Whenever newbies are recommended some distributions, Linux Mint is the first one mentioned. Let's take into consideration an edition with the Mate desktop, because this graphical shell is quite lightweight, but at the same time well-customizable in all important details. (For example, unlike in XFCE and LXQt, here you can specify the speed and sensitivity of the touchpad.) How does it differ from SparkyLinux Mate and Debian Mate from the point of view of a simple user? Here is an easy installation of nVidia drivers and a better design refinement. Although, the settings are almost the same.
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| Linux Mint Mate |
First, open any window, clutch the title with the mouse, move it left and right quickly and check for screen tearing. After all, Mint is based on Ubuntu, so anything can happen. If a part of the window shifts, not keeping up with the movement, then try to cure it. The positive point of being Ubuntu-based is a fairly easy possibility to install additional drivers. Find the Control Center program in the main menu, go to the Driver Manager section, and then everything is obvious.
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| Driver Manager |
Didn't help? Then you'll have to try another release, an earlier one. Or, on the contrary, a more recent one. The rule is very simple: in order for the operating system to get along with the hardware as best as possible, you need to choose a release that was produced approximately in the same year you purchased the computer or a little later. A couple of years after purchasing the device at most. Then the Linux kernel will contain the most suitable drivers. (A support for "outdated" hardware is removed from new kernels. Capitalism, what can you do. Sponsors of Linux developers want people to run to stores for hardware more often, throwing away still good but "outdated" equipment.) Therefore, we have to look at several versions on the official Mint website and patiently try them. If one doesn't fit, we download another release. For example, this review shows Linux Mint 21.3 "Virginia" MATE Edition based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (which is considered to be almost the best Ubuntu during all two decades of its existence).
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| Touchpad settings |
In SparkyLinux Mate and in the original Debian Mate, setting up the touchpad is somewhat difficult. The window does not fit into small laptop displays. Here, in Mint, this minor flaw has been eliminated. You will not have to drag that window up, holding down the Alt key, the buttons at the bottom are visible anyway.
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| Sound |
The doctrine of maximum inconvenience requires that at least some moments must be annoying. So that people would radiate the energy of negative emotions. Therefore, everywhere and always, in any distribution, even in the most niche and of little use to anyone, all sounds of system notifications are enabled by default. Let's go to the settings, to the Control Center, which we have already found in the main menu. We will look for the Sound section and put a tick next to Mute in the Alert volume line.
The second annoying moment is that the Caja file manager tries to open the contents of the connected phone even before the user has given the go-ahead by touching the device's screen. So Caja fills the desktop with messages about some ridiculous error. We will disable such a dull behaviour in the file manager settings: Edit — Preferences — Media — uncheck Browse media when inserted.
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| Caja settings |
The keyboard layout is being assigned very simply. First, you need to add it: Control Center — Keyboard — Layouts — Add. Now we will assign a key combination for switching: Options button — Switching to another layout — mark the desired option.
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| The keyboard layout |
Everything else, including the period of inactivity before the screen lock and all sorts of design elements, is a matter of taste and preference. You can safely choose a dark theme (unlike in SparkyLinux Mate), the main menu will not remain light.
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| A dark theme |
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| Fonts |
It's time to move on to the very important question of whether it is possible to listen to music while working. Yes, it is possible, the kit includes Celluloid which is very good and plays everything without any stuttering.
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| Celluloid |
However, if you plan to work with audio and video, you need a full set of multimedia codecs that will be used by different programs. Control Center — System Reports — the green button Install the Multimedia Codecs — follow the instructions on the screen.
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| System Reports |
What are these Firewall settings? It's very simple: activate the switch, type your password, then forget about this matter forever. What exactly did you do? You prohibited everyone from connecting to your device over the network. Now only connections initiated from your computer are allowed. For a simple user, this level of security is quite sufficient.
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| Firewall |
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| Startup Applications |
The easiest way to remove Evolution from the system is using Synaptic Package Manager (or simply Package Manager, as indicated in the main menu.) Find it (the button with the magnifying glass), right-click to mark it for removal and click Apply. You can also install applications by selecting Mark for Installation. For example, the MPV media player:
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| Synaptic Package Manager |
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| Software Manager |
Keep in mind that, immediately after connecting to the internet, Linux Mint enters the Greenwich Mean Time into the computer hardware, since this distribution is based on Ubuntu and inherits such an unpleasant behaviour from it. Therefore, it is better not to install Linux Mint next to another operating system for dual-booting on the same device, otherwise you will have to manually reset the clock each time.
The best option is to buy a used "outdated" laptop at a modest price (cheap, because it is no longer suitable for Windows) and get acquainted with the world of Linux on it, without making changes to the main device (it will also become "outdated" inevitably, and your new skills will come in handy).