Linux Mint 20 Ulylana Cinnamon Edition

In the past few months I've found that I really like Cinnamon Desktops.  Back in the beginning of Linux Mint, I never really felt the love when I tried LM, to me it lacked the ability to customize the way that I could on XFCE.  Starting in June of 2019 I finally got of Ubuntu and installed Manjaro XFCE and never looked back.  I've tried lots of different desktop environments and window managers and I discovered two things.  If I had the know how to better understand a  window manager then I would install the Awesome WM.  But for me even when I use a pre-designed WM it seems to be more work for the way I like my desktop to flow.

So to start over, I've really been living in two desktops since February.  Debian Cinnamon and Ubuntu Mate.  I did give KDE a go but I found I just liked these two the best.  Now I'm on Linux Mint 20 Ulyana Cinnamon Edition.  It's not perfect but then a gain there is no such thing as a perfect desktop. So first, here's my negatives.

First it's the community.  LM's Forum is outdated.  When you compare the Linux Mint Forum to Ubuntu Mate's Community page you see how outdated the LM's Forum page is.  It's easy to sit back and complain but compare the two and LM's forum is not for beginners.  LM's forum is huge, with over 16 million posts.  I doubt that Ubuntu Mate's community has 10 thousand posts, so this might be the reason why UM's community site seems better.  I had a problem and made a post and within a day the Linux Mint's Forum swallowed it up and digested it, probably never to be heard from again.  I don't blame Linux Mint for this or the users, it's just so big it's probably impossible for every user to get help.

Other than that I do have one big problem (for me) and one not as big.  The biggest is that when I start or restart my computer is my screens don't mirror.  I use a laptop that is always closed and a TV/Monitor.  On my monitor I get the top panel, which works and a black screen, I have to open the laptop and then close it and then I get my desktop.  Call it laziness but I've never had to do that on any other DE.  My other problem is the video is not as clear as it was on Ubuntu Cinnamon Remix.  Not bad but not as good.

My Independence Day Desktop, Linux Mint 20 Ulyana Cinnamon Edition

Now my likes.  I really like the LM desktop.  I don't have to go out of my way to customize it and it looks good.  I like the way Warpinator works, or at least I like the final outcome.  Unless there is a way to set permissions you have to okay the send and okay the receipt of the files.  Maybe I should learn how to remote into another desktop through the terminal and then I would be happy.  but until then Warpinator is pretty good.

My Desktop today, Linux Mint 20 Ulyana Cinnamon Edition

This is also the first time I've had a printer in a long time.  Linux Mint set it up okay but thankfully Epson had the drivers for the Epson Expression Home XP4100 printer and scanner online and the are just easy to install.  The printer driver is a deb file you just click and install and the scanner file is just a tar.gz file you extract and right click on the folder background and open in terminal (or you can CD to where the file is unzipped) and run sudo ./install.sh then enter your password and the driver will install.  After setting up the printer's wifi it was easy to set it up as a wifi printer and no wires.

 Rofi installed on Linux Mint 20 Ulyana Cinnamon Edition

 I did install Rofi as a launcher instead of Plank and I'm giving that a try.  The jury is still out on the launcher part of it but I don't like Rofi as a replacement for ALT-TAB window switcher.  To me it has an extra step by having to arrow down to select which window you want switch to.

I've been on Linux Mint for about a week and there is nothing that wouldn't keep me from leaving it, other than my own fickleness.  So until the next Big Daddy Linux comes with something I want to try then I staying here.

Ubuntu Cinnamon Remix 20.04

I really enjoy 5:00 PM PDT every Saturday night by watching and sometimes participating in the Big Daddy Linux live YouTube stream every week.  In the past BDL would have a distro challenge and feature a Linux DE that would normally last 2 weeks but since the release of the new Ubuntu flavors they've changed it to a new DE every week to highlight all the Ubuntu releases.  Rocco, the host of BDL, does not make it mandatory to review a DE if you want to participate and the show also covers other topics that involves Linux.  I just want to say that the participants are normally very knowledgeable when it comes to Linux and most know the ins and outs of what makes a DE good.

This week the review is on Ubuntu Cinnamon 20.04 LTS, which I installed Sunday.  For me this release is probably the 3rd best release in the Focal Fossa releases, right up there with Ubuntu Mate and Ubuntu Budgie, but there are a three things that make Ubuntu Cinnamon stand out as a top notch release.  

First is that it is a really well done and put together version of the Cinnamon desktop environment.  The developers use version 4.4.8, which is a little behind the latest stable release of June 2020 which is 4.6.5 but expected by Ubuntu.  I don't think they change any of the DE's versions except on point releases. 

Second is the fact that this is not a recognized flavor or Ubuntu, meaning Ubuntu has not officially adopted Cinnamon but there a things that the developers have to prove out before this version will be one of the chosen flavors.  To me by the looks of this release they should not be far behind.

Third is that I am really impressed with Joshua Peisach, the lead developer of the project.  At this time he is still a teenager and seems to have real understanding of how a DE should look and feel.  With that said one person does not make a DE, it takes a community.

If you like Ubuntu and want a nice desktop like Cinnamon, then give it a try.  I know lots of people are down on Ubuntu but it works nicely.  Ubuntu Cinnamon is a nice move to people that like the Ubuntu side of Linux Mint, which is probably the most loved of all Linux DE's but always seem to keep themselves in the news.

Screenshot Time

I haven't posted much in a few months so here's what I'm running now.

I've been running Ubuntu Mate 20.04 on my main laptop.  I really like it.  This is the first time I've installed a beta and kept it without re-installing the official release.  Mate stays running for days without the memory going crazy.  This seems to be the norm for me on other installs I've had.

Ubuntu 20.04.  I'm still not a gnome fan so this might be the next laptop I scrub.  I might keep it if I like Gnome Boxes or if VirtualBox runs better on this than it did on my past Debian or Arch Installs.  My only dislike is that Ubuntu seems to run heavier on resources, which seems to be the norm for Gnome DE's.

 My Arch Cinnamon install on my 3rd laptop.  I think Cinnamon is my favorite but I might re-install this again.  This laptop is going to be my Arch machine.

 Debian Bullseye Sid.  This is now off my main machine which now has Ubuntu Mate.  I had problems getting VirtualBox or VirtMan to run correctly.

Arch KDE, previously on my Arch laptop.

Except for the Debian wallpaper, I made all the other wallpapers, kinda. The Arch badge I found and re-used it but I did the logos for for Ubuntu and Mate from existing wallpapers but I did create them in .svg format so they would look decent when I change the size of them without pixelating them.

Finally, I've Installed Arch Linux. Nope Manjaro

Well, if you ask an Arch Linux user they would say not even close but I did install Manjaro XFCE.  There is a big difference and now I think I could do it.  Actually, I installed Arch Gnome last week and it worked, but couldn't, or didn't take the time to try to search out the programs I used on Ubuntu that was not readily available on Arch.  

There are probably big differences in Manjaro and Arch, but Manjaro was built as a lazy man's Arch, with a GUI to install instead of the command line of Arch.

So over a week, I messed with Arch, Manjaro, MX Linus, back and forth to Ubuntu, then to Xubuntu and then this weekend I installed Manjaro twice.  I screwed something up and couldn't find out how to get the screen back to its normal size (I doubled he desktop size but no scrollbars).  One thing I loved is the Conky Manager works.

I used Ubuntu because it was easier to use, at least I thought. Getting some programs really had a huge learning curve but once I figured out the Add/Remove Software and watched a couple of videos I think it'll be easier.

Unless I break something I'll never have to re-install my distro again.  Ubuntu does two releases a year, and when I update it eventually bogs down.  Manjaro is rolling releases where once something updates, it is released.  Plus Ubuntu seems to have spyware, as per Richard Stallman's video and I agree with his opinion.

One thing I liked about Ubuntu was that the online support and fan pages like OMG! Ubuntu is plentiful. Manjaro has a HUGE following lots of online help sites, and then there's Arch with even a larger fan base site and the Arch Wiki page, which is almost too technical for a user like me.  If there's ever been a question about Manjaro or Arch, then it's been answered.  You just have to find the dumbest downed explanation to understand.  Manjaro and Arch are created for two different types of people.  People that are smart enough with programming to do it themselves, and people like me that want to learn.

So with a week of learning, anxiety, frustration, and humbling I feel great.  But that's this week.

Cut and Paste News On Chrome OS 73

A Cut and Paste From Softpedia News

Google has promoted today the Chrome OS 73 operating system to the stable channel for Chromebook devices, a release that adds several new features, improvements, bug fixes, and security updates

Coming hot on the heels of the Chrome 73 web browser, which Google released last week for desktops, including GNU/Linux, macOS, and Windows systems, as well as Android mobile devices, the Chrome OS 73 operating system is here to add a number of enhancements to further enrich your Chromebook experience.

New features include support for sharing files and folders with Linux apps, improved native Google Drive integration in the Files app thanks to the addition of support for the Drive > Computers root, better out-of-memory management, native media controls for the video player, and audio focus support on CrOS.

Chrome OS now reports additional telemetry data

With the Chrome OS 73 release, Google also implemented support for reporting additional telemetry data from Chromebook devices, alerts for notifying users of the upcoming removal of the remaining Chrome Supervised Users, Demo Mode offline enrollment, language settings, and setup functionality, and new printer maximum cap.

"For managed devices, the remotely configured 20 printer maximum cap will be raised to allow for several thousand native printers for each organizational unit in the Google Admin console," said Cindy Bayless in today's announcement. "If you’re interested in testing the new feature, please join our trusted tester program."

Google kicked off the rollout of Chrome OS 73.0.3683.88 (Platform version: 11647.104.0/1/2/3) release to most Chrome OS users around the globe, saying that users will receive the software update over the next several days. To update, simply navigate to the About Chrome OS section in the Settings panel and apply the new software version.

Another cut and paste on Chrome OS 73
From Chrome Releases

https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2019/03/stable-channel-update-for-chrome-os_25.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+GoogleChromeReleases+(Google+Chrome+Releases)

 Chrome Releases
Release updates from the Chrome team

Stable Channel Update for Chrome OS

Monday, March 25, 2019

The Stable channel has been updated to 73.0.3683.88 (Platform version: 11647.104.0/1/2/3) for most Chrome OS devices. This build contains a number of bug fixes and security updates. Systems will be receiving updates over the next several days.

New Features

• Better Chrome OS out-of-memory management
• Report additional telemetry data for Chrome OS devices
• Alerts regarding upcoming removal of remaining Chrome Supervised Users
• Video Player: switch to native media controls
• Demo Mode: Switch language setting 
• Audio Focus on CrOS
• Developers can share files/folders with Linux apps.
• Improved native Drive integration with added support for the Drive->Computers root in Files app
• Demo Mode: Offline enrollment and setup functionality
• For managed devices, the remotely configured 20 printer maximum cap will be raised to allow for several thousand native printers for each organizational unit in the Google Admin console. If you’re interested in testing the new feature, please join our trusted tester program.

If you find new issues, please let us know by visiting our forum or filing a bug. Interested in switching channels? Find out how. You can submit feedback using ‘Report an issue...’ in the Chrome menu (3 vertical dots in the upper right corner of the browser).

Cindy Bayless

Google Chrome

ElectronPlayer on Linux / Ubuntu 18.10

I got a wild hair to check the Ubuntu Software Installer to see if there was a Netflix play that I could install and watch Netflix without using chrome and I found a program called ElectronPlayer.  It list Netflix, YouTube, Twitch, and Floatplane.  All I can tell you is that so far it is a full function Netflix player that played the Highwaymen perfectly, with subtitles.  No Hulu support, which for me would have made it better but It's nice to have the player. YouTube needs no introduction, Twitch probably doesn't need an introduction if you watch gaming videos, and Floatplane is pay for view.  Floatplane had three categories and one of them was Linux videos from what I could tell and I don't want to pay for those.

As for The Highwaymen, it is a good movie on Netflix starring Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson about a couple of dis-banded Texas Rangers hired as Highwaymen to find and Kill Bonnie and Clyde.  It's a good movie with lots of familiar faces.  It's well worth the watch.  

As far as ElectronPlayer goes, so far the program is worth the price (free).

Thanks to Oscar Beaumont of Australia, a teenager with a good head on his shoulder that belongs to the Linux community.

Speeding Up My 8 Year Old Laptop (Part One)

I've got an old Acer laptop or notebook or whatever they're called and It is just dragging.  Not only have I had it 8 years but it had probably been on the market a couple of years before I bought it. I've always dual booted my computers between the latest release of Ubuntu and Windows 10's developer version, using Ubuntu most of the time. But everything drags.

I always install the freshest release of Ubuntu and everything drags.  It takes a couple of minutes to boot, then Firefox takes 30 seconds to load and all the other programs take a while, then when I get into Windows that just takes that much longer.

So I bought a Kingston 120GB SDD for $20.00 on Amazon and Ubuntu flies now, and Windows, well that has been an utter failure.   I don't have a copy of Windows since it's on a separate partition on my old hard drive so for now, it's Ubuntu 18.10.  Ubuntu boots in just under 30 seconds and Firefox starts in tow or three seconds.  I quit using Chrome because it would seem to stall my computer, but this weekend when I redo everything I'll get back with Chrome.  I'm not too worried about Google tracking me and there are a few things that Chrome does better.

This weekend I'll put my old hard drive in and follow some instructions I've found on Microsoft's website and I'll hopefully have windows working.
Until then it's Canonical all the way.