only. No other desktops. If you like/want Cinnamon, good. If not then it will not be a good choice for you. I am a long time Mate user, the change to Cinnamon only was a deal breaker for me.
Same here. :(
PPS: do try it! Install alongside your other distros and see how you like it. You may fall in love.
I agree! Go for it!
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by sdibaja »

Fred Barclay wrote: Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:53 pm
sdibaja wrote: Thu Mar 29, 2018 11:47 am 1. it be based on Debian Buster (testing), but perhaps it will be based on Debian Stretch (stable).
It will be based on Debian Stretch (stable) -- see https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3509
2. LMDE3 will be Cinnamon only. No other desktops. If you like/want Cinnamon, good. If not then it will not be a good choice for you. I am a long time Mate user, the change to Cinnamon only was a deal breaker for me.
Same here. :(
PPS: do try it! Install alongside your other distros and see how you like it. You may fall in love.
I agree! Go for it!
second sentence in the Blog... "This is the start of a new year, we’re working on two new bases (Ubuntu 18.04 for Linux Mint 19 and Debian 9 for LMDE 3)..." sorry, I forgot that. my bad.

I kinda assumed because Ubuntu is always on Testing and Linux Mint 19 built on that, that LMDE Mint would follow... but it is very clear that D9=Stretch

off topic: I kinda recall one of the developers saying he would build KDE on top of Mint Cinnamon or some such... perhaps he could do the same with Mate on LMDE3 ;-)
Peter
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by kevinthefixer »

Sorry I'm a bit late to the show. But my recommendation to anyone wanting to get an old netbook up and useable is to install the x86 version of the Raspberry Pi OS on it. This is actually Debian Stretch with the RPi desktop environment, which in turn is a fork of LXDE. The whole thing is optimized for very low-grade hardware, it has to run on the first Raspberry Pi version with only a half-gig of RAM and a slow processor. I have a couple of Atom-powered netbooks that just love it. Just make sure you download the x86 version as the Pi uses ARM architecture. They provide the x86 version so kids can feel at home, well, at home with their PC as well as at school with their RPi.
turtlebay

Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by turtlebay »

Have a look at MX17 ( https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10063 ) if you want a light weight Debian distro. It's very easy and in my opinion, easier to use than Mint 17 and 18. You can select either 64 or 32bit versions.
I've just switched my Dell Studio 1537 (from 2008) to the 4.15.0-1-amd64 kernel.
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by KBD47 »

turtlebay wrote: Mon Apr 09, 2018 3:46 pm Have a look at MX17 ( https://distrowatch.com/?newsid=10063 ) if you want a light weight Debian distro. It's very easy and in my opinion, easier to use than Mint 17 and 18. You can select either 64 or 32bit versions.
I've just switched my Dell Studio 1537 (from 2008) to the 4.15.0-1-amd64 kernel.
Was just going to suggest MX.
Mint LMDE is a bit long in the tooth right now. Sad they will not have a MATE version next release. Cinnamon looks nice, but I like a lighter DE no matter my hardware.
ciaobello

Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by ciaobello »

First of all ... about the experience for LMDE ... just start to use it ... if you don't use it you will never get the experience.

Second, there are better distros around who cover a more up to date system (as from other mentioned too). The argument from the Mint Team, keep LMDE as a fallback, costs indeed a lot of work. With all this Opensource thinking, would it not be possible to make a collaboration with a other Debian based distro as sparky for example ?

They do have a live minimalgui.iso where it is possible to install several desktop environments from it. even with newest Kernel versions. A debianized minimalgui as base could be great start for several distros. Then while using the minimal gui live iso it could be branded for the explicit distros. Every collaboration partner just would have to include his own stuff ?!

Ähäm .... maybe i just was loud thinking while writing this here :D
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Arch_Enemy »

ciaobello wrote: Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:59 pm First of all ... about the experience for LMDE ... just start to use it ... if you don't use it you will never get the experience.

Second, there are better distros around who cover a more up to date system (as from other mentioned too). The argument from the Mint Team, keep LMDE as a fallback, costs indeed a lot of work. With all this Opensource thinking, would it not be possible to make a collaboration with a other Debian based distro as sparky for example ?

They do have a live minimalgui.iso where it is possible to install several desktop environments from it. even with newest Kernel versions. A debianized minimalgui as base could be great start for several distros. Then while using the minimal gui live iso it could be branded for the explicit distros. Every collaboration partner just would have to include his own stuff ?!

Ähäm .... maybe i just was loud thinking while writing this here :D
Not a problem...I was moving my lips while reading it! :D

LMDE just isn't tweaked for the novice user; it is easier to install/use that straight up Debian, but not as user-friendly as the Ubuntu based Mint.

Shame they are dropping MATE. Only desktop I like.
I have travelled 37629424162.9 miles in my lifetime

One thing I would suggest, create a partition as a 50G partition as /. Partition the rest as /Home. IF the system fails, reinstall and use the exact same username and all your 'stuff' comes back to you.
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by kevinthefixer »

Well, the big MATE update a year or two ago borked a lot of systems. I got lucky I guess, didn't hurt mine. But I don't think the Powers That Be want to do that again. Personally, I'm a fan of XFCE. Maybe because I think mice are cute. But I'm hoping for that option in LMDE3.
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by sdibaja »

@Arch_Enemy you may want to try Siduction Mate. I have been testing it for a few days, not too bad.
It is built on Sid (Debian unstable) and has the latest of all things... and a Very Simple installer.
Pure Debian is harder to install, and more work to get up to speed. KDE and Xfce and Cinnamon are pretty complete out of the box, Mate is bare bones, hence more work.

"up to date" is over rated, unless you have bleeding edge hardware, or just want the latest gadgets. It come with a price: less stability. That is where Ubuntu and Mint fit into the mix, dead simple to install, and bleeding edge combined.
I Need a Stable system at all times (work). But I love to play and test, so I do both... usually on separate machines.

LMDE "was" the Stable in between at one time. Then they started to get creative with Mate and lots of us got borked. (May 1, 2017... Mate 1.18 "update"). Some of my systems survived, however a some got updated at just the wrong moment (many patches were being issued) and were black screened, or would not boot. One got a rushed fresh LMDE Mate install (my wife's), the others went another path. I don't blame them.

@ SlappySquirl: Mint does Cinnamon really well (they created it). If you Like Cinnamon, go for it.
LMDE3 promises to be quite different, but time will tell. Maybe it will even get a better installer in the mix.
Peter
Mate desktop https://wiki.debian.org/MATE
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Arch_Enemy »

sdibaja wrote: Fri Apr 13, 2018 11:06 pm @Arch_Enemy you may want to try Siduction Mate. I have been testing it for a few days, not too bad.
It is built on Sid (Debian unstable) and has the latest of all things... and a Very Simple installer.
Pure Debian is harder to install, and more work to get up to speed. KDE and Xfce and Cinnamon are pretty complete out of the box, Mate is bare bones, hence more work.

"up to date" is over rated, unless you have bleeding edge hardware, or just want the latest gadgets. It come with a price: less stability. That is where Ubuntu and Mint fit into the mix, dead simple to install, and bleeding edge combined.
I Need a Stable system at all times (work). But I love to play and test, so I do both... usually on separate machines.

LMDE "was" the Stable in between at one time. Then they started to get creative with Mate and lots of us got borked. (May 1, 2017... Mate 1.18 "update"). Some of my systems survived, however a some got updated at just the wrong moment (many patches were being issued) and were black screened, or would not boot. One got a rushed fresh LMDE Mate install (my wife's), the others went another path. I don't blame them.

@ SlappySquirl: Mint does Cinnamon really well (they created it). If you Like Cinnamon, go for it.
LMDE3 promises to be quite different, but time will tell. Maybe it will even get a better installer in the mix.

I got hit by that on Arch. The wrong update on the wrong distribution! :D
I have travelled 37629424162.9 miles in my lifetime

One thing I would suggest, create a partition as a 50G partition as /. Partition the rest as /Home. IF the system fails, reinstall and use the exact same username and all your 'stuff' comes back to you.
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by kevinthefixer »

Arch_Enemy wrote: Fri Apr 13, 2018 11:30 pm I got hit by that on Arch. The wrong update on the wrong distribution! :D
Arch warns you that you are responsible for fixing such problems, and that you must be up to it to use their software. Linux Mint main edition is better suited for beginners, LMDE is somewhere in the middle.
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Re: How much computer/linux/non-linux experience for LMDE?

Post by Arch_Enemy »

kevinthefixer wrote: Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:00 pm
Arch_Enemy wrote: Fri Apr 13, 2018 11:30 pm I got hit by that on Arch. The wrong update on the wrong distribution! :D
Arch warns you that you are responsible for fixing such problems, and that you must be up to it to use their software. Linux Mint main edition is better suited for beginners, LMDE is somewhere in the middle.
Well, I got tired of fixing them...;)
I have travelled 37629424162.9 miles in my lifetime

One thing I would suggest, create a partition as a 50G partition as /. Partition the rest as /Home. IF the system fails, reinstall and use the exact same username and all your 'stuff' comes back to you.
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