Why did you decide to install Linux Mint?

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Scaleyback_65

Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by Scaleyback_65 »

Moem wrote: Fri Feb 01, 2019 10:54 am
Skalman wrote: Tue Jan 22, 2019 3:48 pm Finaly when I discovered the Mint 17.3 I was sold. At home.
You and me, both!
Scaleyback_65 wrote: Fri Feb 01, 2019 10:43 am I bought a dinky 6 year Lenovo i5 X240 for not a lot of money, as a back up
Dinky? My daily driver is a X201. I wouldn't call that dinky. Instead, I'd use terms like 'rock solid'. It runs Cinnamon just fine.
Inundated wrote: Fri Feb 01, 2019 10:48 am I just bought a used computer, a Lenovo i5
Thinkpad? Join the club!
The X240 has a 12" screen, it's dinky compared to my HP Pavilion which has a 15" screen, it's more like a netbook, but better built. I don't have a problem with it's size at all, I like it, it's ideal for travel when you want a fully functioning computer without the size and weight, the battery life is a plus too.
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by Moem »

Scaleyback_65 wrote: Sat Feb 02, 2019 5:55 am The X240 has a 12" screen, it's dinky compared to my HP Pavilion which has a 15" screen, it's more like a netbook, but better built. I don't have a problem with it's size at all, I like it
My X201 is the same size and I pretty much live in that. In fairness, I'm of a rather compact build size, myself...
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Scaleyback_65

Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by Scaleyback_65 »

Moem wrote: Sat Feb 02, 2019 6:06 am
Scaleyback_65 wrote: Sat Feb 02, 2019 5:55 am The X240 has a 12" screen, it's dinky compared to my HP Pavilion which has a 15" screen, it's more like a netbook, but better built. I don't have a problem with it's size at all, I like it
My X201 is the same size and I pretty much live in that. In fairness, I'm of a rather compact build size, myself...
It's all about what best fits your needs really, as a keen photographer I prefer a larger size screen for working on images, for travel and a backup these little Thinkpads are great. I use a 14" T450 for work, if my main laptop ever fails I'll be replacing it with something similar, but definitely a Thinkpad, they're the Volvo of the laptop world, and I say that as a Volvo owner.
nebiwo

Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by nebiwo »

For years I've been trying to switch from Windows to GNU/Linux but I always end up back at Windows due to various reasons. But I really do want to learn GNU/Linux because it is so reliable, customizable, owned by us and not a corporation, plus it's fun to tinker around and learn new stuff. I choose Mint because of its stability, vast community-support and I think Mint is a good distro for someone who got limited knowledge of the GNU/Linux OS. :)
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by OhioJB »

Back when support for Windows XP ended I needed to either pay to upgrade or find an alternative. Had recalled hearing about Linux and thought it was a pretty neat project so I researched it. Ended up starting with Ubuntu but I didn't like the icons being on the side and it also seemed to lack installed things. I had to find out how to add my printer, for example. I searched around and noticed Mint was popular so gave Mint Cinnamon a try. Very easy to install, my old Dell PC had no bugs using it, and it had everything I needed, including my printer being recognized right away. Also liked the professional way it looked, and the way it still looks. I've enjoyed using it.

Just out of curiosity I've tried other distros and none worked well with my PC. They were buggy, and some were too complicated to install for someone not comfortable selecting partitions. The occasional time or two I did get something up and seemingly working halfway decently it would start getting buggy or slow. Part of that could have been my old PC, don't know, but there were issues I never had with Ubuntu or Mint.

Actually plan on playing around with other distros again to experiment if I can get that old PC working again. Expecting a new hard drive in the mail tomorrow, hoping that fixes the issue I'm having. If it does I'll read through the distros at distrowatch to see if anything looks interesting. Would like to build a distro of my own but it's beyond my scope of understanding this 'stuff'. Plus, there are plenty out there to experiment with.

Bought a new HP laptop and have to say I do not like Windows 10, and quite frankly don't like the HP laptop itself either. Purchased it online. Also bought the heavily overpriced Microsoft software expecting more than I received. Believe I got three pieces of software for $99, Excel and two others. Never again. Thinking about adding Mint as a dual boot on that laptop but considering the issues I'm having trying to upgrade from 17.3 to 19.1 on my old Toshiba laptop on a dual boot with Windows 7 I'm wary of doing so. I will be checking out virtual machines to see if it can be used on Windows 10 with my processor. If so maybe I'll use that instead.
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by AndyMH »

I will be checking out virtual machines to see if it can be used on Windows 10 with my processor
Running win7 in a VM on two Thinkpad T430's, one has an i7-3632 the other an i5-3320. Both run win quite happily and mainly used for office 2016 (excel & word).
Thinkcentre M720Q - LM21.3 cinnamon, 4 x T430 - LM21.3 cinnamon, Homebrew desktop i5-8400+GTX1080 Cinnamon 19.0
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by That Random Guy »

I plan to install Linux Mint because it serves the purposes of what I need in a lightweight alternative to Windows, and more importantly, LM out-of-the-box comes out really nicely with Cinnamon in that it's user-friendly. I am in no way saying LM is trying to be Windows, which it isn't. TrinityDE definitely reserves that recognition, and in particular, Q4OS (at least, from an "experience" perspective and not underneath, obviously).

Personally, I don't like dual-booting because 1) most machines now can handle at least running one guest OS via a hypervisor like Virtualbox and 2) I don't like putting all my eggs in one basket.

Granted, I utilize large capacity storage, I don't feel like using up any of it for another OS. I'm not saying others can't or shouldn't dualboot, but rather that I find it limiting and kind of risky. Of course, if you want it and are open to those risks, then feel free to do it.

I'd like to also give my input on the "Linux not being up to par" idea given by that acquaintance. :)

To a particular developer, they might not find Linux desirable for developer projects that involve Adobe products, but that notion does not span across all development circles and certainly doesn't mean Linux isn't used in the business. My company offers laptops running Linux on it to IT departments 'cause, it works for some people. It just stands to reason that every particular person/job/role will require a particular tool-set which they may or may not necessarily need Windows for. What works for someone in helpdesk might not apply for an auditor. You're very likely to find them using a Windows machine anyway due to the fact that almost all organizations utilize Windows and therefore, it becomes only natural to also utilize a similar platform to get things done. I'm kind of derailing at this point but the gist of it is, if someone thinks that Linux isn't worth the time simply because they can't get Adobe products on their machine or find particular front-ends for their tools, then they probably aren't tech people. :lol:

As an aside, one doesn't need Adobe to develop web pages. It's a nice suite that helps out in the short-term, but it isn't the key factor. You can build webpages just by typing up stuff in a regular text editor.

P.S. - It is my opinion that no single OS will provide for all use-cases and requirements for everyone. Sometimes, Linux comes out on top when trying to do something and other times, you're better off using (or forced to use) Windows. Why anyone would bother with MacOS, however, is beyond me. The goal, when in IT, is to find a particular solution that will satisfy whatever requirements are relevant to a particular task/objective.
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by MurphCID »

I did not like Ubuntu/Amazon, and really disliked Unity desktop. Loaded 17.something and started playing with it.
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by AZgl1800 »

Constant demands for money, constantly fighting "Blue Screen of Death"

Best DE in the Linux environment, and it is stable, never had a crash that I didn't invent on my own :lol:
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carum carvi

Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by carum carvi »

AZgl1500 wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2019 3:03 pm Constant demands for money, constantly fighting "Blue Screen of Death"

Best DE in the Linux environment, and it is stable, never had a crash that I didn't invent on my own :lol:
Very true.

I might wanna add the improved security, although I recently discovered that a wireless UNencrypted 2.5GHz mouse in Linux is as vulnerable in Linux to MOUSEJACKING as it is in Windows. Replaced it with a bluetooth one and everything is honky dory again. So I hope...
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MurphCID
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by MurphCID »

carum carvi wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:55 am
AZgl1500 wrote: Mon Mar 04, 2019 3:03 pm Constant demands for money, constantly fighting "Blue Screen of Death"

Best DE in the Linux environment, and it is stable, never had a crash that I didn't invent on my own :lol:
Very true.

I might wanna add the improved security, although I recently discovered that a wireless UNencrypted 2.5GHz mouse in Linux is as vulnerable in Linux to MOUSEJACKING as it is in Windows. Replaced it with a bluetooth one and everything is honky dory again. So I hope...
That is interesting, thank you for sharing that.
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by BG405 »

carum carvi wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:55 am MOUSEJACKING
First I've heard of that one. Not sure how one would do that without visual access to the display though, or together with another form of remote hack .. and the victim is likely to spot the pointer moving around "on its own" .. :wink: :mrgreen:
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by HaveaMint »

BG405 wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:11 pm
carum carvi wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:55 am MOUSEJACKING
First I've heard of that one. Not sure how one would do that without visual access to the display though, or together with another form of remote hack .. and the victim is likely to spot the pointer moving around "on its own" .. :wink: :mrgreen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXjQh_bqtIM
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by AZgl1800 »

HaveaMint wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 1:34 pm
BG405 wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:11 pm
carum carvi wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:55 am MOUSEJACKING
First I've heard of that one. Not sure how one would do that without visual access to the display though, or together with another form of remote hack .. and the victim is likely to spot the pointer moving around "on its own" .. :wink: :mrgreen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXjQh_bqtIM
Thanks for that update on Mouse Jacking..... :lol:

Reminded me of when I was a kid, and we had a clutch of chickens on the farm...
how many? enough to fill a hen house 10 x 20 up on roosts along both walls....
we sold the eggs off the back porch for pocket spending money....
How much? lost in time, don't remember anymore.

although, I milked a cow for 13 years, and sold her milk for 85 cents/gallon with the cream still on top.... roughly 1 quart+ cream per gallon.... and naturally pasteurized by the sun on the grass that old Jersey ate. 8)
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carum carvi

Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by carum carvi »

In 2016 a researcher discovered that one could MOUSEJACK several very well known wireless mouses, from up to a distance of 250 feet (80 metres), with simple equipment only worth a couple of bucks.

In 10 seconds he was able to install a malicious rootkit. Linux was as vulnerable as Windows.

2 years have gone by. I havent read any information about MY wireless 2.5Ghz Logitech mouse that it was encrypted. I (naively?) assumed it was...

Bluetooth mouses are NOT affected by this problem by the way...

For more info on this research:
https://www.bastille.net/research/vulne ... ed-devices



To stay on topic: privacy was another big issue why I decided to install Linux Mint. Maybe even more that security. As some other forummembers already explained in other posts, Windows isnt less secure than Linux, IF one uses it correctly. Meaning: IF one uses the password protected security that is being offered in Windows, but is TURNED OFF by the majority...
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by Matthew_Wai »

I replaced Windows 10 with Linux Mint on January 1, 2019 because Windows 10 had crashed my PC.
For details, see https://www.tenforums.com/drivers-hardw ... ndows.html
I have Windows, UnionTech OS, and Linux Mint on the same HDD.
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by Muscularwombats »

Because Manjaro unfortunately had 2 separate bugs on their main/stable repo that took down my system twice within a month (maybe two months).

I work in IT for a living, I don't honestly want to spend 3 hours fixing my own computer at home as the result of a foul update. Unfortunate as I really love the pacman package manager, as well as the amazing AUR, but making the switch to Mint so far has been really nice. Stable thus far, for the most part everything works out of the box, and between aptitude and PPA's I can still handle anything I want through repositories and the package manager.

I hate Windows 10 with a fiery passion, for all the usual reasons. I also don't have as much free time (or desire) as I used to devoted to gaming, so getting by on Mint with Emulators and the limited Linux/SteamOS support has been enough for me. My GTX760 can't exactly breeze through many new titles coming out anyway.

Minus gaming I can do anything on Linux that I would need to do on Windows.
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by Shiratori »

I read the review of 19.1 on Ars Technica and decided to give it a try due to some annoying bugs in the latest Ubuntu.
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by MurphCID »

Mint just works. 'nuff said.
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Re: Why did you decide to install Linux Mint??

Post by catweazel »

MurphCID wrote: Tue Mar 12, 2019 6:40 am Mint just works. 'nuff said.
So does Windwoes.

Horses for courses.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
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