Has anyone played around with MX Linux?

[Pierre]

in the last few days, I've been running the Final Version of MX-19,
& it will be gradually rolled out, onto those machines, that still have the older MX version(s)


as always, the New Version, is not backwards compatible, as it is on the New Debian Base .. ..
& so, it will be an Clean Installation, which is better, anyway.


https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20191104#mx
is an nice review of their MX-19 system.

[BigEasy]

It is interesting to know that Debian itself is entirely upgradable from 9 to 10.

[Hugh Neutron]

I like being able to update without reinstalling but too each his own preference.


MX Linux's default has a very akward xfce panel configuration but a nice dark theme, from what I understand it is based on Debian stable with with components from AntiX. MXLinux's most unique feature is a choice of SystemD enabled and disabled. One of the interesting things about MX Linux is that it comes with Waterfox in it's default repos where as Ubuntu deriv users have to add the PPA or appimage.

Overall I would not use MX Linux it's literally a targeted distro for the anti SystemD crowd. If you really like the way MX Linux looks you can install it's theme and xfce panel config on any xfce based distro.

[Eggnog]

I haven't used Mint in years. I have nothing against it (what's not to like?) but I've moved on. I've been using MX Linux as my main OS for quite some time. I think it was back around MX-15 or 16. It just keeps getting better and better. I've found nothing to compare with it from my viewpoint. It's fast. It's based on Debian stable (currently Buster 10.1) so it's rock solid stable and has access to Debian repositories along with it's own package installer. It also has a bunch of useful tools in MX Tools which, in my view, is one of its best selling points along with the choice to use SysV or systemd on start up.

I've heard people complain that it has the panel on the left side so they won't use it. Seriously, I've seen that more than I could imagine. But it takes only one or two mouse clicks to move it. Then I hear "but it doesn't look modern. I need 'modern'". I'm not sure I know what that even means but there are so many themes for Xfce it will make your head spin. You can make Xfce look any way you want. Xfce is a ricer's dream. You can even install a difference DE if you like. But the nice thing about Xfce is that it's stable just like Debian.

So I would recommend playing around with it. It's got a live ISO. You could always throw it on another partition; it's got a nice installer. I'm not a big fan of VM's because they don't tell you how well things perform on real hardware.

[bjmh46]

Just recently tried the final MX19, and I must say it's very good. All the big things worked "out of the box" but I found several little things that didn't work at all. Just as one example, creating a desktop shortcut with a custom icon to launch an appimage program. It would accept my input, and the icon would flash momentarily on the desktop, the return to the generic icon. MX19 is really a great os though, and if mint xfce ceased to exist, it would be my first choice.

Bob

[Flemur]

I avoided MX linux because of the name of its first "Primary Team Leader".

It's just a name. As long as the developers and the community supporting a distro are not imposing their political beliefs on me (and not oppressive to those with opposite views), I can overlook that. Now, if the name was something that attacks (or promotes hatred on) certain races or nationality...

"Anticapitalista" means "Marxist", basically, which represents hatred for the freedom of everybody; even something like "schutzstaffelist" would represent less evil.

Without capitalism you wouldn't have a computer, and the internet and linux wouldn't exist. For starters.

[Glockdoc]

I haven't used Mint in years. I have nothing against it (what's not to like?) but I've moved on. I've been using MX Linux as my main OS for quite some time. I think it was back around MX-15 or 16. It just keeps getting better and better. I've found nothing to compare with it from my viewpoint. It's fast. It's based on Debian stable (currently Buster 10.1) so it's rock solid stable and has access to Debian repositories along with it's own package installer. It also has a bunch of useful tools in MX Tools which, in my view, is one of its best selling points along with the choice to use SysV or systemd on start up.

I've heard people complain that it has the panel on the left side so they won't use it. Seriously, I've seen that more than I could imagine. But it takes only one or two mouse clicks to move it. Then I hear "but it doesn't look modern. I need 'modern'". I'm not sure I know what that even means but there are so many themes for Xfce it will make your head spin. You can make Xfce look any way you want. Xfce is a ricer's dream. You can even install a difference DE if you like. But the nice thing about Xfce is that it's stable just like Debian.

So I would recommend playing around with it. It's got a live ISO. You could always throw it on another partition; it's got a nice installer. I'm not a big fan of VM's because they don't tell you how well things perform on real hardware.

I was one of "those guys", although rather than whining about it I figured out how to move the sidebar and make it work for me.

And then.....

I discovered I can use MX with the Cinnamon (pretty) desktop and just like it even more. I did notice a very small slowdown over xfce, but still faster than Mint with the hardware I have.

And then......

I discovered I could use MXTools to burn an ISO of my current system and turn it into a Live USB. Wayyyyyyy cool for me. I live in Thailand and spend the 1st Q every year Stateside and just pick up a nice 2nd hand laptop every year when I get there. Now I have my "home" system in my pocket.

Mint was the distro that got me to the Linux party so I will probably always have copy on at least one of my machines, and on the forum with this great crowd.

[Eggnog]

One of the things I like, too, about MX is that it is, in effect, sort of a semi-rolling distro. By that I mean while it remains based on the current Debian stable release for rock-solid stability, the MX developers routinely update the included software so you aren't really stuck with outdated versions of software. So you get the stability of Debian stable and more updated packages. And, if you like, it is so easy to pull something from MX Testing repos or Debian backports through the MX package manager. I use a lot of things from MX Testing, and never had anything go awry. Sooner or later it just becomes the stable version anyway.

Also, the developers are very engaged with the user base on the forums. I've seen instances where one or more users have asked for a specific piece of software and, after a bit of discussion, the developers have made it available. Or it might be an update to a piece of software that isn't in Testing or in the Debian backports yet. If they decide not to update or provide a requested package, they will explain exactly why they aren't going to do it.

I like this level of engagement. You don't often get that. These guys aren't new kids on the block. They've been around for a long time. MX is a wonderful collaboration between antiX and former members of the MEPIS and SimplyMEPIS communities. I have fond memories of Warren Woodford's MEPIS project. In short, you can expect MX to just get better and better. It's not going anywhere.