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1 year ago
82 BOOK THIS SPACE FOR AD
ARTICLE ADI've likely used more operating systems than 99% of my readers. I cut my teeth on IBM 360/OS in the 70s. Since then, I've used every Apple and Microsoft operating system you've ever heard of, and many you've never known, such as A/UX and Microsoft Xenix. I've also used well over 100 different Unix and Linux distributions. So, when I say Linux Mint 21.1, the latest long-term support (LTS) version of Linux Mint, is not just the best Linux desktop, but the best desktop, it means something.
The only way you'll know if it works well for you, of course, is to try it yourself. Here's how to first give Linux Mint a spin. It's simple to try it. And, then, if you like what you see, I also explain how to replace Windows with Mint.
You'll also be required to give your system a name, pick out a username for yourself, and create a password. You can also choose to encrypt your home directory to keep files relatively safe from prying eyes. However, an encrypted home directory slows systems down. It's faster, albeit counterintuitive, to encrypt the entire drive after you have Mint up and running.
Mint's setup menu enables you to automatically create a system snapshot with Timeshift. This way, if something goes wrong later, you can restore your system files and get back to a working system. It does not, however, save your documents and the like. It just saves the system files needed to run Mint. While you're at this, set up a regular Timeshift schedule. Timeshift can save your bacon if something goes awry.
Also: How to install Linux on your Raspberry Pi
Next, you can have it check to see if your computer needs any additional drivers. I highly recommend you run this. After this, you can choose to install proprietary multimedia codecs, such as drivers to watch DVDs. I think you should do this, as well.
You should then update your system to the latest software. Unlike Windows patches, when you update Mint, you're updating not just your operating system but all the other programs such as the default web browser, Firefox; office-suite, LibreOffice; and any other programs you've installed from Mint's Software Manager. This is very handy.
To do this manually, click on the shield icon in the menu bar. By default in the Cinnamon desktop, the bar will be on the bottom part of the screen and the icon will be on the right. It will then prompt you for your password and ask if you really want to update your system. Say yes, and you'll be ready to give your new Mint system a real tryout.
The setup routine also lets you look at system settings and find new programs with the Software Manager, but since you're probably a new user, you can skip those for now.
That's all there is to it. I've installed Linux hundreds of times, and it usually takes me about an hour from starting my download -- the blessings of a Gigabit fiber internet connection -- to moving from booting up to customizing my new Mint PC. If you've never done it before, allow yourself an afternoon or morning for the job.
Have fun, get work done, and enjoy.
If you have a computer from the last decade or so that still works, it can almost certainly run Linux Mint. Technically, Linux Mint requires:
You can probably buy an old PC from a junk shop, and it will run Mint. I've done that very thing.
No. It will take about ten seconds, plus the boot time, to switch from one operating system to the other, but that's it.
If you want to run them at the same time, that's a different thing entirely. To do that, you should look into running one in a virtual machine (VM) such as Oracle VirtualBox or running Linux under Windows using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2.0. In these configurations, both operating systems will run a bit slower. But unless you're editing video or playing complex games, you shouldn't see any real slowdowns.
You can, of course, also run many great Linux desktop programs such as GIMP for photo editing, LibreOffice for office work, and Chrome or Firefox for web browsing.
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