Xfce 18?

[KBD47]

The 32 bit beta has worked well in my testing with just a couple of issues. I'll probably download the 64 bit final and install it when released. I've always used Mint Xfce as my go-to Linux distro. No drama, it just always works well.

[DeMus]

I have been reading this thread and I just have to laugh. Although this has been said by many before, in other threads, people still can resist it: they want the newest, latest and greatest software available, but they also want a stable system.
Guys, when a version is released it is not stable yet. There are always some things which don't work as they should. Latest software and stable software don't go side by side, at least not when it is just released.
Be patient, let Clem do his work and you will be awarded with a nice system, but it takes time.

I am a KDE user and did you see me write I want KDE and I want it now? No, I know it will take time to change KDE 4 into Plasma 5. And I don't mind. I am using SolydK now for several months already and I really must say I love it. No Ubuntu stuff in between Debian and my OS, no ppa's which could jeopardize the system, no I only use programs from the standard repo's and I might add not few, still I can do everything I want to do with my computer.
When it is time to release Mint 18 KDE I will try it in a VB to see if it all works like I like it to work. Then, when the wave of updates get smaller I might consider to install it as my main OS so I am back on Mint.
I have time, I can wait. The computer is working like a charm so why change so fast? Simply because it is possible? No, not me. The computer has to be stable, has to do what I want it to do.

So, one advice people, relax. It will come and it will be good but it needs time. Clem needs time, give him that.

[thom_A]

I don't even have new hardware but I'm not getting these kinds of issues like you guys are having.
I mean like almost zero issues. It doesn't even feel like it's a beta.

Screenshot_2016-07-29_6.png

[Hoser Rob]

I don't even have new hardware but I'm not getting these kinds of issues like you guys are having. ...

Not yet. Betas have a way of working fine when you install and then breaking after a software update. I can't believe so many noobs are running the betas and it's not actiuvely discouraged. Maybe there just aren't enough really experienced users?

[deleted]

No major problems...

I did notice that banshee still hangs during music scan.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... ug/1533480

I wonder if it would be worth it to either disable the plugins or back level banshee until it gets fixed.

-H

[Proxima]

(...) I can't believe so many noobs are running the betas and it's not actiuvely discouraged. Maybe there just aren't enough really experienced users?

Gee I don't know, I suppose I'm a noob when it comes to Mint, but I didn't have any problems with LM 18 Cinnamon or Xfce betas. I thought I had in the latter and went back to stable 17.3 instead, but my problems persist and turn out to be upstream xfce bug aswell as some problems Mint itself seems to have with my laptop.

So I don't really see a reason to discourage noobs from the betas, so far it'd seem that LM is polished enough once the betas are released to not expect any major problems from them.

As for banshee, I didn't have any problems with it myself.

[KBD47]

Yes, noobs try betas! How else are they going to learn about Linux without having to fix or deal with a few issues? For certain the final release will be rock solid, then all they will have to do is watch youtube videos or visit facebook lol!

[thom_A]

Not yet. Betas have a way of working fine when you install and then breaking after a software update. I can't believe so many noobs are running the betas and it's not actiuvely discouraged. Maybe there just aren't enough really experienced users?

I have multiple backups of my computers. Three have the early dual cores and the newest one is a quad core, which is about 6 years old. I don't store important documents in their hard drives other than when I work on them. I store documents and files on external drives. All PC's have multiple boot systems, which include Win10/7. Installing and deinstalling Linux has become second nature. Sometimes there are 4 Linux OSes in one computer. Takes about 20 minutes to add a Mint OS for me. It was complicated at first and it took months before completely becoming comfortable with it to the point where I rarely backup partitions anymore. I always managed to put it back to it's original state.

As for this Xfce beta, I'll most likely replace it with the official release, although it's been working fine. Would take less than half an hour. Or an upgrade path could be made available. Doesn't matter. My main partition is Mint KDE 17.3. I have discarded Cinnamon and I'm re-liking Xfce.

[deleted]

^ Same here.... KDE and XFCE are neck and neck.
-H

[KBD47]

^ Same here.... KDE and XFCE are neck and neck.
-H

It is interesting how many KDE fans also like Xfce. I began Linux with Debian & KDE and now mostly use Xfce desktop. Over on the Debian forum they have a desktop poll that Xfce is winning closely followed by KDE the last time I looked.

[deleted]

I think it's the maturity of the Desktop. Not knocking the others by no means, but KDE 4 and XFCE have been around the block a few times.
-H

[KBD47]

I think it's the maturity of the Desktop. Not knocking the others by no means, but KDE 4 and XFCE have been around the block a few times.
-H

That's true. And Xfce feels like a lighter version of KDE to me. Not all the bells and whistles, but comfortable and familiar.

[MtnDewManiac]

I can't believe so many noobs are running the betas and it's not actiuvely discouraged.

I've seen lots of warnings and explanations of what "beta" means (in regards to computer software) here on the forum. And on the actual page for Linux Mint 18 Xfce beta at The Linux Mint Blog, I see this:

This BETA release might contain critical bugs, please only use it for testing purposes and to help the Linux Mint team fix issues prior to the stable release.

Regards,
MDM

[Reorx]

< 6/21/2016 > Probably about 3 to 5 weeks from now - (Maybe!!! )... [that was a S.W.A.G. (Scientific Wild A$$ed Guess!)}

... and 3 weeks later, testing began on LM18 XFCE!

... and 5 weeks later, approved for stable release!!! Available HERE at the time of this post - coming soon to a mirror near you! Announcement expected in the next day or 2...

[DrM]

I think that you should wait with installing Linux Mint 18 until the 18.1 update has been released. The 18.1 release will be a kind of a Service Pack in which bugs and other issues have been fixed.

[Reorx]

"Bugs" are fixed all along the way with periodic updates. The Point releases x.1, x.2, etc. are accompanied by the next version of the Desktop Environment (DE) or some "improvement" in the DE - sometimes, the underpinnings like the kernel and/or graphics stack are also upgraded. Having said that, I agree that it might be a good idea to wait for 18.1 to upgrade a production machine. But, for a machine that you don't do any "serious" computing (work) on, LM18 is GTG.

[Pjotr]

it might be a good idea to wait for 18.1 to upgrade a production machine. But, for a machine that you don't do any "serious" computing (work) on, LM18 is GTG.

That's my opinion as well.

[KBD47]

I think that you should wait with installing Linux Mint 18 until the 18.1 update has been released. The 18.1 release will be a kind of a Service Pack in which bugs and other issues have been fixed.

I don't think that holds as much with Mint as it does Ubuntu. Ubuntu releases all their spins at the same time--ready or not. Mint releases after squashing bugs and only when they are ready to do so. I had issues with every Ubuntu 16.04 release except Ubuntu MATE. Only in 16.04.1 did Ubuntu work for me out of the box. Mint has had time to squash bugs and both Cinnamon and MATE 18 worked perfectly for me where Ubuntu 16.04 did not.

[Pjotr]

I think that you should wait with installing Linux Mint 18 until the 18.1 update has been released. The 18.1 release will be a kind of a Service Pack in which bugs and other issues have been fixed.

I don't think that holds as much with Mint as it does Ubuntu.

Agreed. Mint 18 contains more bugfixes in its codebase, than Ubuntu 16.04 in its original codebase.

Still, if you're now running Mint 17.x without problems, I would wait until 18.1 before upgrading. At least on a production machine. There's no need to hurry....

[KBD47]

Agreed. Mint 18 contains more bugfixes in its codebase, than Ubuntu 16.04 in its original codebase.

Still, if you're now running Mint 17.x without problems, I would wait until 18.1 before upgrading. At least on a production machine. There's no need to hurry....

Yeah, I've got 2 old machines with 3 more years of support that I will not touch because they are working perfectly. Too many people break working machines with needless upgrades. But I like to test the new releases and install to external drives. Still, if you need to install Mint on a machine I would not hesitate to use the 18 release as it is quite solid from what I've experienced.