What you found new in LinuxMint Maya 13 RC?

[Wtfood]

Well I am looking to switch Windows 7 to Linux. While searching on internet I got an information that Linux Mint 13 Maya RC has been released few days I go. I am really excited about it, however there is no much information available about the features of newly released distro. Let me know if you had used the same and provide brief information about its features, look and feel. I am waiting for your prompt replies. Thanks a lot in advance.

[Loveyboo]

Yes you are absolutely right Linux Mint 13 Maya RC has been released recently. Mainly it is available into couple of editions. You need to make selection between MATE 1.2 desktop , its stable and good for production. Whereas Cinnamon 1.4 having modern look and feel. Both the desktop managers are integrated with new Linux distro. I am expecting that all Gnome 2 user would like to use the same. I am posting below all essential features of Linux Mint 13.

MATE 1.2

We all are aware of that Gnome 2 was used in Linux Mint 11. From past couple of years Linux developer started to neglect Gnome 2 in their Linux distros. To save Gnome 2 desktop they begin with new project which was named as MATE. So in simple terms Gnome 2 codebase is renamed to MATE , it provides same thing as that of Gnome 2.

Features :

• All major bug issues and Conflicts with Gnome are fixed.
• undo/redo features is added into Caja
• configuration files moved to ~/.config/mate
• to avoid conflicting with Gnome MATE themes are renamed, new icon for MATE is also introduced
• mate-open would allow you to launch applications quickly

Following new applications are introduced :

1. mozo
2. python-caja
3. caja-gksu
4. caja-image-converter

Following are the advantages of MATE 1.2:

• It is stable and can be work on all kind of hardware. One can find MATE simple to use and productive enough.
• There would be incremental improvements in it after closing of Gnome 2.
• It also having support for all popular stuffs developed for Linux desktop. It does have support for stuffs such as mintMenu, mintDesktop, Compiz etc.
• It is developed with GTK2.
• There are lots of themes and applications are integrated with desktop application.

Disadvantage of MATE 2 :

• Only disadvantages I can see that there are some component of Gnome which are not migrated into MATE so it is excepted that some part would not work at all.

Cinnamon :

We know that Gnome 2 is an essential component of Linux Mint. There were plenty of features that were missing into Gnome 3. To get those features , they started to develop completely new environment which we know today as Cinnamon. Basically it is developed on Clutter and Gnome 3. It is pretty modern , but still we can find it familiar with traditional Gnome desktop environment. But still few features are missing from Gnome 2. It contains some features such as composting, animations which are using 3D acceleration.

would like to discuss some essential features of the same.

Desktop Effects
People are having mixed reaction as far as animations are concerned with desktop. By using Compiz and Metacity users will be able to get whatever they are looking for. In Cinnamon 1.2, a user will be able to make animation effects as per his requirement or simply turn off the same , if he is not interested to use the same.

Couple of new animations are introduced to meet requirement of end user.

• Fade: it will allow you to make changes into opacity of windows
• Scale: it will allow you to make changes into dimension of Windows.
• 30 transition styles are introduced and you can set duration as per your requirement as well.

Desktop Layout

More or less the Linux developer tried to introduced changing in layout of the desktop. Still it is not component independent and you can move component as per your requirement. However they provided support for following.

• Traditional layout
• Flipped layout
• Classic layout

Easier Customization

Newly introduced Cinnamon Settings tool with additional configuration options will allow you to customization into look and feel of desktop manager according to your requirement. Things like Switching between themes , applying desktop effects, adding applets and extensions on the desktop would be really easy. Even you will be able to set date format into Calender applet , even you can edit panel launchers.

Applets

• Accessibility
• Recent documents
• Removable drives
• Trash
• Display

Main Menu is improved

Categories will not be inactive if you are supposed to search something on device even though you are not hovering mouse on the same by accidentally. Simply press enter key after finishing with search and very first result would launch automatically. Cinnamon will handle menu definitions.

Apart from above following changes are made into Cinnamon.

• Muffin forks is new window manager introduced into Cinnamon 1.2 and it replaces Mutter.
• There will not be any compatibility with Gnome Shell themes and Cinnamon.
• Auto Focus is introduced on newly launch window and overview will not be triggered if close any Window.
• desktop Scale plugin is introduced in the place of overview.

Advantages of Cinnamon

• It is modern and sleekest desktop manger ever developed. Its features are having productive with respect to traditional desktop.
• Basically it is developed on rapid technologies and one can developed it quickly.

Disadvantages Cinnamon

• It used 3D acceleration , it might not work for you properly as it is highly dependent on graphics card and driver that you had installed on your computer.
• It is not stable in terms of performance as compare to MATE, KDE or Xfce.
• It is developed on Gnome 3 and Clutter and it expected both of them are going to be under rapid transformations.

MDM

It is new display Manager introduced in GDM 2.20. it provides following features.

• graphical configuration tools
• themeability
• automatic and timed login
• event scripting
• language selection