[Linux] Peppermint OS 6

Peppermint OS 6

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Mark Greaves has announced the release of an updated build of Peppermint OS 6, a lightweight Linux distribution based on Ubuntu 14.04 and featuring the Xfwm window manager with the LXDE desktop environment:

I once played for a few months with Peppermint. I found it functional, utilitarian, and possibly even practical. Eventually, because I decided to venture forth into distro-hopping (and have stayed with only a few GNU/OS permanently). I ditched it. I dropped it because at that time I felt I didn't need another 'buntu' based distro as I believe that at that time I already had the real Ubuntu elsewhere. There's some other 'buntu' based distro recently released called TrentOS which I won't even bother posting about.

Anyways, I've posted about this one because it's somewhat popular amongst the others on the DW rankings. It's recently released a new version too as you can tell.

More news:

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Team Peppermint is pleased to announce a respin of our latest operating system, Peppermint 6, with full UEFI, GPT and Secure Boot support (64-bit edition only), and a new version of Ice (our in-house site-specific browser framework) that now supports the Firefox web browser as well as Chromium and Chrome. We've fixed a few minor bugs and tweaked the Peppermix-Dark theme a little in line with user feedback. And all updates to the original Peppermint 6 respin are also included in the respin.

Link: Distribution Release: Peppermint OS 6-20150904 (DistroWatch.com News)

Headquarters:
Peppermint 6 Respin with UEFI Support Released - Peppermint - The Linux Desktop OS

Some good and interesting news though from the home site:

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The primary change (and the reason for the early respin) is the 64bit version now has working UEFI and Secureboot support on disks with a GPT partition table .. allowing easy installation of Peppermint 6 64bit alongside Windows 8/8.1/10 in dual/multi boot configuration on GPT disks, or just installed on its own without needing to switch to legacy BIOS mode (CSM) and disable Secureboot.

Apparently, some minor bug fixes that the folksies over at Peppermint headquarters have instituted into their 'buntu' - based distro is that they've adjusted the min install space requirement to less than 4 Gigs. That's good. Who want's a bloated OS post install. Though that was mainly done for people who only have a 4 Gig SSD or only use it on a live CD session with a smaller USB drive.

Download from here:

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Peppermint - The Linux Desktop OS

Is this something you'd want for everyday usage for a non-linux person?
I was also thinking about deepin.

This is gonna take more than a 'yes' or 'no' for me to answer in an intelligent and thorough way for you to know about this particular OS. You'll have to pardon me on slipping in a bit of Linux advocacy here and there within the body of my text.

So here goes:

In a way, I'd say 'yes', Sazzy. To begin with be aware that Peppermint doesn't include as default app software Libre Office nor even Abiword. I'll tell you why further on below'. However, those are simple enough to install if your familiar with command line (helps to learn as this makes your more geeky, intelligent, increases your knowledge-base, and overall makes your friends both at and off work look up to you to with awe) . If it doesn't, I am sure that this OS would have a graphical version to install apps/software. Most do. Even synaptic isn't all that used often anymore though personally, I'd rather use that then let's say, Ubuntu's Software Respository GUI install program as some of the software apps from that are not always up to date.

When your looking at Peppermint or any other OS, be sure to look at it's Package list as well as it's Full Package List.
This is what I mean if you go to the links:

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Package List

and Full Package List (Scroll down):

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Full Package List

What you'll find is that Peppermint has the latest Chromium. This is good if all you want to do is browse the Net with it. What is also good is that because it's going to be a relatively stable OS. This is evidenced by the fact that it utilizes the latest Grub (in fact, the beta version of it) and Xorg. It also has the most up to date Cups. So if your wanting to print documents from your machine, it shouldn't have much problems. The kernel is not the latest one that's hot off the presses; however, that doesn't mean that it's not stable. Au contraire, it just means that, that is what is most suitable for Peppermint. It uses LXDE, which from what I remember in using it at one point when I was using PCLinux OS at some point in my Linux history, was good enough for me. It was quick, didn't take up a whole bunch of RAM either. Who want's a bloated DE. KDE is bloated in apps (that's what I don't like about that KDE but it's improving too on the RAM usage front. I can attest to that. I use Tumbleweed and it has KDE plasma 5 installed and it definitely isn't slow in the least. Quick).

LXDE never slowed me down and I am sure that LXDE isn't going to slow you down anytime soon either.

Some unusual things that you'll notice about Peppermint. As mentioned earlier, it doesn't have as default any Office suite. It also doesn't have as default an email client like Thunderbird. But understand the reason's behind those apps being not installed by default. It's Linux!! If you want an email client, Linux is rich in email clients. Not just thunderbird, but also evolution, geary, trojita, and others too.

Linux is all about choice.
If you want this app, go ahead, because we (as a Linux user would advocate) believe in choice for the user.

Not burdening the user with stuff they don't want. Kind of like Wind0ze burdening the user with unwarranted and unwanted data collection along with nebulous settings. I am positive that Peppermint isn't going to give you statements that if you disable this or that your going to experience advertisers not being able to give you the best service (read advertising) possible, so that your going to experience some pause in your cogitation over it. Peppermint isn't going to make things nebulous for you, either.

For everyday usage, it also has it's own Peppermint control center. Most control centers from Linux are simplistic in use, design, and don't torment the user in having to scroll through 50 different control center settings to find what they're looking for. Like Wind0ze has. They don't burden the user with toilsome settings to enable or disable this or that settings. They are simple in nature. Linux, and Peppermint, want to make things easy for the everyday user. PCLinux OS, in my opinion, was a bit different though with that. But that's a different story.

As you'll notice, Peppermint also Mesa v 10. 3.2. The latest stable release is v 11. So if you want Nvidia, I'd look into those things first. Because the latest Nvidia is 355 and Peppermint doesn't come with Nvidia. But your graphics shouldn't be causing you any concern with Mesa v 10. Peppermint isn't putting itself out as an unstable distro.
But if you want OpenGL, you might have to do some research as the latest OpenGL available for Linux is v 4.x, not 3.3 (v 10.3.2 from way back in Dec. 2014).

For everyday usage, it also uses Bash 4.3. That's the latest bash version. So that is good, too if you like command line work and are comfy with it. For listening to music or watching videos, it has VLC installed by default. So for everyday usage, that is good. But you can install other media apps like Kodi or SMPlayer if you don't like that or want to add and customize Peppermint with something else.

It's package management is .deb. So if you like simplicity (and Linux is for the most part), then using the .deb package management, like what Ubuntu offers and utilizes is good. Easy to use and install.

For everyday usage (if your into graphics and so forth that is), it also comes with GTK+. It's not the latest version. If you are looking for a distro that fully integrates default apps for you rather than you having to install what you like as your own personal choice, I'd have to say that Peppermint is not for you. If you like to have your own say in how an OS should fit and customize to your own personal taste, and you like 'buntu' derivatives, and you like simplicity with not a bunch of nebulous settings, and you don't mind installing apps on your own either via command line or from GUI, then I'd say that Peppermint could be for you.

Did I mention that Peppermint is installable via GUI? It is. For installing and using ISO files, it doesn't come with an app like what Linux Mint might have installed by default. USB Image Writer. But you can always use the dd command. Easy to use. Effective and functional.

Just as an FYI, if your not familiar with it, Sazzy, here it is anyways.

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sudo dd if=/path/to/your/.iso file of=/dev/sdx

As for Deepin. That one I have never tried. But I read nothing but good things about it. I once met a fellow near my place and we were talking about Linux. He was a Deepin user. He really liked it and couldn't say anything bad about it.

So it has it's own DE. Nice. It has a lot of functional apps installed by defalult. It also uses a stable version of glibc. That is good it has that because of programming language being written in C with many of Linux programs. It also has CUPS, like mentioned above for printing to a printer. So for everyday usage, this is good.
Along with an office suite. Kind of a bloated one, but never the less, an office suite that gives you everything you would need for everyday usage. I found that the latest version crashes a lot. The one that Deepin uses isn't going to crash. At least it shouldn't as it's v 4.x. It's Kernel version is a bit older but that should'n't bother anyone. It's only a kernel version. The newer kernel versions are all backwards compatible. No problem there...at least shouldn't.

Mesa? Again, if you are going to be playing games that require OpenGL 4.X, it's going to take some research. Not every game requires that newer version. Just the one's that seem to be a bit more graphics intensive.
And it uses Systemd. That is totally good. Thunderbird is installed by default. So for everyday emailing, this is good.

Finally, for both systems, you have the option of installing any kind of file system. Remember, it's Linux. It's a choice offered to you.

That's all I can say for now for both of them. Hope I didn't bore you with extensive info.

But the command line isn't very user friendly at all! :(
It's funny too that most of the things you've mentioned, I just use a webclient instead (e.g. office). I hardly have anything installed anymore. (Only visual studio, node, photoshop, ...)

I'll miss photoshop most, but don't like monodevelop either so it's a bit annoying to fully switch. I kind of want a chromebook, come to think of it.

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Originally Posted by Sazzy

I kind of want a chromebook, come to think of it.

ok. No prob.