Linux geeks rejoice! There’s another release of the beloved operating system available called Peppermint OS. This OS has been in development for roughly three years and is now set to be the choice for day to day Linux users.
Image credit Ant Pruitt for aNewDomain.net
Developer, co-founder and COO Shane Remington has been passionate about creating an operating system that’s not only stable, but also fast and lightweight. Peppermint OS looks to further dispel the myth that the Linux operating system is strictly for geeks. I’ve written before that Ubuntu Linux is a great free alternative OS for families wanting smooth web browsing and simple office applications. Peppermint OS can easily be suggested over Ubuntu.
As soon as I saw Peppermint OS was available, I rushed to get it downloaded and installed. Peppermint offered your typical ISO files for installation as well as live CD and USB drives. This will allow you to run the software without installation. I opted to install Peppermint on a virtual machine instead of using a live CD. This is by far the fastest installation of an OS I’ve seen. It may have taken five to seven minutes at the most to install, though I don’t think it took even that long.
Image credit Ant Pruitt for aNewDomain.net
After getting logged in, users of Peppermint OS will immediately notice how fluid and fast this operating system is. Linux power users will be glad to know the look and feel is reminiscent of Lubuntu Linux which is a derivative of both Ubuntu and Linux Mint. Don’t worry, Linux geeks, there’s no Unity bar to deal with. The Gnome desktop will make users very comfortable as it’s a “normal” UI by today’s computing standards.
What I love about Peppermint OS goes beyond the small, sub-512MB foot print. I also love the integration with the web and cloud applications. Peppermint seamlessly integrates with Google Gmail and YouTube accounts, DropBox and other cloud services. My hardware was all recognized and properly loaded with compatible Linux drivers upon boot. Most current Linux users know the woes of running nVidia hardware on Linux distros, but I didn’t experience that issue.
The default web browser is Chromium giving more ease of use for web browsing. Any family of non-geek users can easily grab the mouse of this OS and navigate just was they would on other operating systems. Even the most non-technical user can navigate easily.
Geeks looking to add more software packages are in luck. Peppermint OS uses the current Ubuntu 12.04 repositories. I took the liberty to open up a terminal and run the good ole sudo apt-get install command and was again pleasantly surprised with how fast the downloads and installations happened on my VM.
Image credit Ant Pruitt for aNewDomain.net
Users not familiar with terminal commands can easily search for apps in the software Application Manager. Tons of free applications are available for download. Looking for a Twitter client? Just search for it in the Application Manager.
I cannot stress how impressive this operating system is. I tried to beat on the OS a little bit and it just laughed at me. The CPU utilization and and RAM management were outstanding, especially within the Chromium browser. As you know, running flash content can potentially make a browser crawl and even crash. We have all seen this with Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. I loaded several tabs simultaneously, ranging from different video sites to apps such as video encoders. This didn’t phase Peppermint OS. This is due to the Site Specific Browser (SSB). I had a difficult time finding cons with Peppermint OS. aNewDomain reader, Anthony Miles, notes that Peppermint OS is “still not fully baked.” He compared it to taking the Chrome OS and adding a legitimate file system to it. Our David Street, with tongue in cheek mentions, “the GUI doesn’t have special effects. So if you are in love with having your windows wobble when you move them or graphically shrink and expand when you minimize or maximize then you are out of luck.” I believe these two cons are very menial. Not much of a deal breaker at all.
If you’re on a budget and would love to give another operating system a try, Peppermint OS is definitely worth the look. It doesn’t require robust hardware to run and it’s at the great price of FREE. Even running the OS on a virtual machine was a breeze and efficient for me. Head over to the Peppermint OS website for a look and installation or feel free to reach out to co-founder and COO Shane Remington on his Google+ page. This is Ant Pruitt and this is aNewDomain.
Peppermint has always been the fastes distro I have used, and this one is the same. I’ve used PP1, 2, Ice, and now 3. It looks like 3 may rep[lace Mint 12 as my main distro.
“…Lubuntu Linux which is a derivative of both Ubuntu and Linux Mint.”
Incorrect. Lubuntu is an official Ubuntu derivative using LXDE. There is no connection there to Linux Mint. In fact Peppermint OS is a derivative of Lubuntu.
“The Gnome desktop will make users very comfortable as it’s a “normal” UI by today’s computing standards.”
As Peppermint OS is a Lubuntu derivative, it also employs LXDE. Gnome in this configuration no longer exists unless you count Mate or Cinnamon.
Thanks, Matt!
I appreciate your feedback and correction.
Regarding “normal”, i only meant as normal in the since of windows power(less) users are comfortable seeing the old look of Gnome. Seeing a toolbar, a “start” menu, etc.
I appreciate your comments.
-RAP, II
I have been using Linux Mint for some time, but have now shifted over to Peppermint. It has given my old desktop a new lease of life as it is so light and fast. So far no complaints!
Linux Mint has a lot of love from the community, David.
Thanks for reading and your comments!
-RAP, II
well, really, I’m not looking for a “light” version of linux, but on the plus side, it isn’t unity (mac + tablet pcc look) or mint (windows look), so I’ll give it a shot.
I have to be the ONE PERSON that has no problem with Unity. (lol)
Thanks for reading, ThoGun3!
-RAP, II