Articles - Page 42

Not All Heroes Wear Capes. Here's Why CMS Is Your 'Unsung Hero' in 2025

janus-boye

To facilitate technological innovation within media organisations, nonprofit software developer Sourcefabric z.ú. has launched a new roundtable to help news agencies share development costs and improve the tools that deliver their journalism to clients.
Called the <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=0c90aef04e&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Superdesk Wire Club</a>, the forum will serve as a development steering committee for news agencies that use Superdesk, our open-source newsroom management solution. Through the club, members will identify features or functions that are of shared interest and then decide on collectively funding their development. Founding members of the Superdesk Wire Club include <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=cf036374a2&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Norwegian news agency NTB</a>, <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=73c25bda85&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Belgian news agency Belga</a>, and the <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=7b6c354dc1&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Australian Associated Press (AAP)</a>. Additional agencies are expected to join soon.
“This is about people talking to each other, but it’s also about coordinating solutions,” says Karel Petrák, Sourcefabric project manager and Wire Club organiser. “What do Superdesk users need and want most? The Wire Club will help us answer that question.”
Since Superdesk’s public release in early 2016, nearly a dozen publishers have adopted the CMS or are transitioning to the software, including some of Europe’s leading news agencies. Every month, the platform delivers more than 300,000 news items to over 80 million readers on four continents. Because Superdesk is built on <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=e01c897b52&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open-source code base</a>, users can collectively make improvements; the Superdesk Wire Club will facilitate this collaboration.
Geir Terje Ruud, NTB’s chief development officer, said: “It's a good idea to build a system for cooperation between customers and users on systems like Superdesk. If we, as customers, can pull or push in the same direction, development will be faster, more efficient and definitely closer to the needs of the customers.”
Tom Wuytack, Belga’s CIO, added: “The Wire Club will allow us to sit in the driver’s seat to ensure that further evolution of the Superdesk software remains relevant for Belga. It will also give us direct insight into useful innovations and integrations from other agencies.”
With journalism still facing difficult economic times, news agencies have begun to cooperate to improve efficiencies and address shared technological challenges. For instance, a group of six European news agencies – led by Dutch agency ANP – is working to develop a system to determine <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=6e63ab7d4c&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">what content users find most engaging</a>. Another initiative, a collaboration between the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur and STT, the Finnish news agency, aims to help news agencies track and match content to reader preferences.
But the Superdesk Wire Club is one of the only forums in the world for news agencies to partner on the development of a common newsroom CMS.
Aslan Aslanov, President of the News Agencies World Congress, says disruptive technologies – particularly social media and mobile platforms – have made technological cooperation among media organisations all the more vital. Any network that brings news agencies together “can help agencies find significant solutions to [shared] challenges,” he said.
Wolfgang Nedomansky, Managing Director of<a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=97dfd378cc&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> MINDS International</a>, one of the world’s leading networks of news agency CEOs, CTOs, editors and business professionals, concurs. “Efficiency and collaboration are keys for the success of news agencies in the future,” <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=dec3935257&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">he says</a>.
Club membership is open only to news agencies. With many of the world’s news agencies facing a variety of<a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=ba79ccd16e&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> commercial, political, and technological challenges</a>, the club’s initial aim is to strengthen this key part of the media industry.
Sourcefabric’s Karel Petrák says: “We want our news-agency partners to have a seat at the Superdesk development table, and the Superdesk Wire Club is one way to do that.”

Sourcefabric launches initiative to help news agencies develop a common newsroom CMS

mike-johnston

Contentful, the leading enterprise headless CMS provider, today announced an <a href="https://www.contentful.com/use-case/agile-ecommerce/">agile ecommerce solution</a> designed for enterprises to drive online sales by empowering retailers to more efficiently manage content across multiple channels.
To engage customers with more seamless and localized online shopping experiences, Contentful’s <a href="https://www.contentful.com/content-infrastructure/">content infrastructure</a> solution for ecommerce gives retailers the ability to update content on all digital platforms at once, and to deploy that content at massive, enterprise-grade scale. As a result, retailers can better align content across channels, repurpose existing content to improve its impact, and ensure the right message reaches each target audience.
“Retailers are rethinking their approach to managing content because too often, it’s locked down in a traditional CMS. They need the agility to constantly iterate on campaigns to drive sales. Contentful gives them four to seven times greater speed to market for digital experiences, so they can truly stand out,” says Alyssa Meritt, Director of Content Operations Strategy of Contentful. “For any company hoping to maintain a competitive advantage in retail, a cloud-native agile ecommerce platform is mandatory.”
Agile ecommerce allows retailers to optimize and repurpose their content across multiple channels, and enables developers to swiftly integrate their solutions stack with new technology. Achieving digital maturity means understanding that a good ecommerce solution for content doesn’t stand alone — it needs to be supported by a modern stack of integrated solutions, made possible by open APIs.
Contentful’s integration with existing ecommerce tools, including integrations in the works with CommerceTools and Commerce Layer, accelerates the content and development process for both developers and editors.
With Contentful, brands can build and manage both ongoing and targeted personalized outreach for any seasonal or event-driven campaign, from Black Friday to Superbowl Sunday to Times Square Billboards, and localize this content for markets across the world. Contentful’s Content Delivery API allows editors to update all content through a web app that syncs with any desired platform for consistent, multi-channel campaigns.
“Publish once, sell everywhere is the new standard for successful ecommerce,” says Meritt of Contentful. “The value of moving quickly, without being held back from the development constraints of traditional CMS platforms, is critical for any brand looking for great conversion rates. We’ve seen smaller, nimble brands beating much larger brands, translating to millions of dollars in additional revenue on a single campaign.”
Contentful customers have already achieved significant success in integrating the headless CMS approach to ecommerce needs. Nordic travel operator TUI saw bounce rate decreases by 31% and mobile conversion increase by 11% when it brought its agile ecommerce content to Contentful. With Contentful, <a href="https://www.contentful.com/case-studies/tui-nordic/">TUI delivers new customer touch points five times faster</a> than when it was using a traditional CMS platform.
Xoom, a PayPal service that provides worldwide money transfers, <a href="https://www.contentful.com/case-studies/xoom/">used Contentful to personalize content across 37 languages and more than 80 locations</a>. Xoom now needs only 30 minutes to update content across channels versus the two-week time frame required by legacy tools.
Additional Information
<ul>
<li>Read the <a href="https://www.contentful.com/resources/forrester-wave-web-cms-2018/">Wave Report for Web CMS</a></li>
<li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.contentful.com/">Contentful</a></li>
<li>Request a <a href="https://www.contentful.com/sign-up/">free trial</a></li>
<li>Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/contentful">@Contentful</a>on Twitter</li>
<li>Explore resources on <a href="https://github.com/contentful">Github</a></li>
</ul>
About Contentful
Contentful, the leading enterprise headless CMS provider, offers content infrastructure that enables enterprises to deliver digital products and experiences at greater speed and scale than with a traditional CMS. Contentful unifies content in a single hub, delivers it via APIs to any digital platform, and makes content immediately editable in an intuitive web app. Companies such as Spotify, Urban Outfitters, Red Bull, Jack in the Box, The British Museum, Xoom, Lenovo, Brandless and many others rely on Contentful to author, manage and deliver digital content to any channel or platform. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.contentful.com/">https://www.contentful.com/</a>

Contentful Unveils Headless CMS Ecommerce Solution for Faster Content Delivery and Improved Sales

Up until the oculus Go came onto the market, I've never felt the need to get into the VR scene. I always felt like the cost was too prohibitive and the technology was too new.With the introduction of entry level headsets such as the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.oculus.com/go/">oculus Go</a>, this barrier to entry is now gone and I'm now diving in head first so expect to see new VR related content in addition to the usual stuff. Today, I'm going to offer up my oculus Go review and share my thoughts on this inexpensive VR solution.The price point on the oculus Go is just shy of $300 at the time of this review (around $270 Canadian) and is a reasonable price point in my mind. It's a good spot to be in and is reasonably affordable by the average person looking to get into VR.It certainly is far less expensive than any other option out there (aside from those junky VR sets you see floating around). There are plenty of poor vr headsets out there from tons of brands that I've never heard of and most of them end up donated to thrift stores. I know because I've seen tons of them there.<h2>The Headset</h2>The headset that comes with the oculus Go is comfortable and fits nicely. It has two side velcro adjustments and one top one so that you can modify it to fit comfortable.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oculus-go-review-the-headset-e1562534092694_lbsqch.jpg" />oculus Go Review – The Headset<h3>Eyeglass Spacer</h3>It also has an eye glass spacer that pushes the lenses out a bit further so that you can comfortable fit it on with eyeglasses.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oculus-go-eyeglass-spacer.jpg" />oculus Go eyeglass spacerHere's a look at the three pieces separately; the headset, the eyeglass spacer and the foam shield.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oculus-go-headset-components.jpg" />oculus Go – Headset components<h3>Comfort</h3>While it was a bit uncomfortable and awkward at first to put on.. once I adjusted the straps and figured out an easier way to put it on (put the lenses on first and then pull the straps over my head) I was good to go.The one thing I did notice is that I was able to see light through the nose area as it doesn't seal fully over the bridge of the nose. I've read other reviews that state this as well so just be prepared for it. I didn't find that it took away from the experience but it may be annoying to some.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oculus-go-review-the-headset-lenses.jpg" />oculus Go review – The Headset Lenses<h3>The Components</h3><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oculus-go-review-the-headset-e1562534092694_lbsqch.jpg" />The power button is the center top button shown in the picture above and is (obviously) used to turn the power on and off. The volume rocker is located to the left of the power button and is easy to reach when wearing the headset.Along with the typical VR component of the goggles, the headset has an integrated microphone which allows you to voice chat with friends and other players in multiplayer games (of which there are quite a few).The headset, in my testing, lasted about 1 1/2 – 2 hours per charge and it took on average about the same amount of time to charge. Typically, it was good to go in about 1 1/2 hours.<h2>The Controller</h2>The system also comes with a single controller used to navigate within your virtual world.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oculus-go-the-controller.jpg" />oculus Go – The ControllerThe Controller has three buttons and a circular touch surface which can be used to navigate the menus and games.The bottom button is emblazoned with the oculus logo and is the equivalent of a home button. It will bring you back to the home menu and reorient yourself within a game. Above this, there is a back button and above that, the circular touch surface.You'll also note the trigger button which is used to make selections, fire weapons in game and more.It's light and easy to hold and comes with a wrist strap. It's a motion controller so moving your hand back and forth will translate similar to how a Wii remote would work on the Nintendo Wii (if you are familiar with it). The controller uses a single battery (included) to power it.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oculus-go-controller-battery-compartment.jpg" />oculus Go – Controller Battery Compartment<h2>The oculus Interface</h2>The interface once you put on the headset is easy to navigate and use. There's a settings panel at the bottom of the screen and a selection of icons and thumbnails on the screen above.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oculus-go-the-interface.jpg" />oculus Go – The InterfaceTo navigate, you simply use the handheld controller to point and click on the individual items within the interface. to scroll up and down, you slide your finger on the touchpad of the controller.Under Sharing, you have the option (as you can see above) to share content to Facebook (obviously, since they own oculus) as well as to Cast your screen to a phone or TV so that others can watch you play. You can even record videos and Go Live from the sharing menu.Under People, you can add friends, remove friends and similar activities. Within the main tab, Navigate, you can browse the store, your library, your gallery and more.Battery life is depicted in the top right of your panel for both the controller and the headset.<h2>oculus Go Review – My Conclusion</h2>In my day or two owning this, I've enjoyed it thoroughly. The library of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.oculus.com/experiences/go">oculus Go Games and Apps</a> that are available is quite extensive. There's everything from apps like Netflix and YouTube to Games such as Drop Dead (super fun zombie shooter) and Deer Hunter VR make it a great budget VR console. I highly recommend picking one up and if you do, let me know.

Oculus Go Review - Small Package, Great Experience

Oculus Go Review - The oculus Go headset and controller

Sourcefabric z.ú., Europe’s largest developer of open-source technology for the news media, is doubling the size of its Prague headquarters and merging its German for-profit subsidiary, Sourcefabric GmbH, with its Czech commercial arm, Sourcefabric Ventures s.r.o.
Established in April 2010, parent organisation Sourcefabric z.ú. is a nonprofit developer of open-source software and digital solutions and works to strengthen the editorial and economic independence of media organisations worldwide. This mission-driven development is supported with income generated by Sourcefabric’s subordinate commercial companies, along with donations and project-related funding.
After the organisational merger is completed, global commercial activities will be centered in Prague, where they will be managed by Sourcefabric Ventures s.r.o. The German market, and Sourcefabric’s numerous German customers, will remain a key priority going forward.
With independent media organisations facing a variety of technical and economic challenges, Sourcefabric’s software has been developed to improve newsroom efficiencies. For instance, by automating certain tasks in the news production and distribution processes, news organisations powered by Sourcefabric solutions can free up editors’ time to produce quality journalism.
The core technology powering that vision is Superdesk, a content management and newsroom workflow system <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=4d0ccd629f&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">developed in partnership</a> with leading news organisations – including the Australian Associated Press (AAP) and the national news agency of Norway (NTB). Since Superdesk’s public release in early 2016, nearly a dozen other publishers have adopted the CMS or are transitioning to the software, including some of Europe’s leading news agencies. Every month, the platform delivers more than 300,000 news items to over 80 million readers on four continents.
Among Superdesk’s strengths is its open-source code base, which allows partner media organisations to collectively make improvements, share development costs, and redistribute needed resources for other journalistic endeavors.
To facilitate this innovative media partnership, Sourcefabric has just launched a news agency collaborative called the <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=f0808fc581&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Superdesk Wire Club</a>. The goal of this new forum is to bring together Superdesk clients from around the world to guide the system’s future development in line with the particular needs of news agencies. Founding members of the Superdesk Wire Club include Norwegian news agency NTB, Belgian news agency Belga and Australian Associated Press.
Beyond Superdesk, Sourcefabric’s software is used to strengthen journalism and foster media innovations in some of the world’s most restrictive environments. Other tools in its portfolio of solutions for independent media include:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=b940f3acb1&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Superdesk Publisher</a>, a native extension of Superdesk used to manage news websites and other forms of digital publishing. Current Superdesk Publisher projects include two independent news organisations in the Balkans – <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=413f4a4da9&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Insajder.net</a>in Serbia, and <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=0907d51779&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vijesti.me</a> in Montenegro – and <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=ad432ca08b&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brasil247</a>, one of Brazil’s leading independent media outlets.</li>
<li><a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=f7ffcec5c5&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Airtime Pro</a>, an all-in-one Internet radio automation and broadcasting platform used by DJ hobbyists as well as professional radio stations around the globe.</li>
<li><a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=2816c58efb&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Live Blog</a>, a live online blogging tool, is being used by major media outlets (such as German news agency dpa) to diversify coverage and develop new revenue streams.</li>
</ul>
To broaden its range of media activities, Sourcefabric has partnered with Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF), which invests in independent media in challenging environments. A Sourcefabric-MDIF joint venture, SFS Ventures s.r.o., <a href="https://sourcefabric.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6b1ad01fc31dc6604968e6439&amp;id=3e44573a93&amp;e=651952ac7d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recently acquired a majority stake</a> in Poland’s Eurozet radio station.
Sourcefabric’s renovated headquarters will occupy two floors of Štenc House, an Art Nouveau building near Prague’s Old Town square that housed a printing press and artist studios in the early 20th century.
“Our client base is expanding, and so, too, are our ambitions. Quality journalism is the lifeblood of democratic societies, and open-source technology is the backbone of quality journalism,” said Sourcefabric Managing Director Sava Tatić. “Our goal, therefore, is to ensure that journalists everywhere, operating under any circumstance, have the tools they need to do their work.”

Sourcefabric z.ú. to Expand Global Headquarters and Streamline Commercial Operations

JotForm today announced <a href="https://www.jotform.com/products/mobile-forms/">JotForm Mobile Forms</a>, a version of its popular form service that works on all mobile device types.
The new app is designed to remove limitations on where and how you can collect data, with advanced features like offline capabilities, kiosk mode, and the ability to quickly access and share forms. It works well for users who want to fill out their own forms from remote locations as well as users who want to request that others fill out their forms.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/asset11_nnlgnx.png" /> <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/asset1-scaled_b5rlnx.png" /> <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen-shot-2019-06-13-at-175122_zp7zz9.png" />
Photographers and marketers especially will benefit from JotForm Mobile Forms, since it improves remote access to much-needed forms. 
Photographers can quickly and seamlessly collect signatures on the go, which makes getting model releases and session agreements incredibly simple. Marketers can leverage kiosk mode, which automatically resets their form after someone fills it out on a public device — great for collecting feedback or emails on a signup form at a booth.  
Key features:
<ul>
<li>Collect data offline.</li>
<li>Create and edit forms. </li>
<li>Assign and share forms. </li>
<li>Record your voice as a form submission.</li>
<li>Use geolocation to pinpoint exact locations.</li>
<li>Turn your phone into a public kiosk station.</li>
<li>Customize notifications.</li>
</ul>
JotForm has always worked well on mobile devices; however, JotForm Mobile Forms substantially improves access to users’ forms.
The new product also makes JotForm an attractive data-collection option for industries that haven’t typically been JotForm users, including safety inspectors, oil and gas workers, repair professionals, and construction workers. In use cases that have traditionally involved collecting information using paper and pen, JotForm Mobile Forms is designed to improve speed and accuracy, while reducing expensive and wasteful paper.
JotForm Mobile Forms is available for free on the Google Play store and the App Store. Learn more about its capabilities by visiting <a href="https://www.jotform.com/products/mobile-forms/">https://www.jotform.com/products/mobile-forms/</a>.

JotForm Mobile Forms launches to improve remote data collection

Linux Mint is one of the most popular Linux distributions on the planet. It was originally started back in 2006 and is based on Ubuntu. It retains compatibility with Ubuntu to this day but has surpassed Ubuntu when it comes to ease of use. You'll be hard pressed to find a Linux user that doesn't agree that Linux Mint is a great option for new users and those who love the Cinnamon Desktop. Let's dig a little deeper in this Linux Mint Review.Installing Linux Mint is very easy to do so I'm going to bypass that in this review. You can however, read my <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/how-to-install-linux-mint/">How to Install Linux Mint</a> article if you want to see the process in depth.<h2>The Cinnamon Desktop</h2>No Linux Mint review is complete without screenshots and this one is no exception. My goal is to show you the basics and explore some of the functionality to help you make a decision as to whether it's something you want to try. The Cinnamon desktop is a very well put together desktop environment that is in version 4.0 as of the latest Linux Mint release.Here's how it looks post-install:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-review-welcome-screen_q4n5d2.png" />Linux Mint Review – Welcome ScreenYou'll notice that the first thing to pop-up is a welcome screen introducing you to the system. This is also present in several other Linux distributions such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/ubuntu-mate-review/">Ubuntu Mate</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/mx-linux-review/">MX Linux</a>.<h2>The Welcome Screen</h2>The welcome screen is intended to provide you with quick shortcuts to useful information as well as some things you should consider exploring after installation. Clicking on First Steps showcases some of the post-install tasks to explore.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-review-welcome-screen-first-steps_qcdhib.png" />Welcome Screen – First Steps – Linux Mint ReviewHere's a quick summary of each of the sections:<ul><li>System Snapshots – this app is intended to help you set up automatic backups of your system that you can restore if something breaks.</li><li>Driver Manager – this driver manager provides you with a means of scanning your system to see if any drivers are available for any of your hardware.</li><li>Update Manager – this one speaks for itself, it checks for updated software in the repositories and initiates the updates.</li><li>Desktop Layout – New in 19.1 is a layout tool that allows you to choose between two different panel layouts; traditional and modern.</li><li>System Settings – Offers quick access to all of the settings for items such as appearance settings, preferences, hardware and administrative tools.</li><li>Software Manager – This allows you to manage software on your system and install new software from a massive repository.</li></ul>Now that we've explored the welcome screen, which I feel is one of the best ones out there. Let's take a look at some of the individual components available to Linux Mint users.<h2>System Snapshots</h2>With system snapshots, you can choose either RSYNC or BTRFS for snapshots. If you aren't sure which one to choose, click the HELP drop-down for more information on each option. I typically choose RSYNC but if you formatted your partitions with BTRFS, then feel free to choose it. The choice is yours.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/system-snapshots-linux-mint-review_dyssyt.jpg" />System Snapshots – Linux Mint ReviewOnce you've made a selection, Timeshift will load allowing you to configure your snapshots. For more information on using Timeshift, visit <a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/teejee2008/timeshift">this link</a>. The inclusion of Timeshift is a smart one. It's a very useful tool and given that Linux Mint is geared towards new users, it's a good idea to offer some sort of recovery option. This will not only bolster the confidence of new users to try new things with the system without fear of breakage but also offers peace of mind overall.<h2>Driver Manager</h2>The Driver Manager, as mentioned, will scan your hardware and check to see if there are any hardware drivers (third party Nvidia for example) that may be required. It will then let you choose whether you want to install them or not.Opening the driver manager will kick off an update of the cache so that Linux Mint knows what's available.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-review-driver-manager_iphi5c.jpg" />Linux Mint Review – Driver ManagerOnce the cache update is complete, the Driver Manager will load and present you with the available drivers, if any.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-review-driver-manager-2_qgyzea.jpg" />Linux Mint Review – Available DriversThe driver manager is an essential app for Linux Mint and is similar to the one included with most Ubuntu derived distros. This simple offering helps make Ubuntu and related distributions such as Linux Mint stand out when it comes to ease of use for those being introduced to Linux for the first time.<h2>Update Manager</h2>The update manager allows you to check the Linux Mint repositories for updated software and security fixes. Launching it, you'll be presented with the following screen:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/update-manager-linux-mint-review_jh3blc.jpg" />Update Manager – Linux Mint ReviewOnce you click OK on this screen, the update manager will do a scan of the repositories to see if there are any security or version updates that are available to install. You'll then be presented with a list of updates which you can either choose to install all of or select individually.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/update-manager-available-updates-linux-mint-review_e7c6ls.jpg" />Update Manager – Available updates – Linux Mint ReviewLike any good distro, there's multiple ways to perform system updates and Linux Mint is no exception. While the hardcore user will likely end up using apt commands in the terminal, the new user has an interface that's easy to understand and use until they begin to discover the wonders of the console.<h2>Desktop Layout</h2>This is where you can choose between either the modern layout which Linux Mint has by default or the traditional layout from older releases. Here's what the Traditional Layout looks like in comparison to the Modern Layout.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/traditional-panel-layout-linux-mint-review_lgjdn9.png" />Traditional Panel Layout – Linux Mint ReviewI like that the devs chose to include the previous panel layout as an option. For those who are old school Mint users, this keeps them happy and choice is never a bad thing. While I personally thing the new panel look and feel is better overall, I'm pleased to see that they are offering the choice to switch if desired.<h2>System Settings</h2>System settings is where you get access to all of the, well, settings that are available in Linux Mint. Launching it will present you with the following window:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/system-settings-linux-mint_lsuvyd.png" />System Settings – Linux Mint ReviewWe won't get into every single option here as that would be very time consuming but what I will do is touch on some of the key items within this window that I think are worth pointing out in this Linux Mint review.<h3>Effects</h3>Cinnamon comes with numerous options for desktop effects. Within the Effects icon, you'll find two tabs.The first tab presents you with ability to enable or disable effects for individual components of the desktop as well as choose from some pre-defined effect styles.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-review-effects_oiqmwp.png" />Linux Mint Review – EffectsThe second tab offers you more granular control over your settings by allowing you to customize them individually.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-review-effects-2_gyqoje-1.png" />Linux Mint Review – Effects-2<h3>Themes</h3>While Linux Mint does offer a slick default look and feel, you can also change individual components of your theme or download new ones. Clicking on Themes will launch the related window so you can do this.The first tab lets you customize the themes for individual areas of the desktop.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-themes-individual-settings_e17gec.jpg" />Linux Mint – Themes – Individual SettingsThe second tab gives you the ability to add or remove themes that are available for download. Once you download a new one, switch back to the first tab to make your customizations.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-themes-add-and-remove_aiokpu.jpg" />Linux Mint – Themes – Add and Remove<h3>Applets</h3>Applets are small apps that run inside the Cinnamon panel and offer additional capabilities or information. You can manage them by clicking on Applets inside the Settings Manager.The first tab lets you manage your applets – functions such as adding and removing them from the panel, etc.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-review-applets_jk4pbq.jpg" />AppletsThe second tab gives you the ability to download additional applets from the Linux Mint applet repository.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-review-applet-download_q5ltgc.jpg" />Applet DownloadExtensions functions similarly to these as well, allowing you to customize and download additional extensions for Linux Mint.The remaining settings dialogs are all pretty self explanatory and I encourage you to explore them each individually to ensure you have a solid understanding of what Linux Mint is capable of and what can be configured.<h2>Applications</h2>Be default, Linux Mint comes with numerous applications installed by default such as Firefox, Thunderbird, GIMP, Rhythmbox, VLC and LibreOffice.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-applications_xq3nzr.png" />ApplicationsYou can always download more via the Software Manager app.<h3>Nemo</h3>The file manager, Nemo, is excellent as well and offers more than just basic file management capabilities. You can also connect to servers and mount locations via various protocols.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-nemo_toqpdq.png" />NemoThere are also numerous plugins that can be used with Nemo, which you can access from the Edit menu.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-nemo-customizations_tobcnr.jpg" />Nemo Customizations<h2>Performance</h2>Performance wise, Linux Mint is pretty good. With Firefox, Calculator, GIMP, Terminal and Nemo running, memory usage was pretty reasonable. The CPU usage was pretty high but I was also running all of this under a limited VirtualBox session.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/linux-mint-system-monitor_yf0y8j.png" />Linux Mint – System Monitor<h2>Conclusions</h2>Overall, it's easy to see why Linux Mint is so popular. It's visually appealing and highly customizable use of the Cinnamon Desktop lends itself well to new and old users alike. The choice of applications and ease of installing new ones is broad and well thought out. Little things such as an app for backups make it easy to recommend. I'm giving it a 5/5. What do you think? Are you a fan of Linux Mint?

Linux Mint Review

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Linux Mint is one of the most popular Ubuntu compatible distros on the planet, even more so in some cases than Ubuntu itself. Most of this comes from it's focus on ease of use. Installing Linux Mint is relatively straight forward but to help make things easier for those who are new to Linux and aren't familiar with the process, we've put together this handy How to Install Linux Mint guide.<h2>How to Install Linux Mint</h2>To install Linux Mint, you need to first download a disc image from the Linux Mint website here: <a target="_blank" href="https://linuxmint.com/download.php">https://linuxmint.com/download.php</a> (see screenshot below for what the page typically looks like).<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how-to-install-linux-mint_wdvalv.jpg" alt="how to install Linux Mint" />How to Install Linux Mint – Download an ISO image<h3>Choosing an Edition to Download</h3>On this page, you'll be given numerous options to choose from. The three desktops listed are Cinnamon, MATE and XFCE. The primary desktop that most people use is Cinnamon, due to the fact that it is developed by the Linux Mint developers specifically for the platform; although in true Linux fashion it's also available on most other distros as well.If you've never used MATE before, that's OK. You can get a general idea of how MATE works in our <a href="/ubuntu-mate-review/">Ubuntu MATE review (opens in a new tab)</a>.  To get a look at XFCE and see if it's something you might want to consider using, you can learn a bit more about it and see how it looks in our <a href="/mx-linux-review/">MX Linux Review (opens in a new tab)</a>. Keep in mind that in both of these reviews, there have been some customizations made but they will give you a general idea of how these other desktop environments work.Assuming you've decided on which edition you wish to download, you'll now need to ascertain whether or not you need the 32 bit or 64 bit versions of the ISO image. If you own a computer made in the past 5 years, chances are you are will need a 64 bit version. If you are unsure, however, here's how to tell:<ol><li>Windows users:  Here's a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001121.htm">handy guide</a> that will help you figure it out.</li><li>Mac users: <a target="_blank" href="https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/12666/how-to-check-whether-my-intel-based-mac-is-32-bit-or-64-bit">read this</a> answer on StackExchange.</li></ol>Once you've downloaded the correct edition, you'll need to write it to a USB drive. If you do not have a USB drive, you'll need to purchase on first. Here's the one we tend to use: <h3>Writing the ISO image to the USB drive</h3>Now that you have a USB drive on hand and have downloaded an ISO image, it's time to write the image to the drive so that you can properly install Linux Mint.There are numerous tools to use for this but the one I find the easiest is Etcher. It also works on Windows, Mac OS and Linux so it's cross compatibility makes it a good choice. Go ahead and download and install Etcher. Once you've finished installing, launch it and you will be greeted with a window that looks similar to this:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how-to-install-linux-mint-etcher_fskoms.jpg" alt="How to Install Linux Mint - Etcher" />How to Install Linux Mint – EtcherEtcher is very easy to use. Simply click Select image, find the ISO image that you downloaded and choose it. If you have a USB drive already inserted into your laptop or desktop, Etcher will usually find it right away. If not, insert it and select it with the Select drive button. Once you've done this, simply click Flash! and you are on your way.Once the USB drive has been written to, it's time to install Linux Mint. Whether you are trying to install Linux Mint alongside an existing operating system (such as Windows) or replacing it entirely, it's very important that you ensure you have a proper backup of your data beforehand. There is always a chance that issues will arise and that the install will fail, although this is typically a rare occurrence. I'd also recommend having a backup laptop or desktop (or smartphone) you can use just in case it does, this way you can look up solutions online.Back up any files you wish to keep BEFORE proceeding here. We are not responsible for any loss of data or potential issues that may arise.<h3>Beginning the Install</h3>To begin the install, you need to boot from your USB drive. Leave it inserted in your laptop or desktop and then follow the necessary instructions. Here's a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.acronis.com/en-us/articles/usb-boot/">handy guide</a> to help you do so.Once the USB drive has been booted, you'll see a Linux Mint logo and it will automatically boot to the Linux Mint desktop you have chosen.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how-to-install-linux-mint-the-install-process-1_gc6tdc.png" alt="How to Install Linux Mint - The Install Process - 1" />How to Install Linux Mint – The Install ProcessFrom here, double click on the Install Linux Mint icon to launch the installer.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how-to-install-linux-mint-the-installer_osklsh.png" alt="How to Install Linux Mint - The Installer" />How to Install Linux Mint – The InstallerIt's now time to choose your language. Since you're reading this guide, I'll assume you are English so go ahead and click Continue (or select a different language).Next up is your keyboard layout. Most of the time, the defaults are correct for most people so I typically have never changed this but you can if you like. Click continue here once you are done.You'll now be asked whether you wish to install third party software.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how-to-install-linux-mint-third-party-software_vhsbl2.png" alt="How to Install Linux Mint - Third Party Software" />How to Install Linux Mint – Third Party SoftwareI recommend checking this box but it's not mandatory. In some cases, however, it is best to do so in case your system requires third party drivers or software.Next up, you'll be given the option to either install alongside your existing OS and resize the partitions or you can choose the Erase Disk and Install Linux Mint option (Note: doing this will wipe your disk and install Linux Mint exclusively, so make sure this is what you want to do, there's no going back).<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how-to-install-linux-mint-disk-choices_fronyq.png" alt="How to Install Linux Mint - Disk Choices" />How to Install Linux Mint – Disk ChoicesYou'll now be asked to confirm your changes.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/how-to-install-linux-mint-confirm-changes_kj9n0i.png" alt="How to Install Linux Mint - Confirm Changes" />How to Install Linux Mint – Confirm ChangesOn the next screen, you'll be presented with a map and asked to choose your location. Normally, Linux Mint will detect this automatically but in some cases it may be incorrect. You can choose to either click on the map and find your location or start typing it and select it from the drop-down list.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/choose-your-geography_csyqm7.png" alt="Choose your Geography" />Choose your locationNow you'll need to add your information including a username and password. On this screen, you can choose to have the system ask for your password at login or simply boot straight to the desktop. I typically use the latter if I know I'm the only one using the machine and it's not a laptop. For laptops, I recommend leaving the first option (require password) checked for security reasons.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/adding-your-user-information_vlqve8.png" alt="Adding your user information" />Adding your user informationWhen you click continue, the system will the installation. It's simply a waiting game here.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/installation-progress_tsn7ao.png" alt="Installation Progress" />Installation ProgressOnce the installation is complete, you'll be asked if you want to reboot or continue using the live session. Click reboot and you'll be booted into your brand new Linux Mint desktop!If you experience any installation errors, here are some resources to help:<ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewforum.php?f=46&amp;sid=ef0e557a38bf991f2ee45e7ed5729d8d">Linux Mint Forums – Installation Help</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://linuxmint-troubleshooting-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/">Linux Mint Troubleshooting Guide</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmint">Linux Mint Subreddit</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxquestions">Linux Questions Subreddit</a></li></ul>If you found this post helpful, please share it so others can find it as well. I'd also love to hear your experiences with Linux Mint and if you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. I'll do my best to reply to them all.

How to Install Linux Mint

Penzu is a private, 100% customizable online journal that is used by millions of people across the world. In this Penzu Review we're going to take you through the various features and functionality of the product to provide you with an overall idea of the strengths and weakness of the offering.<h2>Penzu Pricing</h2>There are three tiers of pricing for Penzu – each offering a different set of features but for the majority of people, the free offering is going to be more than enough. Here's a breakdown of the current pricing from their website.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-pricing-table_kpyp6y.png" />Penzu Pricing TableIn the grand scheme of things, if you do decide you want the full selection of features, $50 / year is pretty darn cheap so it's definitely NOT out of reach for the average person which is nice.<h2>Penzu Features</h2>Each pricing tier offers a different selection of features and while I feel that for the average user, the free option is quite extensive in it's feature set.. the Pro and Pro+ both have quite an impressive set of features as well.Here's a screenshot of the feature breakdown in each tier:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-feature-chart_rrnfsn.png" />Penzu Feature Chart<h2>Getting Started with Penzu</h2>Getting started is easy, just click the Get Started button and fill in the information required and an account will be instantly created for you.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-getting-started_zaysi3.png" />Penzu – Getting StartedOnce you've filled in the info above, you'll be taken to a wizard that has been designed to help you begin your writing experience with Penzu.The first item the wizard prompts you for is your first entry, which suggests that you write about why you are starting a journal in the first place. You can skip this if you choose using the Skip this Step link underneath the entry box.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-getting-started-wizard_zwz4mr.png" />Penzu Getting Started WizardOnce you've filled in your first entry (or clicked Skip) you'll be taken to the next screen where you can customize the font (or other options if you've purchased Pro or Pro+).<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-customizing-your-entries_q6foix.png" />Penzu Customizing your EntriesNext up, you are asked if you want to change the Journal cover color and if you wish to password protect your journal.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/customizing-your-journal_tibpe7.png" />Customizing your JournalFinally, once you've finished all of your customizations (which are pretty basic in the free version) the wizard will complete and you'll be taken to the main screen of your journal.<h2>Your Penzu Journal</h2>This will be the main screen where you write all of your entries and manage your journal.There are limited options here but that's OK because Penzu was not designed to waste your time with themes, plugins and such that other tools like WordPress offer. It was designed first and foremost as a writing tool to help you gather and share your thoughts.<h2>Settings</h2>You can access basic settings (such as the few that you saw in the wizard) by clicking on the gear icon on the left.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-settings_kzu2yx.png" />Penzu Settings<h2>Using the Penzu Editor</h2>The editor is very nice and easy to use with a few interesting options. You can click on the paintbrush icon to open up a background selection tool which allows you to choose a background (if so desired).<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-background-selection_cwe8i5.png" />Penzu Background SelectionYou can also choose pad styles which will change how your journal entries themselves look. For example:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-pad-styles_z98c7l.png" />Penzu Pad Styles<h2>Journal Prompts</h2>You may notice within the editor there are a number of icons you can choose from. The light bulb icon within the editor inserts a <a target="_blank" href="https://penzu.com/journal-prompts">Journal Prompt</a> which is described in the help section as:<blockquote>a simple statement designed to inspire you or offer you an idea of what to write about.</blockquote>This is an example of what a prompt looks like:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-journal-prompts_bczpw6.png" />Penzu Journal PromptsYou can switch prompts by clicking on the refresh icon (two arrows in a circle) or, if you are a Pro user, you can click Select and browse the prompts to find some inspiration. For Pro users, there are over 1,000 hand picked prompts to choose from – which is a pretty impressive amount!<h2>Penzu Time Capsule</h2>The next icon you'll see is an hour glass and activates a feature called Time Capsule. This cool feature allows you to email an entry to your future self and is a pretty neat option to have if, for instance, you set goals for yourself in your journal and want to send yourself a note 3 months down the road to see if you achieved them (for example).<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-time-capsule_xvdwto.png" />Penzu Time CapsuleThere are lots of things this can be used for. You can use Penzu as a way to set reminders and notify yourself on a certain day to do something or perhaps you want to send yourself motivational content down the road. Either way, it's an interesting and handy feature.<h2>Other Editor Icons</h2>The remaining icons allow you to tag your content (pro users only), upload images, format text, view entry versions or activate Zen Mode (distraction free writing – for pro users only).<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-editor-icons_dwgqnq.png" />Penzu Editor Icons<h2>Support / Help Options</h2>There are plenty of support options available which can be located by clicking on your name in the top right of the screen. Their FAQs are quite extension as is their help section and given the simplicity of the tool, there shouldn't be much support needed to use it. It is, however, nice to know it's there.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/penzu-support-help-options_u7zpvh.png" />Penzu Support &amp; Help Options<h2>Conclusion</h2>Penzu is an impressive and interesting journaling platform. I found myself drawn to the simplicity of the tool and how it removes the user from the sometimes overwhelming feature overload found in some modern tools. I like the pricing of the tool and think it's more than reasonable for the features offered and the integrated features such as Time Shift, Journal Prompts and more really add to the uniqueness of the platform.I'm giving it a 5/5 on the basis that it not only serves it's purpose as an excellent journaling platform but also because it goes one step further with thoughtful features and options that you might not even realize you need.You can learn more about Penzu or sign up for an account here: <a target="_blank" href="https://penzu.com/">Penzu Website</a>If you found this review helpful, check out our other reviews such as this: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/ghost-pro-review/">Ghost Pro review.</a>

Penzu Review

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Manjaro Linux is one of the most popular Linux distributions on the planet and impressively, one of the top three over at the ever popular website <a target="_blank" href="http://distrowatch.com/">Distrowatch</a> but does it hold up as something you should run as a daily driver? Find out in this Manjaro Review.This review has been updated and is now based on the most recent Manjaro 18 release.Installation is exactly the same as it has been for as long as I can remember so I'm not going to get into how it works. It's pretty much identical to every Linux distribution from that standpoint.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-the-install-process_ywu7fe.png" />The Install Process – Manjaro ReviewThe particular edition I'm testing is the XFCE release since it's the default desktop of choice for Manjaro. They do, however, offer KDE, Gnome and an Architect edition (which is used to build and customize your own iso).<h2>The Desktop</h2>Boot-up was, as expected, quite fast. Manjaro has always impressed me from a speed perspective.One of the nice features that Manjaro (and a handful of other distributions) include is a handy welcome window (Manjaro Hello). From a user experience perspective, this is a good way to introduce users to their new environment and offer them some resources to help them familiarize themselves. I've always been a big fan of these little touches.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-welcome-screen_ottc8y.jpg" />Manjaro Review – Welcome ScreenFor those who speak different languages and prefer to switch to something more native, the top left drop down allows you to switch quickly and easily.<h2>The XFCE Desktop</h2>The Manjaro desktop is a customized XFCE experience using a customized version of the <a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/adapta-project/adapta-gtk-theme">Adapta</a> theme. There is a menu on the left hand side of the screen, your system tray on the right and a few icons on the desktop.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-the-desktop_igj7lb.png" />Manjaro Review – The DesktopBy default, Manjaro comes packed with a solid selection of software such as Firefox, LibreOffice, Audacious for your music library and more.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-the-menu_qi7n48.png" />Manjaro Review – The Menu<h2>Customization</h2>XFCE is fairly easy to customize. For the panel, you can quickly add items to the panel by right clicking on it and choosing Panel followed by Add New Items.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-adding-to-the-panel_hlfp59.jpg" />Manjaro Review – Adding to the PanelTo modify the various theme settings, you can open Appearance from the menu in the bottom left.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-appearance-settings_y6xt60.jpg" />Manjaro Review – Appearance SettingsThe Manjaro folks are kind enough to include quite a few nice theme options to select from if you don't like the default look and feel so feel free to explore.<h2>Manjaro Apps</h2>Aside from the obvious beauty of the Plasma desktop, Manjaro provides some of their own integrated software as well such as the Manjaro Settings Manager which allows you to select from a number of available kernels, download additional language packs and install third party drivers for your hardware. You can access it either from the small M icon in the system tray by the clock or under Settings in the menu.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-manjaro-settings-manager_gynmco.jpg" />Manjaro Review – Manjaro Settings ManagerSwitching kernels is incredibly easy. Just be careful in doing so. I wouldn't recommend just swapping it out unless you know what you are doing or have a distinct purpose for doing so.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-choose-a-kernel_oksbww.jpg" />Manjaro Review – Choose a Kernel<h2>Included Applications</h2>Audacious is included as the default music player and does a good job of providing enough features to suit most people. It also has a nice selection of plugins to help extend your player.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-audacious_sk4sva.png" />Manjaro Review – AudaciousSteam, for gaming, appears to be included with this release as well.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-steam_gut2bo.jpg" />Manjaro Review – SteamSoftware is managed with the easy to use Pamac package manager and it worked for me as intended without issue. There's a nice hefty selection of software to choose from here as well – which is nice to see.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/manjaro-review-pamac_iyn2yv.jpg" />Manjaro Review – PamacOverall, there's a good selection of pre-installed and available applications to choose from.<h2>Conclusion</h2>In summary, Manjaro 18 feels like a pretty solid release. I came across no deal breakers and was able to work within the environment without issue. Everything felt fast and lean; something I've come to expect from Archlinux based releases; and worked well. If you suffer from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/the-trials-and-tribulations-of-a-distro-hopper/">distro hopping</a> syndrome like myself, give it a shot and let me know your thoughts. Also, if you are aware of any issues with this release, please let me know in the comments. I'm giving it a 5/5 due to the inclusion of such a wide variety of solid software and the stability and speed of the release.Don't forget to check out some of our other reviews as well:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/elementary-os-review/">Elementary OS Review</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/ubuntu-mate-review/">Ubuntu MATE Review</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/reviews/solus-review/">Solus Review</a>You can grab your copy of Manjaro from their website here: <a target="_blank" href="https://manjaro.org/">Manjaro Linux</a>

Manjaro Review - Fast, Sleek and Packed with Software

MX Linux is a popular and fast Linux distribution based on Debian stable that is currently in version 18.2. Today, I'm going to take you through my MX Linux Review to see why this distribution is so popular.One of the best things about MX Linux is the variety of custom tools that have been built to make the life of the user easier. The team of developers at MX Linux have really outdone themselves making every single possible need as easy as possible with their MX apps.This review has been updated and is now based on the most recent MX Linux 18.2 release.<h2>What is MX Linux?</h2>According to the MX Linux website:MX Linux is a cooperative venture between the antiX and former MEPIS communities, using the best tools and talents from each distro. It is a midweight OS designed to combine an elegant and efficient desktop with simple configuration, high stability, solid performance and medium-sized footprint.Installation is super smooth using their custom installer and I experienced no issues whatsoever with the process. From my experience, there were also no hardware issues but I'd be curious to know the experiences of others as well so please let me know in the comments.<h2>The MX Linux Desktop</h2>Upon first boot-up, you are presented with their customized XFCE desktop.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mx-linux-the-desktop_tkvgyo.png" />MX Linux – The DesktopOne of the first things you'll notice about MX Linux is that the panel is assigned to the left side of the screen. This may initially seem a bit weird but I found that once you got used to it, it actually works quite well. Having said that, moving the panel to another location is quick and easy.<h2>MX Apps</h2>The developers at MX Linux have built a number of apps to allow you to do everything from tweaking your desktop, managing repositories and users and more. I won't go through them all here but I will focus on some of the key ones.<h3>MX Welcome</h3>The welcome screen that pops open offers links to the various resources on the web for support, discussions and video tutorials as well as their tools, tweak panel and more.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mx-linux-welcome-screen_eoycpt.jpg" />MX Linux Welcome Screen<h3>MX Tweak</h3>MX Tweak is a simple tweak tool built by the developers to make modifying the desktop quick and easy.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mx-tweak_qs8vow.jpg" />MX TweakThe tweak tool allows you to make adjustments to the panel positioning, changing the desktop theme and adjusting the compositor and more.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mx-tweak-theme-selection_twifv6.jpg" />MX Tweak – Theme Selection<h3>MX Tools</h3>Next up is the MX Tools menu. This is where the magic happens people! There's an app for almost everything you could want / need and they all work wonderfully to get the job done. Check it out:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mx-tools_w6ovip.jpg" />MX Tools<h3>MX Conky</h3>One such tool that does a great job of making things easy is MX conky. With it, you can quickly load a Conky and position it, change the colors and format without ever having to touch a conky.rc file.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mx-conky_bstoke.jpg" />MX Conky<h3>MX Package Installer</h3>One particularly good (and super fast) app that I'm a huge fan of is the MX Package Installer. Here you can easily manage installed apps and search for new ones with ease. Results are returned very quickly.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mx-package-installer_xadpgd.jpg" />MX Package InstallerYou can explore even further into the application catalog by switching repositories between Debian Stable, MX Testing and the Debian Backports.What's even cooler is the recent addition of FlatPaks to the package installer. Now, if you click on the tab, you'll see an imported list of available FlatPak applications!<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mx-package-installer-flatpaks_pdiz2g.jpg" /><h2>MX Linux Review – Performance</h2>From a performance perspective, when running the full desktop environment as well as a file manager, GIMP image editor, Firefox and a game, MX was showing less than half of the ram on a 2G system and minimal CPU usage. From my point of view, that's an impressive result.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mx-linux-review-performance_crizd2.webp" />MX Linux Review – Performance <h2>MX Linux Review – Final Thoughts</h2>Overall, <a target="_blank" href="https://mxlinux.org/">MX Linux</a> 18.2 is a fast, responsive, and well put together distribution. It includes tons of tools to help users and administrators get things done and it's built on a rock solid base with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.debian.org/">Debian</a>. While it's may not be as beautiful as a desktop-like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/reviews/solus-review/">Budgie</a> (in my humble opinion) it's definitely benefiting from a much larger selection of software than even the large Ubuntu repositories and is certainly chock full of useful applications and functionality.Don't forget to also check out our <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/reviews/solus-review/">Solus Review – Budgie Edition</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/ubuntu-mate-review/">Ubuntu MATE Review</a> as well.Have you tried it? What are your thoughts?

MX Linux Review

As most of you know, I'm a huge Linux fan and I tend to try every distribution as it is released. Recently, I decided to give the Solus 4 distribution a try. Solus has been rapidly gaining ground in the rankings on the popular <a target="_blank" href="http://distrowatch.com/">Distrowatch</a> website and as such, I felt like now was a good time to share my thoughts with an updated Solus Review.This review has been updated and is now based on the most recent Solus 4 release.Solus is a unique distribution in that it is written from scratch, something we don't see that often anymore. Most new distributions tend to choose from either Debian, Ubuntu (technically they are the same thing to some extend), Arch or something else. Very rarely do we see a new “from scratch” distribution. Not only that, very rarely do we see a GOOD from scratch distribution.Solus has been out for a couple of years now and version 4 is the currently available version. It uses the custom built Budgie desktop as the main desktop environment.<h2>Solus Review</h2>The install tool for Solus is super easy to use and quick, I had the system installed in no time with zero issues. Boot times are very fast as well and in only a couple of seconds, I went from starting my computer to the desktop with everything loaded and ready to go.<h3>The Budgie Desktop</h3>Here's how the desktop looks running Solus Budgie 4 at the moment. I should mention that they do offer MATE &amp; Gnome desktop editions of Solus as well if you, god forbid, don't like Budgie for some insane reason.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/solus-review-the-desktop_t3eqth.png" />Solus Review – The DesktopBy default, the desktop is very straight forward with a slick interface. The menu is in the bottom left (similar to Windows) while a selection of default applications (Firefox, File Manager, Gnome MPV and more) pinned to the right of it. On the far right hand side is the system tray with various icons.Budgie has support for the addition of extra applets as well. Applets are small applications that run within the panel and can be added via the Budgie Desktop Settings app which I'll get into more in a moment.The far left icon, as mentioned, is the one that expands the application menu, shown below.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/solus-review-the-menu_xwo9t8.png" />Solus Review – The MenuOn the right side of the screen is Raven, the slide-in panel for notifications and applets, shown below. Here it is with the Applets tab active.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/solus-review-raven_hdvcy0.png" />Solus Review – RavenThere is also a tab within Raven to view all of your notifications quickly and easily.<h3>Modifying and Customizing Solus</h3>Everything about the environment (Budgie itself, not the OS) can be configured within the Budgie Settings application, which is accessible in the App Menu. Here's how it looks.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/solus-budgie-desktop-settings_bfd18p.jpg" />Solus – Budgie Desktop SettingsYou can easily add new panels and change settings here, including icon themes and more. When you click on one of your panels, such as the “Bottom Panel” shown above, you are given further customization options.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/solus-budgie-desktop-settings-panel-modifications_ukel4s.jpg" />Solus – Budgie Desktop Settings – Panel ModificationsClicking on each applet within the list will load their settings on the right, if there are any, so you can customize them individually. You can also add new applets that you install or move them from here with ease.<h3>Installing Software</h3>New applications are installed via the Software Center.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/solus-installing-software_jymgrn.jpg" />Solus – Installing SoftwareDue to the fact that Solus was developed from scratch, the repositories are nowhere near as large as they are on other systems such as Ubuntu and Arch but to be honest, I found everything I needed and was quite impressed to see that there was nothing I felt I was lacking.There are also some Third Party apps that are available which you can find in the Third Party section of the Software Center.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/solus-third-party-apps_qhpd4b.jpg" />Solus – Third Party AppsPackage installation is crazy fast and I was super impressed with how slick and elegant the package management tool is. If you are a command line user, you can always use the terminal and “sudo eopkg install ” your way to happiness just as quickly. I find myself rotating between the two, mostly using the terminal as my installation method and the app itself to find out what is available to install.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/solus-eopkg-installation_j1gwev.png" />Solus – Eopkg InstallationAll other settings can be accessed from the Settings app which is the same as the one found in the latest Gnome desktop releases.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/solus-settings_qlgzf2.jpg" />Solus – Settings<h2>My Solus Review Conclusions</h2>I installed Solus in a hotel room prior to meeting with a client and after using it for only a few days, I have decided to keep it on my main laptop as my daily driver. I have had zero issues and no speed complaints whatsoever. Everything has been smooth and has worked exactly as I'd want it to. I'm actually kind of thrown off because I almost always find something that could use fixing but I have to be honest, Solus 4 is a slick and stable release. The most impressive thing about this release is the speed. It might just be me but I feel as though the system is much faster than most I've used.And luckily, if I ever need support, there is also an excellent Help Center available here for those with questions: https://getsol.us/help-center/home/To be fair to other distributions, I'm giving Solus a 4/5 but this is mostly due to the size of the software repositories which are still quite small compared with other distros. While I don't consider this an issue for most people, including myself, I do think we need to see an increase before it's the Perfect distro. I will say, however, that it's pretty damn close.I highly recommend giving Solus a try and letting me know your thoughts. I'm curious how many of you will end up using it as your main OS, like I have. To try Solus, visit them on the web at <a target="_blank" href="https://getsol.us/">https://getsol.us/</a>.For me, I'll keep running Solus and update this article if anything changes. Thanks for reading my Solus review!

Solus Review - Budgie Edition

Ubuntu MATE is a powerful desktop operating system that is based on the popular <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ubuntu.com/">Ubuntu</a> Linux distribution. What makes Ubuntu MATE unique is that it comes with the advanced <a target="_blank" href="https://mate-desktop.org/">MATE</a> desktop environment which was originally created as a continuation of GNOME 2.  Given it's popularity in the Linux world, I've written this Ubuntu MATE Review to help show you what it's all about and decide if it's the right OS for you.This review has been updated and is now based on the most recent Ubuntu MATE 19.04 (Disco) release.<h2>What are the goals of the Ubuntu MATE project?</h2>According to the website, the following are the objectives / goals for the project:<ul><li>Accessible to all, regardless of language and physical ability.</li><li>Increase both Ubuntu and MATE Desktop user adoption.</li><li>Ubuntu alternative for computers that aren’t powerful enough to run a composited desktop.</li><li>First choice Ubuntu platform for remote workstation solutions such as <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ltsp.org/">LTSP</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://x2go.org/">X2Go</a>.</li><li>Recreate the halcyon days of Ubuntu for users who prefer a traditional desktop metaphor.</li><li>Use themes and artwork similar to Ubuntu so that Ubuntu MATE is immediately familiar.</li><li>When possible contribute to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.debian.org/">Debian</a> so both the Debian and Ubuntu communities benefit.</li><li>Software selection will favor functionality and stability over lightness and whimsy.</li></ul><h2>Ubuntu Mate Hardware Requirements</h2>Most users will meet these requirement without issue as most modern computers are far past the minimum hardware requirements but when it comes to Linux, lots of people enjoy revitalizing old hardware with Linux distributions. I recommend reviewing this briefly to make sure that your hardware meets the minimums.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ubuntu-mate-review-hardware-requirements_riwfap.jpg" />Hardware Requirements for Ubuntu Mate<h2>What has changed in the most recent Ubuntu MATE release?</h2>Numerous things have changed with 19.04. One thing that I found quite intriguing is that with this release, if you have an NVIDIA GPU connected to your computer and select Install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware during installation, the NVIDIA proprietary drivers will be installed automatically. That's pretty slick and makes the experience more desirable for new users to Linux as installing these drivers could (at times) be overlooked by new users if they are unaware of the need.There are some other changes, of course, but it's always best to read about them from the source so if desired, you can read about everything new with this release here: <a target="_blank" href="https://ubuntu-mate.org/blog/ubuntu-mate-disco-final-release/">https://ubuntu-mate.org/blog/ubuntu-mate-disco-final-release/</a><h2>Installation</h2>Installation of Ubuntu MATE is no different than any other Ubuntu distribution. Since it has pretty much unchanged in the past several releases, I'm not going to go through the process here but what I do want to point out, that's a relatively new(ish) addition is that you can now choose either a normal installation which includes the default selections of software chosen by the Ubuntu MATE developers or a minimal install for those who want more control over what is installed with their OS.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ubuntu-mate-review-1_db3bhh.png" />Ubuntu Mate review – Choosing the installation type<h2>The MATE Desktop – Your First Look</h2>Upon booting into the desktop for the first time, you'll be greeted with a themed wallpaper as well as a few simple icons.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ubuntu-mate-review-2-the-desktop_nx1fjo.png" />The MATE DesktopI also was prompted by a Software Updater pop-up to install the latest updates. Now, one thing that's a bit odd here is that I chose to have these installed during the installation so why I am having to update even further now is beyond me. I assume the “Download updates while installing” feature either doesn't work period or doesn't work properly in a virtual machine environment (which I'm using for this review). Either way, just something to keep in mind.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ubuntu-mate-review-2-software-updater_vdcdeh.png" />Software Updater doing it's job.Another trend that you'll see more and more with large distributions nowadays is the introduction of a Welcome Screen of some kind to give new users a quick overview of how to use their new environment / distribution. This is something the developers of Ubuntu MATE have had for quite some time and they've done an excellent job of making it super useful.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ubuntu-mate-the-welcome-screen_bigxxt.png" />The Welcome ScreenWith this (and more previous) releases, the Getting Started button followed Updates and Extras is super handy as it includes quick install buttons for codecs, screensavers, themes and more. Under Getting Started and Optional Tasks you can configure various things such as Backups, Network Shares, Users and Firewall Settings as well.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ubuntu-mate-additional-options_mcu8jh.png" />Another Configuration Screen in the Welcome Dialog<h2>Tweaking your Ubuntu MATE Desktop</h2>Under the MATE menu in the top left (by default) you can access the menu which contains all of the software, preferences and system tools installed with the distribution. You can easily access a handy app called MATE Tweak which, if you click on the Panel tab once launched, lets you choose between numerous included panel layouts.What these do is basically change the structure of the desktop, sometimes moving the menu to the bottom left (similar to Windows) or adding a Mac style layout to the desktop. There are several options to try, I recommend checking them all out before coming to a conclusion as to which is best.The default panel layout is called Familiar so if you make changes here and decide you don't like them, you can revert back to that layout to get the default look and feel. To get a breakdown of what each of these panel layouts looks like (and the differences between them) read this article on the official website: <a target="_blank" href="https://ubuntu-mate.community/t/choosing-and-changing-panel-layouts-ubuntu-mate-18-04/16502">Choosing and Changing panel layouts.</a>You can also tweak your Window Options from within MATE Tweak. This allows you to change things such as the compositor, window decorations, animations and even where the window controls (minimize, maximize and close) are located in the window (left or right side basically).<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ubuntu-mate-window-options_ornof7.png" />Ubuntu MATE – Window OptionsIn most layouts, you can also choose to add extra applets which are basically small apps that run inside your panel and expand the functionality. To manage them, and add more, simply right click on a panel and click Add to Panel and the following dialog will be presented:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/adding-applets-to-the-panel_zkmpgj.jpg" />Adding applets to the panelFrom here, you can choose from a growing list of applets that you can add to your panels to give you even more capabilities. Try some and find your favorites!<h2>Adding Software to your Linux Distribution</h2>By default, Ubuntu MATE comes with the usual software such as Firefox, Thunderbird, Transmission, LibreOffice and more but installing others is very simple.As I'm sure most of you know, there is always more than one way to add software to Linux but assuming you aren't a console person and you prefer to avoid the traditional apt commands, you can also use the Software Boutique app which can be found in your menu under Administration.Software Boutique allows you to browse available software that you can install quickly and easily.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ubuntu-mate-software-boutique_adfocp.png" />Ubuntu MATE software boutiqueClicking on the icons along the top (scissors, gamepad, etc) will take you to the applicable categories and present  you with a list of available software to install. Keep in mind, however, that one of the strengths of Linux; and specifically Ubuntu; is the breadth of repositories out there so if you don't find what you are looking for here, you can learn more about repositories and how to add more here: <a target="_blank" href="https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu">https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu</a><h2>Ubuntu MATE Performance</h2>Let's take a quick look at how well Ubuntu MATE performs in general when it comes to CPU and RAM usage. To be fair, this is going to vary widely and can be different given the fact that I am performing this review within a Virtual machine environment, however, it's still relevant.With nothing but the Software Boutique running and the default desktop itself, performance is quite good as you can see from the System Monitor:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/system-monitor_fmlqls.png" />System MonitorFor more advanced testing, I recommend installing the distro and running tests with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.phoronix-test-suite.com/">Phoronix Test Suite</a> or check out some existing benchmarks on <a target="_blank" href="https://openbenchmarking.org/s/ubuntu%2019.04">OpenBenchmark.org</a> as results can vary widely depending on software installed, hardware capabilities and other variables.In my usage and from experience running Ubuntu MATE for several months, it's still one of the fastest and leanest distros out there.<h2>The Control Center</h2>The control center is where you'll find most of the system settings for Ubuntu MATE. You'll find this in the menu labeled the same.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ubuntu-mate-control-center_vpqrmn.jpg" />Ubuntu MATE control centerYou'll find everything from power management to printer installation in the control center and I advise you to explore it thoroughly so you are aware of how to modify your system as needed.<h2>Conclusions</h2>I've always found Ubuntu MATE to be a reliable distribution. The layout and functionality of the system is easy to use and zippy and everything feels well put together. I highly recommend giving it a try if you aren't a fan of the current Gnome desktop and are looking for an alternative. It's also a great choice for older hardware as it's less resource hungry than the default Ubuntu desktop. I personally feel as though MATE is a more functional desktop than Gnome itself so perhaps I'm a bit jaded there.What do you think? Are you an Ubuntu MATE fan? If not, what do you prefer?

Ubuntu MATE Review

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