The KDE and Xfce editions of Linux Mint 13, code-named Kaya, have been released. Previously released editions were the MATE/Cinnamon editions, which have already been reviewed on this website (see Linux Mint 13 MATE/Cinnamon review).
Linux Mint is a Linux desktop distribution based on Ubuntu desktop and is one of the most popular Linux distributions still in active development.
This article provides a few screen shots from test installations of both editions, starting with what all Linux Mint editions have in common – the Software Manager, a graphical interface for managing applications. The main interface is shown below. You may read other articles on Linux Mint published on this website on its category page.
A partial list of featured applications.
A single application view.
The KDE edition is powered by KDE 4.8. The default desktop with the Date widget, is shown below. I am still waiting for that time when Linux Mint developers will retire this wallpaper, or have they run out of ideas?
The desktop showing the Kickoff menu, the default, and the Date widget.
Linux Mint KDE uses the Oxymentary icon set, which looks much better than the Oxygen theme, the default on most other distributions that use KDE. It is, however, not as good as the ROSA icon set, used on all editions of ROSA Linux.
Install applications as seen from the KDE Plasma Netbook interface.
The main KDE Plasma Netbook interface.
Compared to the KDE desktop, the Xfce desktop looks boring, but it is lite on resources and it works.
Another shot of the Xfce desktop showing installed Internet applications.
The Places widget on the panel pales in comparison the KDE’s StackFolder.
Thunar, Xfce’s file manager.
You may download installation images of Linux Mint 13 KDE and Xfce from here.
How did you log into the plasma-netbook interface, I’ve installed the package from the software manager, but can’t find it on the drop down menu on the log in screen.
System Settings > Workspaces, then click on Workspace tab. From the menu, select Netbook.
For reference, the DVD install of KXStudio is another KDE-based Ubuntu system. I’m running that, and I changed the desktop to Oxygen and colors to LuckyEyes because I didn’t like the KXStudio colors. But otherwise, Mint offers nothing over this.
In any Ubuntu-based KDE system, there is the Muon stuff, including the Muon Software Center, and it’s basically the same as the Mint Software Center.
thank you for the answer!
i’ll take deepin to see how it works.
pinguy and zorin for instance are for nothing. it’s not possible to work with.
with mint i’ve remembered about win me in 2000. but with xubuntu i’m satisfied. it works very well and i have no problems. i’m a fan of xfce desktop environment and this is the best for me. could you tell me how to install the deepin software manager? i hope that rosa and deepin will make somethng with xfce in the future.
if you’ll try to work with this systems then the problems are comming in waves over you. you tell them what don’t work but this could be something for the internet echos because they don’t hear.
about xfce
the firewall is not activated but the blutooth something that not everybody needs. then the sound get lost after a while without reason. is possible to solve this but the sound controller in the pannel doesn’t work. after some programs installs the software manager doesn’t start. if you try to add a new user means bed luck because this feature is not there.
in the rc edition k9copy worked very well now in the final doesn’t. wine in rc workd with portable progs now doesn’t.
mint menu was in the system but not activated. and so on….
because of that i took xubuntu and i have inside the same they did in 40 min :
xfce 4.10, wallpapers, themes, icons, more programs and no problems. the sound is working now, i can add a new user, k9 has no problem and the same with wine. the only thing that i don’t have is mint menu but maybe i’ll find a way to install that too.
i’m using linux sice 2 weeks.
in fact what they are doing? i think the same and the only difference is that i don’t need a r.c. and after 2 weeks a final edition. 🙂
kde is the same. problems over problems but all of these are simple things nobody wants to solve. i think that in the linux world there is a tradition to drown on shore.
Linux Mint is not equal to Linux. There are distributions that are better than Linux Mint. If you want to try something else, take a look at Lniux Deepin and ROSA Linux.
Like Mint, Linux Deepin is based on Ubuntu, but much better. See a preview of the latest edition at here.
ROSA Linux is solid, professional-grade. See the articles on it. at http://linuxbsdos.com/category/rosa-desktop.