Review MX14 by LinuxHelpGuy

[kmathern]

...There is some program that got added late in the MX-14 release that spews text and empty lines to the boot screen. IMO we should really get this program to act more politely. It gives the appearance that something has gone wrong and it forces potentially useful text off of the screen. ...

I don't think I've ever noticed that, any idea which program?

[asqwerth]

I told her MX was faster, more efficient, and was a highly competent and complete OS, but that didn't change her order of preference, which was Mint Cinnamon, Mint Mate, and lastly, MX14.

So make MX-14 look like Mint, add Plymouth, then remaster it.

Chris

Not that good at customisation, to be honest.

Not sure how, without pulling in cinnamon (and everything it comes with) which doesn't run on my machine. Is it even in the debian repos?

Mate, maybe, but not sure about the menu panel they use.

I can give her mint icons, maybe change the colour of the title bar, but it still wouldn't have the polish of mint.

I'm of the view that I should give her what she feels comfortable with. This is after all going to be her first Linux OS. Get her predisposed to Linux first, feel happy with the interface, feel happy using it.

Later on, who knows?

[uncle mark]

I'm of the view that I should give her what she feels comfortable with. This is after all going to be her first Linux OS. Get her predisposed to Linux first, feel happy with the interface, feel happy using it.

Mint is a good choice for a new user. As good as MX is and as much as Xfce has improved, a klooless XP refugee needs as much handholding and pointy-clickity and soothing polish as possible. MEPIS used to be what I recommended and installed; now I go with Mint KDE for new converts.

That does not in any way reflect poorly on MX, and frankly, I don't think there's much point in wanting to make MX into something it's not.

[BitJam]

I don't think I've ever noticed that, any idea which program?

I think the program is modem-manager. I've attached a screenshot. I used vga=795 to get it all on the screen. I've also included a shot of what it looks like at the default resolution.

[SilverBear]

I'm of the view that I should give her what she feels comfortable with. This is after all going to be her first Linux OS. Get her predisposed to Linux first, feel happy with the interface, feel happy using it.

Mint is a good choice for a new user. As good as MX is and as much as Xfce has improved, a klooless XP refugee needs as much handholding and pointy-clickity and soothing polish as possible. MEPIS used to be what I recommended and installed; now I go with Mint KDE for new converts.

That does not in any way reflect poorly on MX, and frankly, I don't think there's much point in wanting to make MX into something it's not.

Good point, Unk. [WARNING! Rambling Reply to follow:]

I need to admit up front-- I've never tried Mint! :lipsrsealed: Never needed to, never wanted to --except out of curiosity. . . but then I didn't have the time/energy. I DO strongly agree that there needs to be a Linux distro that does what you say! But I'm personally (a bit) averse to "Ubuntu derivatives" (for reasons we can put on pause for now). BUT I do not deny the usefulness of Mint or any other distro on that basis. One of the "solidest" guys in our local Western New York LUG is a big user-community supporter of ArtistX, which is Ubuntu-derived. People will --and they need to-- go with what works for them.

I think there is a basic problem --NOT insurmountable-- between those of us who like & use GNU/Linux because of what it is, and what it can be. . . and the many MS-Windows refugees who need a computer as easy to use as a toaster or a TV.

It may sound like I'm being "judgmental" here, but I am! I'd started doing computer repairs, rebuilds and custom builds in 2000, and discovered Linux (Ubuntu) in 2005. Followed by Mepis 3.something, and a whole host of other distros. Frankly, in the 2005-2009 era, I did not try to steer any of my HW clients to Linux away from MS-Win. I saw GREAT Linux opportunities for me. I signed up as a whole-hearted Mepis Man, and I gave what I could to the Mepis community. That's why I asked Warren for permission to register this domain as "MepisCommunity.org." To me, it's all about communal effort to raise us all up to a better place.

But. . . I guess that's my (rambling) point: There are people looking for INVOLVEMENT, but also people who just need an internet machine or whatever else that "just works."

I'm an old git --and I've got fam younger, and IMO probably IQ-smarter, than me who are in that latter category. It IS a valid choice. Just like many people (most women!!! ) who drive a car don't want to know how to shift gears, or understand what gear-ratios are, or know how to tune up an engine ( I can't even do that anymore with computer-controlled ignition!). . . well, not everybody who goes online, or who edits and prints a document . . . also wants to delve into (what is to me) the juicy details of computer science.

I'm making this point intentionally "sexist" to point out the bias that many of us "long-time Linux" people have. It was the same for those of us learning to drive in the 60's and early 70's: only a "girl" would want/need an automatic transmission! GUYS wanted the precision control of a GEAR-SHIFT!
I've heard that in Europe --until recently, anyway-- that attitude is still true. Only "old people" drive automatic transmissions. REAL drivers of both sexes drive manual transmissions (please correct me if I'm out of date!!). But do we want to impose our own life-styles on others?

My point is that JUST BECAUSE I'M a manual-transmission kind of person, does not blind me to the fact that there are automatic-transmission people deserving of personal transport!

Last personal indication on the issue: my daughter graduated from a private University, Summa Cum Laude ( Not Ivy League). . . her husband graduate Summa Cum Laude from an Ivy League U. And then a Masters. I've got no degrees except a 3rd Degree from my local Blue Lodge (if you get it, you get it, if not, nevermind). I may like to entertain the notion that I'm wiser than they are. . . but smarter? Doubtful. But they are both busy professional people who don't want to take the time to calculate the stress of the roof on their ground floor nor the stress of their ground floor on the foundation. They just want to live in a house that works. Likewise cars. Likewise computers.

I'm an old enough fossil to live in the moral shadow of Gandhi (he was killed before I was born). His "swa-raj" ideas influenced my generation. "If you use it, you should be able to make it." There's more to the political/moral idea of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swaraj than just that, but it's a concept that has a time and place. And it's NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A STRAIGHT-JACKET for everyone, at all times.

Personally, I've been heavily into slackware over the past year or so. I'd need caffeine to do Gentoo (and I'm woking on it!), but I'm sworn off coffee because of Insomnia Issues! WHAT'S A BEAR TO DO??

You see: most people don't have the time/energy to do what some of us do. So" Linux Mint? OK! Whatever!

Personally, I'm having a lot of fun (where "fun" = energy to screw around) customizing MX-14! I've got a crazy notion to remaster an MX-14 with KDE and a few Bear Tweaks and say : "It's the Real Mepis 14." But I don't have the energy to even finish revising SBlinux.org so far, so that's up to you all. But IMO, MX-14 IS where it's at for the Mepis Community.

It may not be a toaster/TV distro, but IMO MX-14 is so useable "out of the box" and so customizable, that I'm losing interest in Slackware and enjoying MX-14 tinkering.

[lucky9]

New converts need a turnkey OS OOTB. Mepis has in the past done that pretty well. MX14 does it. And I'd add antiX 13.2 does also.
So if someone needs or wants an OS that appeals to them on first impression, then there are choices available. Having them boot a few operating systems is as good a way as any to get them in the fold. MX14 will attract some (without changing anything) that will stay with it. Mainly because of being so usable.

If you think anyone is going to be worried about the bootup being filled with text then just hit the power button on the monitor. Tell them it's to show them how easy/fast it is to bootup.

[Richard]

Give the newbies LinuxMint-Xfce-17-LTS.
After they've used that for a couple of years,
let them try Mx-14.
The difference will astound them.

I like MX-14 because it just is.
It doesn't try to be something it isn't.
And it has all these great utilities.
The newbies don't know they need them yet.

[Gordon Cooper]

I think there is a basic problem --NOT insurmountable-- between those of us who like & use GNU/Linux because of what it is, and what it can be. . . and the many MS-Windows refugees who need a computer as easy to use as a toaster or a TV.

I'm an old git , I'm an old enough fossil to live in the moral shadow of Gandhi (he was killed before I was born).

I'll agree whole heartedly on the basic problem. A part of it is that most of the advertised computer "experts" (read: retailers) know nothing except MS. Most computer users go to them for advice and accept it as gospel. I know of some who advise strongly against Linux
because of their ignorance

Do not agree about the fossil. Was in my 18th year when Ghandi departed this earth. You have a bit of catching up to do.

Gordon.

[Gordon Cooper]

Give the newbies LinuxMint-Xfce-17-LTS.
After they've used that for a couple of years,
let them try Mx-14.

2 Years? How about 3 months maximum?

[asqwerth]

.... now I go with Mint KDE for new converts.

That does not in any way reflect poorly on MX, and frankly, I don't think there's much point in wanting to make MX into something it's not.

I agree that we should not try to make MX into what it's not. It's so fast and efficient precisely because the CPU/graphics resources are not being expended on too much eye candy.

When newbies get more comfortable with Linux, they may at that point wish to delve deeper into Linux, find out how to make it faster, etc.

When I showed Mint Cinnamon live to the newbie on someone else's PC (Cinnamon does not work on my computer), I have to admit it looked pretty impressive. I can see why she would choose it. However, she's just told me Mint Cinnamon isn't really working on her machine. Probably means that like mine, her graphics card is not capable enough.

So looks like it's Mint Mate. That's fine by me, so long as it gets her away from her XP installation, which is in a mess and really bogged down.

However, I think I'll install both MX and Mint for her. Maybe if she does click on MX and sees how much faster it boots up and runs, she'll change her mind.