6 months after Linux Mint 13 codename “Maya” [release date 23rd May], based on the Ubuntu 12.04 “Precise Pangolin”; the team has finally announced Linux Mint 14, fulfilling their promise. The new release features Cinamon 1.6, Mate (version 1.4), MDM, Software Manager and several Upstream Components besides regular systems and artwork improvements. The post highlights all the new features included in the new beta release!
Linux Mint 14 is codenamed “Nadia” as in Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars Trilogy, Nadezhda “Nadia” Chernyshevski is Maya’s best friend. (out of interest: Nadia is the English form of Nadya, which itself is the pet form of Nadezhda and is Russian for “hope”. It’s also a variant of Nadiyya which, in Arabic, means “moist, tender, delicate”). Linux Mint 14 features:
Linux Mint 14 comes with an option of Cinnamon 1.6.6 or Mate 1.4
Cinnamon 1.6: Cinnamon 1.6 comes with as many as 800 changes and is promised to be more stable than its earlier versions! Cinnamon features persistent work spaces that can be created by “+” button and shall remain there even if you reboot or log off, until you delete them. Also Cinnamon 1.6 gives you the ability to name workspaces and hence organizing work space in a better way. All the windows across all work spaces are enlisted in Window-Quick-List. Cinnamon features Nemo, its own file-browser, brightness applet, Expo and Scale applet. In the Cinnamon 1.6 the Alt-Tab window switcher is made configurable. Cinnamon 1.6 features the following switchers:
- Icons (default, similar to Cinnamon 1.4)
- Icons + Thumbnails
- Icons + Window Previews
- Window Previews
Besides the sound applet is improved. Also as reported on last Friday, Cinnamon released version 1.6.6 only a few days after Cinnamon 1.6.5 fixing localization of application items in main menu anticipating the Linux Mint 14 released.
MATE 1.4: MATE 1.4 not only comes with numerous bug fixes but also features some exciting new features prominently functional bluetooth and mate-keyring. Mate 1.4 also features its own character map and lets you select notification styles. Caja features also support Dropbox now.
Software Manager: Software Manager is more user-friendly. Notable features include: Search-as-you-type in feature is configurable and can be disabled. Software manager now runs as root now. Besides there are number of under-the-hood changes to make software manger even convenient.
MDM: MDM in Linux Mint 14 now support legacy GDM 2 themes. You can choose from 30 pre-installed in Linux Mint 14 or choose from over 2000 on the web (gnome-look.org). User List, User-switching are improved. MDM gets numerous big-fixes and security improvements!
Most notably MintSystem now provides two additional commands:
- dns-fix sets your DNS resolution to OpenDNS
- xchat-systray makes your Xchat systray icon re-appear after restarting the desktop (this is particulary useful to Cinnamon developers)
Also Gedit 3 is replaced by more stable and mature Gedit 2.30. Linux Mint 14 features the following upstream components: Ubuntu 12.10, Linux 3.5, MATE 1.4, Cinnamon 1.6. Finally, Linux Mint comes with a handful of beautiful backgrounds to make your workstation pleasing.
