Test Driving the Latest Linux Mint 6 KDE
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Let’s take a look at the all new Linux Mint edition, the Linux Mint 6 KDE Edition. Because of the highly dedicated people behind the development of this computer, Linux Mint has reached star popularity within only a few short years. The Linux Mint is based on Kubuntu 8.10 and has become an elegant multimedia complementary program for Kubuntu.
What does the KDE have now that will not be found in the previous version? First, it has an AMD K8 nForce 250gb motherboard, an AMD Sempron 2800+ processor, an Nvidia GeForce FX5500 video card, a 512-MB RAM, an LG CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive and a 17” BenQ T720 monitor. It also comes in 1.1 GB ISO image that was immediately recorded in DVD. It makes use of the 2.6.27 Linux kernel version and operates on Xorg 7.4.
The moment the DVD is in the drive, it boots the live environment in real time. What will pop out would be the regular KDE login screen and desktop and the Application Launcher button that serves as the Linux Mint trademark. The “minty” look can be yours if you would just customize the wallpaper choosing from the many elegant styles it offers. The interface is still the familiar old Mint look they used in the previous version.
The mintupdate 3 Update Manager reveals that it already contains the newest KDE 4.2.2 packages. After installation, you are on your way in the Mint journey. You simply have to enable the latest KDE 4.2.2 packages before you can start using them.
When installing the video drivers so that you can truly enjoy all the benefits, proceed to the Hardware Drivers under tools. You will now find the Nvidia driver for the graphics card. However, simply clicking on the “Activate” button will not initiate installation. You will need the EnvyNG tool to do this. Once you are done with the installation of the KDE 4.2.2 and Nvidia packages, you can fully explore.
You will find that it contains the OpenOffice 2.4 suite. Users have noticed that this is more troublesome to use than the 3.0 version because the incompatibility between KDE 4.2.2 and OpenOffice 2.4 resulted in a flickering desktop. This only stops if you open another application. But if you would be patient enough, installing OpenOffice 3.0 would clear the problem.
Now its time to try out the Internet capability of the desktop computer. Proceeding to Mozilla Firefox 3.0.8 will show that it has already installed the following: QuickTime, DivX, RealPlayer 9 and Windows Media Player. Java and Flash were also part of the program. Great!
For those out there who are interested in the Linux Mint latest version, it is good to know that it has all the tools already available such as minInstall, mintUpdate, mintAssistant, mintNanny and mintBackup. But mintUpload seems to be missing and can only be found in the Mint 6 version. Fortunately though, mintInstall will reveal great software managers that can provide screenshots, user reviews and average scores for the most widely-used applications. No more need to open a browser to do this.
What’s more is that it contains other software like Ktorrent, Sweeper system cleaner, Amarok 2.0, Knode news reader and Emerald Theme Manager, among many others. Samba also exhibits good connectivity with Windows devices within the network you’re in.
Linux Mint 6 KDE is clearly top-of-the-line. It is elegant and very useful for many technical people. However, there are still some glitches that need to be covered by its maker. But just like any technical device that is new in the market, its all a matter of getting used to for all users.