{"id":23430,"date":"2022-12-14T16:32:30","date_gmt":"2022-12-14T16:32:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/14\/whats-new-in-linux-mint-21-1-vera\/"},"modified":"2022-12-14T16:32:30","modified_gmt":"2022-12-14T16:32:30","slug":"whats-new-in-linux-mint-21-1-vera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/14\/whats-new-in-linux-mint-21-1-vera\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s New in Linux Mint 21.1 \u2018Vera\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\"Linux<\/p>\n

Linux Mint 21.1 brings several interface changes including a cleaner desktop with more vibrant colors.\u00a0Vera also sees the arrival of more controls in the update, driver, and software managers. New system sounds, ISO tools, and mouse pointers round out this update to the popular Linux distribution.<\/p>\n

The beta for Linux Mint 21.1 \u201cVera\u201d was released<\/a> on December 6, 2022, with a full release expected around December 25. The popular Ubuntu-based distribution\u2019s intuitive desktop environments make it especially popular among newcomers to Linux. Let\u2019s see what Mint 21.1 has in store.<\/p>\n

What Is Linux Mint?<\/h2>\n

Linux Mint is one of the most successful distributions based on Ubuntu. And with the number of Ubuntu derivatives out there, that\u2019s saying something. Linux Mint must be doing a lot of things right\u2014at least, according to its passionate user base.<\/p>\n

Linux Mint is focused on desktops and laptops. It provides customized desktop environments with a choice of\u00a0Cinnamon<\/a>,\u00a0Xfce<\/a>, and\u00a0Mate<\/a>. It has the Snap store disabled by default, a move first made in\u00a0Linux Mint 20<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Linux Mint doesn\u2019t have a server version. Its purpose is to provide a simple, intuitive, attractive desktop Linux experience for its users, especially newcomers to the Linux world. The Linux Mint team want a mac or Windows user to be comfortable with Linux Mint within a short time.<\/p>\n

Mint uses a traditional desktop layout, with a status bar\u2014called\u00a0the panel<\/em>\u2014at the bottom of the screen. A start menu is accessed by a button at the left-hand end of the panel, and there\u2019s a cluster of icons in a control area at the right-hand end of the panel.<\/p>\n

Linux Mint uses the apt<\/code> package installer, just like Ubuntu and Debian. It also has its own Software Manager software. It\u2019s similar to the Ubuntu one, but it defaults to installing from DEB files, not Snap packages. Many of the packages offered give you the choice of installing from a DEB or\u00a0flatpak<\/a>, but a few packages, such as\u00a0Zotero<\/a>, are flatpak only.<\/p>\n

Linux Mint is more than a de-Snapped Ubuntu though. It feels like using a slick, polished, simplified, and less prescriptive Ubuntu, with sensible defaults. Linux Mint 21.1 Vera, which is\u00a0based on Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish, is due to be released on Christmas Day, 2022. We fired up a beta version to give you a heads-up on what\u2019s new in this release.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> What’s New in Ubuntu 22.04 LTS ‘Jammy Jellyfish’<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Changes and Improvements in Linux Mint 21.1 Vera<\/h2>\n

Vera is a long-term support release, with support promised until 2027. Because it\u2019s the Linux Mint flagship release, we installed the Cinnamon edition. This desktop environment came about when the Linux Mint development team was dissatisfied with Ubuntu\u2019s\u00a0Unity desktop shell<\/a>\u00a0and the GNOME<\/a> 3 shell. They responded by forking several GNOME 3 components and developing the Cinnamon desktop.<\/p>\n

Cinnamon is a mature product\u2014it\u2019s over ten years old\u2014and is stable and robust.\u00a0Linux Mint is known to be conservative and slow changing. This caution helps maintain its stability. That being said, there are more changes than usual in this release and, although most of them are related to themes and appearance, some of them are functional too.<\/p>\n

Cleaner Desktop<\/h3>\n

The desktop has been purged. The \u201chome\u201d, \u201ccomputer\u201d, \u201ctrash\u201d, and \u201cnetwork\u201d icons have been removed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Clicking the folder icon pinned to the panel opens your \u201chome\u201d directory in the Nemo file browser<\/a>, so it is still only one click away. Counter-intuitively, its tooltip reads \u201cFiles\u201d, but it gives you a fast way to get to Nemo and your \u201chome\u201d directory<\/a> all in one.<\/p>\n

The \u201ccomputer\u201d, \u201ctrash\u201d, and \u201cnetwork\u201d locations are available through the \u201cGo\u201d menu in Nemo or by searching in the start menu.<\/p>\n

\"Other<\/p>\n

Files that you copy or save to \u201c~\/Desktop\u201d still show up on the desktop, as do mounted devices.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There\u2019s the usual selection of new background wallpapers. You\u2019ve got access to the generic Linux Mint wallpapers, the backgrounds from the Linux Mint 21 Vanessa<\/a> release, and the new Vera-specific backgrounds.<\/p>\n

\"Selecting<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a stunning collection of images by skilled photographers. Whoever curated these backgrounds did a great job too.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a new \u201cShow Desktop\u201d button at the extreme right-hand end of the panel. It hides all open windows, clearing the desktop with a single mouse click.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

It\u2019s practically invisible, but it\u2019s there. Point at it, and you\u2019ll see its tooltip.<\/p>\n

Vibrant Colors<\/h3>\n

Linux Mint describes the new accent color options as \u201cvibrant\u201d, and they certainly do stand out. They\u2019re not subtle, but they\u2019re used in fewer places, so the experience isn\u2019t visually jarring.<\/p>\n

\"Some<\/p>\n

If you prefer the previous muted colors of yesteryear, they\u2019re available too, in the legacy sets. You can change the accent colors in System Settings > Appearance > Themes<\/code>. They color selection bars, interface\u00a0accents such as highlighted or selected items, and control items such as checkboxes. The default is \u201cAqua\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Changing the folder styles in System Settings > Appearance > Icons<\/code> also changes the application icon styles. There are some new icon themes that modify the appearance of the folders but leave application icons untouched. These are:<\/p>\n

You can also change the desktop color scheme and choose light or dark mode in the \u201cWelcome Screen\u201d in the \u201cFirst Steps\u201d pane.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

A Modern Mouse Pointer<\/h3>\n

The default mouse pointer has changed. Linux Mint 21.1 uses \u201cBibata Modern Classic\u201d, which has a gently rounded shape without a tail.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

With all of these cosmetic tweaks, what looks good is subjective. If you don\u2019t like the defaults, you can change them in a flash to something more agreeable to you.<\/p>\n

New System Sounds<\/h3>\n

The system sounds have been updated. As before, the volume can be adjusted, and individual sounds can be switched on and off if they\u2019re too distracting.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

A Liberated Driver Manager<\/h3>\n

The Driver Manager application has been changed to run in user mode. This means it\u2019ll run without the need for a password.<\/p>\n

It searches your computer for drivers that are installed and in use, then lists them. It\u2019ll also identify missing drivers and offer to install them.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Our test machine didn\u2019t require any additional drivers, but it\u2019s nice to know that you\u2019ve got a helping hand if your computer does need them.<\/p>\n

Enhanced Update Manager<\/h3>\n

A similar amount of assistance and hand-holding is available in the Update Manager. It makes what can become a complicated task very easy. You can select the packages that you want to update, and exclude those you\u2019re not interested in at this time.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Significantly, support for updating flatpaks has been added.<\/p>\n

More Control in Software Manager<\/h3>\n

If a flatpak is available for an application, the Software Manager let\u2019s you choose between installing a DEB \u201cSystem Package\u201d or a flatpak.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the flashiest software store application, but it looks good and works well. You can find what you want quickly from a huge choice of software, and you get a choice of install types, too. I\u2019ll take that over eye candy any day.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Install a DEB File in Linux<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Easy ISO Verification<\/h3>\n

Verifying the integrity of downloaded ISO files<\/a> is important. It tells you whether the file you\u2019re about to use has been modified, perhaps with malicious intentions or perhaps because of a glitch in the downloading process.<\/p>\n

You can verify a downloaded ISO<\/a> by right-clicking<\/a> it and selecting \u201cVerify\u201d from the context menu. The ISO Verification application opens. It calculates the SHA256 checksum<\/a>. This should match the published checksum published on the download site.<\/p>\n

If the ISO image is an official Linux Mint file, the paths to the SHA256 checksum files and the GNU Privacy Guard file are automatically filled in.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Click the \u201cVerify\u201d button to perform to have the file verified for you.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

If the checks pass, you\u2019re told that everything looks good.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> What Are MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256 Hashes, and How Do I Check Them?<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

New USB Tools<\/h3>\n

As you\u2019d expect USB Image Writer tool lets you select an ISO image and the USB stick<\/a> you want to write the image to. It also has a \u201cVerify\u201d button\u00a0which lets you verify the authenticity of the ISO image before you burn it, which is convenient.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The USB Stick Formatter tool formats USB sticks for you. You can pick a USB stick, set its device name, and choose a file system. There are four file systems supported:<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Updated Software Versions<\/h3>\n

The versions of major packages included in the Linux Mint 21.1 beta are listed below. Note that these these might change between the time of writing and the actual release date.<\/p>\n