Mint differs from Debian in its approach and focus, offering a lightweight, user-friendly experience.
Mint differs from Debian in its approach and focus, offering a lightweight, user-friendly experience.
Linux emphasizes flexibility, which is one of the reasons I favor Debian; you can tailor your setup exactly as needed. If you don’t like the standard “Debian desktop,” switch to KDE, Cinnamon, or Gnome and experiment freely. Remove any packages you don’t use by maintaining a record of what you’ve installed with apt. I began using KDE around 2004 because its interface closely resembled Windows, making the transition smoother after working professionally with Windows. Now I manage Windows for others, so I only need to install TeamViewer. KDE has changed since then, just like Windows, but it handles features like right-click context menus and root login more intuitively. The root authentication challenge often bothers me when I don’t have my own setup. Some suggest avoiding root logins; I personally prefer doing admin tasks without logging in as root—unless I’m directly editing system files, in which case I use sudo instead. Make sure to configure appropriate console colors (via root’s ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile) so root sessions are clearly visible. Ultimately, choosing a distro that fits your needs is fine, but too many customizations can complicate troubleshooting if issues arise.
Mint involves utilizing a computer for various tasks. LibreOffice offers guides and writing resources, while spreadsheets help manage business operations or track items. Many sound applications aid in learning the violin with a partner. Tools like Screenshot capture images for documents or demonstrate processes. Web browsers such as Firefox and Chromium are essential. Using lowercase consistently can change meanings, so Edge isn't ideal for screen focus. We treat computers as work tools, not just entertainment devices. Writing in all lowercase doesn’t imply casual use—it supports productivity.
It’s confusing because I’m not sure exactly what a distro does. Usually it’s seen as just the kernel plus a desktop environment, but I’m still unclear where the distro really fits in.
Previously I've installed Mint on more than 100 devices, including over 60 laptops. This suggests a strong endorsement for the app. Regarding Edge, if you don't mind privacy concerns, it's a solid alternative. What do you think of "actually pretty cool"? A web browser simply helps locate and show information. The term "coolness" doesn't really apply here.
Edge stands out since it’s essential for capturing market share. It offers strong performance and flexibility in customization. There are many available extensions. I’ve also noticed that certain videos don’t play well in Firefox, but Edge functions properly.
It's the standard Windows browser, which doesn't necessarily indicate strong market presence. How many different browsers have you used? Firefox, Chromium, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, Tor (for privacy), Safari (on Apple devices), Arc. What personal tweaks do you make? Extensions? Which ones? Which videos fail to play in Firefox? Or is the issue with their site itself? Yes, some websites don't function well in Firefox. Our tax department's website stopped working a few years ago and had to be completely redesigned.
I tested Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Brave; Edge has been my go-to since 2020 and works well. Customization isn’t my top priority, but I appreciate the vertical tabs. Some browsers might suit others better, though Edge isn’t terrible for that. For extensions, the Chrome Store offers most options, but Chrome restricts YouTube downloads—you can work around it. Firefox had issues with wcostream.tv, and YouTube was disappointing on Firefox, which helped me choose Edge in 2020. Performance is likely Edge’s biggest strength, second only to Chrome but smoother with many tabs. Privacy-wise, it’s probably better than Chrome overall, though it may not be ideal for full performance outside Edge. It seems Microsoft limits full video playback outside Edge as well. I’m open to trying other browsers if you have recommendations, especially considering Edge’s quirks on Linux.
I'm about to mention something about the mouse wheel autoscroll feature. If that's what you're referring to, it should be available in edge://flags with an autoscroll extension. X11 required using the middle wheel click for pasting, which didn't exist on Linux until recently. There are solutions I mentioned earlier, though they might cause unexpected paste issues in places like Google Docs. Wayland appears to have fixed this limitation, but I'm sure you're still using X11. This situation really frustrates me and worries me about accidentally pasting something bad into my work documents.
It’s basically a set of packages along with their settings, accessible through your package manager. These include the standard pre-set configurations and the ready-made versions that enable core functionality of the distribution. There are many ways to tweak these options for almost every software you use on Linux, and the "distro developers" manage these settings while focusing on the overall user experience. The decisions they make affect how users actually interact with the system, shaping the entire platform. These range from simple choices like the init system or network tools, to more complex ones such as CUPS support or the inclusion of KDE/Plasma components. High-level choices include the default desktop environment, its appearance, and font style. So if you prefer S6 with no CUPS support and dwm as your display manager, why would you choose Xubuntu?