Linux Mint is the most popular Linux distribution worldwide and its not surprising as its polished and runs smoothly. After giving up on Windows a few years ago, I use it exclusively at home. Unfortunately at the office I’m still on Windows, but I expect to be free of Windows very soon.
Linux Mint 17.1 Rebecca is a long term support release that will be supported until 2019. In this article we will cover a few changes and additions to Linux Mint 17.1 Rebecca.
System Requirements
- x86 processor (Linux Mint 64-bit requires a 64-bit processor. Linux Mint 32-bit works on both 32-bit and 64-bit processors).
- 512MB RAM (1GB recommended for a comfortable usage).
- 9GB of disk space (20GB recommended).
- Graphics card capable of 800×600 resolution (1024×768 recommended).
- DVD drive or USB port.
Under the Hood
Rebecca; the new release of Linux Mint 17.1 isn’t based on the latest Ubuntu release 14.10 which has been always the case instead it’s based on Ubuntu 14.04 Long Term Support (LTS).
Sound
The login sound is directly handled by Cinnamon and plays in sync with the login sequence.
Mouse
Linux Mint 17.1 now supports single-button touchpads and actions for 2-finger and 3-finger clicks are configurable their default values corresponds to right-click and middle-click.
Privacy Settings
The privacy settings are added and they are now accessible from Menu → System Settings → Preferences → Privacy.
Notification Settings
The notification settings are added and they are now accessible from Menu → System Settings → Preferences → Notifications.
Update Manager
The update manager which could be accessed from Menu → Administrator → Update manager, can now group packages with respect to their source package as seen below.
Applications
Linux Mint 17.1 comes with LibreOffice 4.2.6 for its office suite; the web browser is Firefox 34; Thunderbird 3.12 for email; and Pidgin 2.10.9 for instant messaging. You can always add more applications by downloading and installing them from the software manager that could be accessed from Menu → Administration → Software Manager.
First thing I did was install Google Chrome. Have not used FireFox in years, but of course that’s down to personal preference.
New Nemo
Nemo toolbar has been totally redesigned and it’s now configurable, also it’s worth noting that Nemo now has support for emblems, you can access them by right clicking and selecting properties.
Language Settings
A face-lift to the language settings dialog has taken place in this new release of Linux Mint 17.1, it allows the user to change the locale and input methods in a snap, as well as a button to install or remove languages.
These were the top new things you need to know about Linux Mint 17.1 Rebecca, of course there are more than the updates stated in this post like the new themes and personal configurations which we’ll go through in later articles.
