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Linux Mint 13 Xfce released: Installation tour

Summary: Not just a refuge for those disillusioned with Gnome and KDE, the Linux Mint 13 Xfce distribution stands on its own merits

J.A. Watson

By for Jamie's Mostly Linux Stuff |

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Linux Mint 13 Xfce

It's been a relatively long time since the Release Candidate arrived, but the final release of Linux Mint 13 Xfce is now available.

The release on Saturday will be good news to those who are looking for a solid, stable alternative to the Gnome and KDE desktops, but to describe it only in those terms would not do it justice. Xfce is a very good desktop itself, and although it is generally thought of as a 'lightweight and fast' alternative, in this distribution it has been configured as a fully-loaded system, essentially the same as the Mint Gnome and KDE versions.

The distribution ISO image is approximately 800MB, which is too large to fit on a CD, so it would have to be burned to a DVD. A better option, in my opinion, is to install from USB flash media. If you have a running Linux system already, you can simply dd the image to a USB stick, or you can use the unetbootin utility to create a bootable USB stick from it.

Either way, once you boot the live image you can run the mintInstall utility to install to your hard drive. The installation process will take about a quarter of an hour: once that is finished you can reboot, log in via the MDM (Mint Display Manager, which replaces the normal GDM or Ubuntu LightDM) and you will get this desktop (pictured).

This should be a very familiar-looking desktop to most Linux users (and Windows users, for that matter) with desktop icons to access your home directory (folder) and the overall file system, and if you have other partitions on your hard drive, they will have icons on the desktop by default at this point also. Mine looks a bit cluttered here because I have a lot of partitions for a lot of different Linux distributions on my systems.

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Topics: Linux, Open Source, Reviews

About

I started working with what we called "analog computers" in aircraft maintenance with the United States Air Force in 1970. After finishing military service and returning to university, I was introduced to microprocessors and machine language programming on Intel 4040 processors. After that I also worked on, operated and programmed Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-8, PDP-11 (/45 and /70) and VAX minicomputers. I was involved with the first wave of Unix-based microcomputers, in the early '80s. I have been working in software development, operation, installation and support since then.

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17 comments
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  • A better Window GUI than Windows 8

    I am starting to suspect that Linux might gain several percentage points of market share by virtue of Microsoft trying to touch-ify the desktop.
    ITTech001
    Reply 9 Votes

    • Not very likely

      Apple, with OS X and the iPad, will be the most likely company to benefit from Windows 8. Next in line will be Android tablets. And watch for Windows 7 to remain popular with both consumers and enterprises (thus, Microsoft will not be hurt as badly as many believe).

      If you had stated "I am starting to suspect that Linux might gain *up to several tenths of a percentage point* of market share by virtue of Microsoft trying to touch-ify the desktop", I might agree. Android has beaten WebOS and it will likely beat the GNU/Linux desktop for most consumers as well.

      I am not predicting the demise of the GNU/Linux desktop. It will continue to be a platform users choose for:
      o system and database administration
      o development
      o workstations (science, engineering, etc.)
      o PCs

      Back on topic. The Xfce desktop environment has become my favorite and I have used it on my GNU/Linux desktop systems since I first tried it with Debian 5.0.
      Rabid Howler Monkey
      Reply 4 Votes

    • Umm

      That's called wishful thinking.
      NoAxToGrind
      Reply Vote

  • Linux Mint 13 Xfce released: Installation tour

    Mint 13 Xfce looks to be great release.
    RickLively
    Reply 6 Votes

  • Windoze fanboys still won't get it

    Even with comic book text and big pictures to go by, they'll still complicate things and screw it up.
    CaviarBlack
    Reply 5 Votes

  • Re; Windoze fanboys still won't get it

    Fanboys of ANY description hardly ever gets it right.

    Windoze fanboys are only different in that they come in higher numbers.
    In other respects there is no difference.
    hkommedal
    Reply 3 Votes

    • Windoze fanboys are only different in that they come in higher numbers.

      "In other respects there is no difference."

      Yes there is, most, or probably nearly every Linux user has used windows before, but most windows fanboys have never even used Linux before, so they shouldn't comment or pass judgement on an OS they have never even used.
      guzz46
      Reply 3 Votes

      • How about me

        I have a Linux box, couple of Windows(7) machines and the wife uses a Mac. Hands down Windows is my go to for real work. Sorry but that's just how it is.
        NoAxToGrind
        Reply 3 Votes

        • thats how it is -for you

          Don't forget its what kind of work you do. I am the opposite - I need linux for the "real work" because it provides out of the box capabilities that in windows you seem to need some 3rd party software package to do what a single built in shell command can do.
          If you don't see the need for linux, you don't need it.
          deathjazz68
          Reply 3 Votes

        • How about you?

          I can say all that too. That doesn't make it true.
          CaviarBlack
          Reply 1 Vote

        • How about me

          Hands down Linux is my go to for real work. Sorry but that's just how it is, infact I don't even touch windows.
          guzz46
          Reply 2 Votes

    • Windoze fanboys are only different in that they come in higher numbers

      And that makes all the difference in the world. It means their stupidity is larger.
      CaviarBlack
      Reply 2 Votes

  • DONT' USE UNETBOOT - INSTEAD USE IMAGEWRITER

    I've used Linux for several years and i don't know why making USB-sticks with Unetboot don't work well when i have planned to install OS via USB. Nowadays i usually made live-USB-sticks with ImageWriter.
    Matsi66
    Reply 1 Vote

  • I disagree with Linux Mint 13 MATE...

    ...because it is indeed great one: stable and you can customize your desktop much better than Cinnamon.
    Matsi66
    Reply 2 Votes

  • francisco antonio de araujo silva

    rua onze quadra bv lote 19 morada do sol itaborai rio de janeiro brasil cep 24800-000 e maill fd.silva1965@uol.com.br telefone 2196921246
    ABL/UK/58963501
    Reply Vote

  • Linux failed when Vista came out

    I thought when Vista was a failure that Linux could possibly capitalize. But alas it never did.
    I think users just stayed with XP until Windows 7 came out. Now that Windows 7 is a popular OS from Microsoft and Vista days are gone. I do not see Linux gaining anything on either Apple or Microsoft. I myself plan to stick with Windows 7 as long as its supported and wait for Microsoft's next move after Windows 8. If it fails worse then Windows 8 i'll just switch 100% to Mac's which I would say I am already 60% using now. Linux is a OK system in terms of Android on a smartphone or tablet. But in terms of laptop or desktop? I'll have to pass.
    jscott418-22447200638980614791982928182376
    Reply Vote

  • Looks like Windows with a MacOS Skin

    I guess if you can run the apps on it that make you happy, connect to a network, a printer (if need be) and do other things that you should be able to do on a PC then why not. Maybe I will rebuild my Mom's PC using Mint and then tell her that it's Windows 8.
    sharkboyjohn
    Reply 1 Vote
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