WORLD BEYOND WINDOWS

Linux Mint 17.1 finally makes MATE's fancy Compiz graphics easy to use

Linux Mint isn’t chasing touch interfaces, rethinking the way we use the desktop, or enacting any other grand experiment. It’s just a polished, modern Linux desktop system—and that’s why people love it. Linux Mint 17.1 (codenamed “Rebecca”) is on the brink of being released, and it continues the Linux Mint mission of refining the interface we use every day.

Technically, Linux Mint 17.1 is out in “RC” or “Release Candidate” form, which just means “this exact image will become the final release unless we find any huge bugs.” You can snag the RC images now or wait for a stable release, which should out soon. Installers with either the MATE or Cinnamon desktop environments are available. If you’re already using Linux Mint 17, you’ll soon receive a notification asking if you want to perform an upgrade to the new version.

Got it? Good. Let’s dig in!