This Month’s DVD

Article from Issue 211/2018

Linux Mint 18.3 “Mate” and Arch Linux

Linux Mint 18.3 "Mate" (64-bit)

Linux Mint targets the everyday user and puts the emphasis on an easy desktop experience. A pleasing combination of seamless operation and good design, along with a practical line-up of user-friendly applications, has kept Mint in the top spot on the DistroWatch page hit list for years. The Mate edition features the popular and practical Mate desktop, a modern continuation of the classic Gnome 2 code base. Highlights for version 18.3 include an improved Software Manager, expanded backup capabilities, and a more-configurable login screen.

Arch Linux (64-bit)

Arch Linux is a lean and powerful independent Linux with a loyal community of users who prefer Arch's close-to-the-system clarity over the cumbersome niceties of a GUI-based desktop Linux. The developers focus on "simplicity, minimalism, and code elegance." A bare-bones base system lets the user build and fine tune the operating environment with minimal bloat. Arch uses a rolling release system that allows it to provide "the latest stable versions of most software."