Linux Mint 21.2 “Victoria” Xfce released!

[clem]

https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4541

[mingle]

Still have the same annoying issue, as reported in 21.1...

viewtopic.php?t=391472

[CamJam]

Thanks for the upgrade.
However, I am not really happy with it.
A few things that stood out right away:

The size of the icons of the panel starters had changed to a much smaller size. If you set a size of more than 31 px the icons from the window buttons are displayed totally distorted, while the ones from the starters are displayed correctly.

The custom settings for the panel clock were reset for both the custom font and the format.

The cursor theme has been changed/reset.

The mapping of default applications for various graphics formats has been reset so that everything now opens with GwenView.

Two of several desktop application launchers could no longer be started with the message 'untrusted application launcher'. Clicking on 'make executable' did not solve the problem. I had to copy and edit one of the working launchers.

Still causing trouble and is very annoying: every time I turn the monitor off and on again while the computer is running, the monitor settings window appears.

[SMG]

The mapping of default applications for various graphics formats has been reset so that everything now opens with GwenView.

Two of several desktop application launchers could no longer be started with the message 'untrusted application launcher'. Clicking on 'make executable' did not solve the problem. I had to copy and edit one of the working launchers.

Still causing trouble and is very annoying: every time I turn the monitor off and on again while the computer is running, the monitor settings window appears.

Have you checked the Xfce 4.18 Tour to see the new features? Linux Mint does not develop the Xfce desktop. A different team does. Some of the issues you mention appear they may be related to the fact the version of Xfce changed from 4.16 (in LM21.1) to 4.18 (in LM21.2). I see mentioned in the link I provided, "The management to set/unset default applications for specific mime types was improved." which may be the reason you saw a change.

If you do not like the newer version, you can revert back to the Timeshift snapshot (or whatever backup process you used) you made of LM21.1 before upgrading and continue to use it. All Linux Mint 21 point release versions are supported through April 2027 so you do not have to upgrade to continue receiving support.

[CamJam]

Thank you for your reply.
Surely it is not easy to distinguish whether these errors are due to the actual upgrade process or the "improvements" to Xfce. Overwriting the user settings is never a good programming style. But shouldn't a distribution maintainer make sure that such annoying glitches don't happen? Especially with an OS where the user has to or can change the configuration a lot, this should be respected more.

[SMG]

Surely it is not easy to distinguish whether these errors are due to the actual upgrade process or the "improvements" to Xfce.

You can create a new user and log in as them.
You can boot to a live session of Linux Mint 21.2 and check there.

I don't use Xfce so my ability to help is limited. You can check the Xfce forum to see if anyone using 4.18 has already run into the issues you are noticing.

But shouldn't a distribution maintainer make sure that such annoying glitches don't happen?

Linux Mint does not write or maintain Xfce.

Linux Mint only checks the code it writes with regards to making sure the code it writes works with Xfce desktop environment. Linux Mint does not check the Xfce code. That is the responsibility of the Xfce developers.

[CamJam]

You can create a new user and log in as them.
You can boot to a live session of Linux Mint 21.2 and check there.

We are talking about an upgrade process where, among other things, user settings were overwritten. I don't know what your suggestions have to do with it.

You can check the Xfce forum to see if anyone using 4.18 has already run into the issues you are noticing.

I've been using Linux since the late 90's, I've fixed the issues in the meantime. But what should those do who have no experience? This is not the best advertisement to bring people from other operating systems to Linux.

Linux Mint does not write or maintain Xfce.

Again, we are talking about an upgrade process and that is certainly from Mint.

[SMG]

We are talking about an upgrade process where, among other things, user settings were overwritten. I don't know what your suggestions have to do with it.

This is a user forum where users help other users. You did not indicate prior to this post that the issue had been resolved so I thought you needed help troubleshooting the issue.

Again, we are talking about an upgrade process and that is certainly from Mint.

This is a release announcement topic about the blog post for doing a fresh install of Linux Mint 21.2. It is not about upgrading.

The release announcement topic for the upgrade is here. There you will find a link to the blog post describing how to upgrade. You are welcome to add comments on the blog post about your dissatisfaction in how the Xfce version upgrade was handled or you can create a topic in the Linux Mint Discussions on GitHub.

[marts123]

Linux Mint does not write or maintain Xfce.

Linux Mint only checks the code it writes with regards to making sure the code it writes works with Xfce desktop environment. Linux Mint does not check the Xfce code. That is the responsibility of the Xfce developers.

Does Linux Mint write and maintain the Mate and Cinnamon versions?
I'm not impressed with the update either.

[SMG]

Does Linux Mint write and maintain the Mate and Cinnamon versions?

The Linux Mint team writes and maintains the Cinnamon desktop environment.

[FrankB616]

@CamJam

>Two of several desktop application launchers could no longer be started with the message 'untrusted application launcher'. Clicking on 'make executable' did not solve the problem. I had to copy and edit one of the working launchers.<

For a solution, please see:

https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=16357

[APSchmidt]

https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4541

Thank you! I'm installing it this weekend. Better late than never hey?

[oswald_c]

https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4541

Thank you! I'm installing it this weekend. Better late than never hey?

Maybe try this one instead?

https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4624