![]() ![]() The design and usability features are one of the reasons that I favor the Cinnamon desktop. The Linux Mint 21 Welcome screen guides you through all the setup steps after installation, and is also a handy reminder of what needs updating periodically. The process even includes activating the built-in firewall, which is an item many users overlook. The steps include desktop color selections, selecting traditional or modern panel layout, updating drivers and system components, setting up system settings, and the software manager. A green-themed Launch button sets each part of the process in motion. Each segment briefly explains what’s covered. The main window area walks you through each phase of updating system components and basic desktop configuration. This is especially useful for new users unfamiliar with Linux in general - and LM in particular. The panel’s left column panel provides a great index for accessing general information, documentation, and first steps completion. Even for seasoned Linux users, Linux Mint’s approach is fast and convenient in doing all the first-run tasks. They all could take a lesson for how to do it right using Linux Mint as an example. Welcome screens are becoming a standard setup routine for Linux installations. From the initial loading of the live session DVD to the flawless installation, I was up and running in under 30 minutes. The Vanessa release rekindled my appreciation for how tightly knit Linux Mint is as a computing platform. Since Cinnamon is my favorite desktop, I focused on that edition for this review. Read on to see what is pulling me back to Linux Mint. The LM 21 editions include the most recent versions of the three supported desktop environments: Cinnamon 5.4, Xfce 4.16, and MATE 1.26. Those new features are in the MATE and Xfce editions as well. I discovered quite a few features that my current Cinnamon edition does not offer. I was curious about what I might be missing. My Linux reviewing wanderlust got the best of me with the release of Linux Mint 21, however. Being able to quickly install replacement OSes with a similar look and feel is not possible with Windows or macOS. ![]() The ability to pick and choose operating systems and configuration options is one of the shiny pearls you can polish your way with Linux. I’ve been very happy with its performance and usability options ever since. My go-to Linux distro became Ubuntu Cinnamon Remix, later renamed CinnaBuntu. I had reviewed a then-new Cinnamon remix distro released by an independent Linux developer. I then jumped to a near-clone of Linux Mint, Feren OS, and was a happy user until that distro’s developers made a radical design change and moved away from the traditional Cinnamon desktop. Once my daily Linux driver, I had a major falling out several years ago with this distribution, when an upgrade delivered some nagging issues that led to unpleasant responses - and no solutions - from the Linux Mint tech support community. ![]() Making that recommendation is a significant step for me. It comes in a choice of Ubuntu- or Debian-base flavors. Then one of your best options is the upgrade to Linux Mint 21 “Vanessa” released on July 30. Is your favorite Linux desktop Cinnamon, MATE, or Xfce? Or you are hankering for a change to something different and potentially better? ![]()
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