Articles about Mint

ExpressVPN has rolled out a much-needed update for Linux users, finally adding a graphical user interface (GUI) to its VPN app. Yes, folks, a GUI for Linux is only being rolled out in 2025! Better late than never, I suppose.

Until now, ExpressVPN users in Linux were stuck with a command-line interface (CLI), while Windows and macOS users enjoyed a more user-friendly experience. This update brings ExpressVPN more in line with competitors like Surfshark, which has long offered a Linux app with a GUI.

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Team Kodi, which has long provided Personal Package Archives (PPA) for Ubuntu users seeking up-to-date and undiluted versions of the hugely popular Kodi media player, has announced the retirement of the service. This decision was apparently made due to the high maintenance overhead associated with its upkeep.

As the Linux world gradually transitions towards packaged deployments and containers, The Kodi Foundation says it is planning to use Flatpak for future applications. This move will not only provide a more maintainable "pure" Kodi application, but also extend its accessibility to more distributions than the PPA ever could.

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Last month, Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) 5 was released to the world. Code-named "Elsie," many fans of the operating system probably did a fresh install right away. Understandably, however, some users are still running the previous version of the distribution, LMDE 4 "Debbie."

If your computer is still running Debbie, but you want to easily move onto Elsie, I have some great news. Today, the Linux Mint developers officially release the new LMDE Upgrade Tool in Beta. It is important to note this tool is only to be used with LMDE at this time, and not the "regular" Ubuntu-based Linux Mint.

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Linux Mint is a very popular operating system, so any news surrounding upcoming versions is highly sought after by members of the open source community. Today, the developers of that operating system have shared some very interesting information -- the name of Linux Mint 21!

The Linux Mint developers always use female names (alphabetically) as codenames, and version 21 is no different. You see, following version 19 ("Tara") and version 20 ("Ulyana"), version 21 of Linux Mint is named "Vanessa." According to Think Baby Names, it is a Greek name meaning "butterfly."

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Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) exists in case Ubuntu ever stops being developed. You see, the "regular" Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, so if Canonical ever closed its doors, things would be quite disastrous for Linux Mint. Will Ubuntu actually die one day? While Ubuntu's demise is unlikely to happen anytime soon, the reality is, nothing lasts forever. So I suppose it makes sense for the Linux Mint developers to have a contingency plan.

With all of that said, you don't have to wait for Ubuntu to die to use Linux Mint Debian Edition. LMDE is a perfectly fine operating system, and it can absolutely be used as your daily distribution. If you fancy giving Linux Mint Debian Edition a try, today is your lucky day. The newest version of the distro, LMDE 5, is finally available for download.

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When using a Linux-based operating system, you should always use the most recent kernel, right? Actually, no. While new kernels do add fixes and support for new hardware, they can also be less stable and cause bugs.

Unfortunately, if you have extremely new hardware, sometimes you must use a newer kernel in order to boot, as older kernels do not yet support some of your devices. For instance, Linux Mint 20.3 "Una" was released recently and it comes with Linux kernel 5.4. If that older kernel does not support your computer, it may not boot.

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So, you decided to get rid of Windows and switch to Linux because you have strong beliefs about free and open source software, eh? Well done! That is quite the noble action, and you should be proud that you are following your morals. You could have chosen a Chromebook but you didn't, as you didn't want to support Google. Fair enough.

Maybe you instead went with Linux Mint because its developers are not beholden to anyone. Well, if that is the case, I have some bad news. You see, Linux Mint has officially sold out! Sadly, the developers of the Ubuntu-based operating system have agreed to accept an undisclosed amount of money from Mozilla in exchange for making significant changes to Linux Mint. This includes removal of modifications to Firefox and a big change for search...

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Well, folks, we finally made it; the weekend is officially here! Hopefully you have some exciting activities planned. Maybe you are going to a party or taking someone out for a romantic dinner date. Or maybe, just maybe, you have absolutely nothing planned. You know what? That's OK. A lot of people are lonely and/or have no prospects. And for them, Linux exists.

Thankfully, Linux Mint 20.3 (code-named "Una") has finally exited beta, giving countless computer nerds around the world something to do this weekend. And yes, this includes me -- I had nothing planned other than a trip to Costco on Saturday and watching my New York Jets lose on Sunday. But now I will be installing the stable version of Linux Mint 20.3 "Una" as well. Huzzah!

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Will Linux Mint 20.3 make 2022 the fabled "Year of Linux on the Desktop?" Absolutely not. However, that won't stop some fans of the Ubuntu-based operating system from making that prediction. While it won't dethrone Windows anytime soon, the release of a stable Linux Mint 20.3 is imminent.

You see, today, the Linux Mint developers share that version 20.3 of the operating system will be released this week! Sadly, the devs missed the Christmas 2021 deadline they previously shared -- a major disappointment. Oh well, users simply had more time to play with the Beta release. At least the wait for Linux Mint 20.3 -- code-named "Una" -- will be over soon.

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Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu -- that is pretty common knowledge. But did you know there is a different version of the operating system that is instead based on Debian? It's true! Called "Linux Mint Debian Edition," or "LMDE" for short, it is far less popular than the "regular" Mint. Then why does it exist? Believe it or not, it exists (partly) to serve as a contingency plan in case Ubuntu ever stops being developed.

Today is November 1, and the Linux Mint developers have shared some monthly development news that is largely boring. One small tidbit of information is interesting, however; Linux Mint Debian Edition 4 (code-named "Debbie") will ditch the Mozilla Firefox ESR web browser. LMDE 4 will instead move users to the normal "rapid release" variant.

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All Linux distributions are not created equally. In other words, it is absolutely not correct to say "Linux is Linux." Not only are there differences under the hood with things like package managers and kernel versions, but more user-focused variations too, such as the actual desktop environment. Unlike Windows that only offers one interface, there are several for Linux-based operating systems. Ultimately, a user's Linux experience can vary wildly based on distro.

But what Linux distribution is best for a beginner? This is an impossible question to answer definitively, but to attempt to do so, it is important to first define what a "beginner" actually is. Are they a first-time computer user or more likely, a longtime Windows user looking to switch to Linux? While the former is a blank canvas, the latter has many existing computing habits and expectations. And so, looking for something that doesn't deviate far from the traditional Windows user interface.

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Back in July, we shared with you that Linux Mint 20.3 would be released around Christmas. Unfortunately, that was pretty much all we knew about the upcoming version of the Ubuntu-based operating system. Thankfully, today, the developers give us some more details.

Not only do we now know the name of Linux Mint 20.3, but the moniker of the upcoming Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) 5 too. Following Mint's tradition of only using female names, the former will be named "Una," while the latter shall be called "Elsie."

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Windows 11 is a great operating system. It hasn't even left beta status yet, but is absolutely the best desktop operating system Microsoft has ever created. Seriously, folks, it is exceptional. If your computer is compatible with it, and you like Windows 10, you will probably enjoy Windows11 even more -- if you keep an open mind.

You see, the upcoming Windows 11 is likely to be quite polarizing. It features radical changes to the user interface (such as a centered task bar) which I adore, but other users are sure to dislike. Not to mention, the system requirements will leave many still-capable computers unable to upgrade. Even worse, you might be left without updates! These unfortunate computer owners will have to decide whether to continue using Windows 10 or buy a new Windows 11-compatible PC.

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There are a lot of great desktop environments for Linux, such as Cinnamon, KDE Plasma, and Xfce to name a few. With that said, only one can be the best, and that is GNOME. If you prefer a different environment, you are simply wrong or ignorant on the subject. You know what? That's fine. As they say, ignorance is bliss, so if you are happy not using GNOME, more power to you.

For those of us superior Linux users that prefer GNOME, it is time to get excited. You see, as of today, the GNOME 41 Beta is officially here! Keep in mind, the Beta tag is quite literal -- unless you are a Beta tester or Linux developer, you shouldn't be bothering with it just yet.

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There are a lot of Linux-based operating systems these days, and if you have some free time, I suggest trying as many as you can. Think of it like fruit -- apples are great, but you shouldn't stop after just tasting that. The world is full of different choices, such as mangoes, bananas, and oranges. The same can be said of Linux -- even if you really like, say, Ubuntu, you should also test Fedora, Mageia, and more.

Today, yet another distro hits a major milestone; SparkyLinux achieves version 6.0. Code-named "Po Tolo," it is a rolling release operating system that is based on the brand-new Debian 11 "Bullseye." Sparky aims to be easy on system resources, with choices of three main desktop environments -- LXQt, KDE, and Xfce. This lightweight operating system can breathe new life into aging computers. SparkyLinux even still supports older 32-bit processors.

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