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Thinking of switching to Linux at home

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  • 23-08-2015 11:58am
    #1
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭


    As the title says I thinking of switching to Linux at home.
    I was thinking of going with Linux Mint.
    It will mostly be used for gaming (Steam), web browsing, Media player and a home lab with VMware Workstation as my Hypervisor of choice.

    On the gaming side how good is WINE for running Windows only games?
    Also does Netflix run OK in Firefox now as i had issues with it running on ChaletOS on an old laptop?

    Is there any other distro you would recommend for me?


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    #2
    excollier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭excollier


    I use Mint 17.1 XFCE and find it great for everyday use, Debian 7 and 8 on my other two computers, all very solid and reliable. I don't use Windows at all now.
    I'm using Virtual Box for VMs and have used VMWare in the past, you will have to install VMWare manually, but that's usually easy enough.
    As for gaming - no idea about gaming on any platform


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    #3
    L.Jenkins
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,240 Mod ✭✭✭✭L.Jenkins


    I'd check out what the latest version WINE can run.


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    #4
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,245 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    Netflix does not work through Firefox in Linux. You'll need to install Chrome to run Netflix natively - it runs perfectly in Chrome.


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    #5
    stevek93
    Registered Users Posts: 3,088 ✭✭✭stevek93


    excollier wrote: »
    I use Mint 17.1 XFCE and find it great for everyday use, Debian 7 and 8 on my other two computers, all very solid and reliable. I don't use Windows at all now.
    I'm using Virtual Box for VMs and have used VMWare in the past, you will have to install VMWare manually, but that's usually easy enough.
    As for gaming - no idea about gaming on any platform

    Xfce might be a bit overwhelming for a first timer I'd suggest cinnamon.


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    #6
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    Ok, Took the plunge and wiped everything (none of this dual boot nonsense because I'll just revert back to Windows).
    I like Mint as a desktop OS.
    Installed most of my essential programs with relative ease. i was actually hoping there would be more of a learning curve
    Got Netflix going with Chrome and installed PlayonLinux for non-Linux compatible games through Steam


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    #7
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    stevek93 wrote: »
    Xfce might be a bit overwhelming for a first timer I'd suggest cinnamon.

    I'm not a total newbie.
    Advanced beginner i'd say ;)


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    #8
    rwsz365
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭rwsz365


    Depending what you use VMware for LXC might be worth looking at. https: //linuxcontainers.org/


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    #9
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    rwsz365 wrote: »
    Depending what you use VMware for LXC might be worth looking at. https: //linuxcontainers.org/

    Use it for Win Server 2012 as I'm going for my MCSA


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    #10
    Khannie
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 37,485 Mod ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    stevek93 wrote: »
    Xfce might be a bit overwhelming for a first timer I'd suggest cinnamon.

    I'm going to switch to cinnamon + mint at home myself. Looking forward to the change. Been using lubuntu for a long time now.


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    #11
    PropJoe10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,245 ✭✭✭PropJoe10


    Khannie wrote: »
    I'm going to switch to cinnamon + mint at home myself. Looking forward to the change. Been using lubuntu for a long time now.

    I tried Cinnamon 2.6 on Debian Stretch for the first time the other day (never liked Mint Cinnamon) and I'm really pleasantly surprised. The default themes and icons are a bit dull but once you jazz it up a bit with some cool icons, its really nice to use - responsive and fast. Quite light on system resources too. Might become my new favourite desktop environment!


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    #12
    10-10-20
    Registered Users Posts: 6,651 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    I'm using Mint MATE for the last 3 years on various laptops/PC's at home. Have Windows 10 on a low-end yoke just for the kids (for Sims) and then also for updating phones (Apple and Samsung Kees...).
    I cannot abide by the Ubuntu Cinnamon releases any more - they completely lost me when they broke logic... but hey - so did Windows 8.0... and look at the about-face which went on there.

    Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but if you do go down the MINT route, make sure you install only LTS (Long Term Support) releases as otherwise you'll end up with a bit of an 'apt-get mess' once the security updates terminate after ~1 year and applications don't install.


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    #13
    biketard
    Registered Users Posts: 531 ✭✭✭biketard


    I'm also happily using Mint MATE for the past few years. In the grand scheme of things, Cinnamon and MINT are very similar and I only chose one over the other because MINT worked better with the Wi-Fi setup I had when I first tried it. Either is a great option in my opinion.


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    #14
    excollier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭excollier


    10-10-20 wrote: »
    I'm using Mint MATE for the last 3 years on various laptops/PC's at home. Have Windows 10 on a low-end yoke just for the kids (for Sims) and then also for updating phones (Apple and Samsung Kees...).
    I cannot abide by the Ubuntu Cinnamon releases any more - they completely lost me when they broke logic... but hey - so did Windows 8.0... and look at the about-face which went on there.

    Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but if you do go down the MINT route, make sure you install only LTS (Long Term Support) releases as otherwise you'll end up with a bit of an 'apt-get mess' once the security updates terminate after ~1 year and applications don't install.

    Mint don't release anything other than LTS now, but do release point updates to the LTS. For instance Mint 17.0 was released last year, supported until 2019, I use 17.1, also supported until 2019 and have no intention of upgrading to the newly released 17.2. All the 17.x releases run to 2019.
    In their own words, only upgrade if you feel it necessary - if it aint broke, don't upgrade.


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    #15
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    10-10-20 wrote:
    Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but if you do go down the MINT route, make sure you install only LTS (Long Term Support) releases as otherwise you'll end up with a bit of an 'apt-get mess' once the security updates terminate after ~1 year and applications don't install.

    Which ones are the LTS version, with Ubuntu it's clear but not with Mint


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    #16
    excollier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭excollier


    Currently 13 and 17.x and from now on all will be LTS


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    #17
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    excollier wrote:
    Currently 13 and 17.x and from now on all will be LTS

    Ok I installed 17.2


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    #18
    excollier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭excollier


    That's you good now until 2019 then.


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    #19
    Krusader
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Krusader


    excollier wrote:
    That's you good now until 2019 then.

    I'll stick with Mint for a while and then experiment with Arch as I get more comfortable with the CLI


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