Linux Mint 9 Isadora - probably the coolest Linux yet
Linux Mint 9 (Isadora) is a Long Term Support (LTS) release with updates and support for three years. It is based on Ubuntu 10.04
LTS (Lucid Lynx) and both of these distributions (distros) are sure to keep both corporate and home users happy because the developers
of both systems have placed the emphasis on usability, visual design, interaction design, workflow and a couple of new features that
are designed to meet the need of their targeted user base - consumers. Ubuntu has increased the head count on their design team and these
guys and girls have been researching and going to great lengths to understand their audience and to delight them with an end result
which will surely exceed their expectations. They have pulled it off in my mind because these two releases will in future be seen as
milestones due to the level of quality and refinement they have reached in creating what appears to be a very high quality and
commercial grade operating system
Linux Mint is one of the top 3 Linux distros because for most people it works straight out of the box even with mobile broadband. Like Ubuntu, Mint strives to offer both new and experienced Linux users a complete desktop experience that rivals and in many cases surpasses that of competing operating systems. Mint is highly usable and it carries a consistency of visual design across all it's installed software applications giving the whole experience a level of polish and cohesion that will delight anyone who appreciates aesthetics good user interface design
The developers of Linux Mint always go the extra mile by including drivers and codecs which help to ensure that the operating system works with all of your installed hardware and that you don't need to go searching the internet for plugins such as a Flash Player for watching YouTube or an mp3 encoder for listening to your music collection. The last time around I found Mint to be superior to Ubuntu in this respect and this time around I have come to the same conclusions. I understand what the Mint team are trying to tell us when they claim that Linux Mint is 'a better Ubuntu'. Both distros are based on the venerable and ultra-reliable Debian Linux code base and then tweaked for improved user experience. These LTS released have been refined and tooled up for a long ride and it shows
I first took Ubuntu 10.04 for a spin and loved the new operating system but I could not get mobile broadband to work. This is not a problem for a technical head like me but it might be enough to piss off joe and josephine soap if they can't connect to the internet. That one little problem could drive some people away from Linux and straight back into bed with Microsoft. The Ubuntu team have stated that their goal is to surpass Mac OS - and they are getting very close - but if they are to really achieve this then maybe from now on they should focus more on technical improvements and reliability and a bit less on the eye candy. Only time will tell but in the meantime what I can tell you for sure is that both of these distros are awesome propositions for mom and pop type users as well as power users
Next I installed Isadora and mobile broadband worked after restarting the system with the modem plugged into a USB port. This is a huge plus because it means that Linux is getting to grips with the wireless issues that so many users have complained about in the past. For me Mint simply works better and is the reason why I advocate Linux Mint over Ubuntu as the first choice for anyone new who is interested in using Linux as their main desktop operating system. I like to practise what I preach and only advocate software which I have used myself and know to be reliable. I have been using Linux Mint for a while now and it is a great system for office work, maintaining and running a web site and for creating graphics and slideshows. It is also nice for photography if you are happy to use Picasa and Gimp for image management and image editing respectively
For coding it was very easy to install a lamp stack (xampp for Linux) for web development and other tools such as Netbeans for PHP and Java programming. Installing Java itself is pretty painless and if you want to try other languages like C++ or Python then they can be simply installed from the Netbeans plug in menu
Isadora is a beautiful piece of work with new features that should help convince you that Linux is a very attractive proposition and offers everything you need in an easy to use operating system which has been built using some of the best open source resources on the planet. I use it every day, love it to death and would recommend it to anyone for either work or play
For example what other operating system has a built in Software Centre where you can review and download over 30,000 software applications? Really, as opposed to other operating systems where you first of all need to find and then install the applications you want to use, Mint feels like walking through a software supermarket without checkouts. All the applications you need are on tap and all you need to do is click a button and all your software selections are downloaded and installed. No problem. And all this without having to reboot your computer:-). For home users installing software is on Linux is not an issue and they don't need to ask the local computer guy to do it for them
This is a good example of the type of freedom that only open source software can offer and is a paradigm that nicely illustrates Steve Krug's 'dont make me think' philosophy. If Linux is going to triumph over Apple then that is where the battle can be won. A free operating system that is ultra reliable, beautiful and so easy that your granny can use it would be very hard to compete provided there was no bribery and corruption in the marketplace
Isadora's comes packaged with a great collection of applications that offer simplicity and functionality for common activities such as internet, instant messaging, office work, media playback and more. The default theme emloys a cool colour scheme, as opposed to the Ubuntu warm and dark look, consisting of mint green complimented with touches of gray and black. The fonts look awesome and tweaking the whole look and feel of the system is a trivial affair
Verdict: Isadora 10/10. Lucid 9/10
Isadora is a rock solid performer but Ubuntu gets docked a point for the broadband issue
Machine: Intel Pentium 4 Celeron 2.4 GHz, 512MB Ram, nVidia PCI graphics card
Links
The home of Linux Mint
You can download Linux Mint from here
Mint Art Work and Themes
A nice article on all previous and current Mint releases listing their unique tools on Wikipedia
Mint on Distro Watch
How To Forge tutorial packed with Linux Mint screenshots detailing the easy installation routine and how to create the perfect desktop
