Linux Mint: A Very Good Alternative to Windows XP
After a week of setting up my old pc for linux mint and using it for almost everyday, here’s what I found out about this distro. This is totally from a linux beginner’s point of view.
Installation
The disc that I used came from their website and downloading the ISO finished after 4 to 5 hours using a 512 kbps DSL connection. Installing linux mint took no longer than 12 minutes. Yeah, that fast. I’m a bit surprised there coz’ a fresh install of Windows XP normally consumes 30-45 minutes. How’s that for a first impression? Also let me add, you can actually test and run Linux Mint from the disc without harming your current operating system. I believe this is also true to all linux distro. All you need to do is set your BIOS to boot the Live CD and wait for the desktop to load.
Let me think here, If I am not mistaken the installation is a 7 step process and even a fifth grader would know how easy it was. Kidding aside, it is really very easy to install. You can either use the entire disk space (recommended) or set up a partition on a free space of your hard disk. However, using a partition on this installation would lengthen the setup process and it may take at least 45 minutes to set things up. Still not bad.
The Desktop & Usability
I chose to install Linux Mint in a separate partition and it automatically sets my pc to have boot options for dual OS. Linux will be the default one and XP on the side. Booting time tops at 30 seconds before it reaches this GNOME panel. This is where you type in your user name and password and is also similar to windows logon screen.
At first glance, you can see the some similarities to Windows including that “Start” button though it was labeled “Daryna”, the time and the desktop icons though this one is much sexier. The first thing that I checked is the internet. Linux comes with a pre-installed Firefox browser and an instant messenger called “Pidgin” which you can use to chat using multiple IM platform. So far, I didn’t find any issues at all except that I am used to the default font of Firefox in Windows XP. Open Office is also pre-installed as well as Gimp, a photoshop look alike.
All in all, it was a perfect alternative to Windows XP because all the basic softwares that you need for an operating system comes straight out-of-the-box. And I forgot to mention that Java, codecs and support for DVD playback are indeed working flawlessly. For a newbie like me, It was such a great experience learning this new OS. I can say that the transition is as smooth as silk, with no fuss no whatsoever. It was fun and exciting at the same time.
Now, my next mission is how to get that “BURN” effect working similar to those videos found in youtube. Oh well, that I have to find out. See you in my next post.
P.S.
If you want a step by step and detailed installation of Linux Mint “Daryna” version then check this post from howtoforge.com
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sana nga tumaas PR nito. PR3 na pala sysad mo na blog e.
This is cooler site than my 000webshoting blog.. hehehe,
Anyway, thanks ulit sa pag share neto… kinakabahan lang ako baka pag 2 or 3 years na blog natin dito, bigla mag offline.. sayang naman..
Pa link naman sysad blog ko.. hehehe tataas PR nitong blog mo eh, sigurado.