I was having problems running Cinnamon after an update, so I had to relog and run Mate. It's nice having this option. Anyway, once I got an idea on what was going on, I just ran SMXI and quit the X desktop, and followed the instructions to update/reset the kernel. I kept the old kernel (actually update) just in case, but as it turns out, everything works fine now. Cinnamon is running, and I do prefer it over Mate, but either will work fine. I have to say, without SMXI this wouldn't have been possible for me. (hooray for zero errors!)
I haven't tried Mint 16 yet but will upgrade my daughters laptop tonight. I was running LMDE on my systems but have slowly converted entirely to Fedora - running f20 Beta currently. We'll still continue to support Mint
Been running ubuntu for about eight years now.. Always liked it, even when I had a problem of some kind and had to search out the answers.. It may be time to try something new on one of my other laptops..
I'm still using Mint 13 as my main OS. Will probably keep it long as it is supported. Used to switch every time a newer distro came out, too much like work for so little advancement.
Would seem that about the time I grew very comfortable with a distribution along comes a new one. However, when the op sys is free it really didn't matter if it was supported or not. Or should I say, when it is a stable distribution it dosnt matter...
I remember around the time when Linux Mint first came out, it wasn't so hot. They really have made significant improvements and gone above and beyond the expected over the years. That's why I continue to try and buy a disc at every stable release and support Linux. Plus, I despise Micros*ft. I won't even type the name, they suck so much.
I think Mint 6 was the first one that would work on my old HP laptop. I liked what a local Ham called microshaft or microcrap, he wouldn't say the name either. I just usually refer to it be version, such as, XP or win 7 etc. Melbo was the one I credit for getting me into Linux. I have XP on that old laptop duel booted with Mint 9, newer versions won't work in the wireless mode. I think Mint 10 did, but I switched it back to 9 for the support, but that's run out to some degree now. On my desktop, I had the option of win 7 or 8, I stayed with 7 but as I said above, I'm still using Mint 13, (duel booted), and will probably leave it until 2017 or whenever support runs out for it, since it's a long term distro. However, sometimes computers don't last that long. I do have one of those little Netbooks, guess folks are going to tablet now, but I have Mint 13 duel booted with XP on it, I can still run most of my old basic and Quickbasic self made programs on it. Haven't figured out how to do that in 7. I don't use them much, if at all, anymore.
I tend to mess around a break things, like xp and vista.. Found it nice that I could mess about in linux and not worry so much. Run a dual boot xp and ubuntu on a laptop my son gave me after he got a new one. As I am old and not all "that" on computers, it has been a learning expirance..
I can relate to the old part. However experience comes with age. We get better, just more tired. When I get things set up the way I like them, getting me to change is like trying to pull teeth that are no longer there. Ain't gonna happen without a fight.
I am willing to try something else and if I like it well enough, keep it! When it comes to working in terminal, as I have had to do on occasion , well, I do need help..
Terminal! Sounds kinda like the walk of death! There are a few thing I do in terminal or at a prompt in Krusader using command language. I was, back in the day, very proficient at working in DOS, that was even before all this windows crap came out, also I could program in Basic and then QuickBasic. However, those days are past and now, I just want to stick with what I have that works and live in peace. I am forced to work in windows on occasions, mostly just for PowerPoint presentations etc., for the local Church. Making DVDs is easier in windows but Linux is free, easy to do many of the daily, at home things I want to do and here is the real beauty to me. Updating installed software, or installing software, doesn't require shutdown and restart, and it is kinda left up to the individual what all he wishes to update. Oh, and I've never had a problem with malware and viruses in Linux. That, and I tend these days to go with this, "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it"!
And if you do not want all the updates then you can choose not to.. Did an update once. It updated the boot grub and it messed up my dual boot. Have the family using ubuntu now, and having a lot less complaints from them about problems with the computers... Been thinking about doing a usb set up.. Have set ubuntu on an external HD so I could connect on any computer.. But still, I am neophyte and can make no claims of knowing what I am doing, that is one of the true strengths of the linux op sys.. If you break it, junk it and reinstall!!
If an update asks to change something, just select keep, then the boot grub won't be changed. Melbo told me that. I tried loading or I should say installing Linux onto an external and to this day, I can't do anything with that drive. Fact is, I think I gave up and pitched it. However, the best way to get some type of external to work would be with a flash drive. Those work out fairly good, long as the computer you are using will recognize them at boot-up. The easiest way to do that, without any worry, is to use Liberte Link - http://sourceforge.net/projects/liberte/ It takes up very little space on the flashdrive and is easy to install, the first boot up you have to wait for it to set up your drive, etc. You do need to have a windows computer do the initial install. After that, it will work as advertised, just have to have the right type of computer to boot into the flashdrive. Otherwise there is also a way, I did it once, to install a regular distro of Linux on a flashdrive, or you can pay for one like at this place, OSDisc.com - Buy Linux CDs and DVDs - New Releases. Low Prices. I have no experience with them, so can't speak for their reputation.
Have had good results from installing to a hard drive.. Did it by pulling the existing hard drive and replacing it with the one I wanted to install linux to, then swope them back after install.. Most newer laptops will allow changing the boot order in the bios to allow booting from usb.
Just an update to this thread, being it is about Mint, Mint 17 is now out, well for all intents, it's been out a while, but I just installed it on my netbook, desktop to follow soon. Supposed to be a long term support distro. As a side note. I still have an old HP laptop running on xp and Mint 9. I just fired it up the other day to test Mint 17 and checked for updates. Even though support has ended, I still got a few updates to it. Did not install 17 on it, because 17 didn't recognize the wireless device in the computer. No issue with that in the newer netbook. 17 Looks pretty good, I use Mate. I'm running 13 on my desktop, but have issues with the internet dropping and reconnecting. This issue started when I switched to a faster connection from the provider, issue is Linux, not windows, related. Funny thing is, it doesn't happen with Fedora 20 or with Mint 17 either on the netbook or the live dvd, only with mint 13. Did not appear until I went to the faster service and then only with mint 13. Mint 9 on the old laptop is not effected either. Have looked for solution but so far upgrading to 17 seems to be the only alternative. More on Fedora 20 in one of those threads. Maybe.
