The MATE edition of Linux Mint is available for download

Nov 16, 2014 15:53 GMT  ·  By

Linux Mint 17 RC "Rebecca" MATE has been officially announced and the ISOs have been made available for download. It's a big improvement over the previous 17 version and it will be a very interesting update.

The first two flavors usually announced for any new version of Linux Mint are MATE and Cinnamon. The latter is considered the default, but there are many MATE users out there and Linux Mint is probably the most used operating system with this desktop environment. People are always looking forward to new versions and they have a lot to catch up with.

The MATE flavor is not as rich in new features as the Cinnamon one, but some of the options are present in both operating systems. In this case, the developers have focused more on the performance of the OS and towards better Compiz integration.

Linux Mint 17 RC "Rebecca" MATE is based on MATE 1.8

The Linux distribution uses MATE 1.8, which is a very light desktop environment that aims to provide users with a modern alternative to the GNOME 2 experience. It shares some of the design concepts, but it's a very modern piece of software.

One of the most important improvements in Linux Mint 17 RC "Rebecca" MATE is the implementation of the Compiz windows manager, which is also used in Ubuntu.

"Among the various window managers available for Linux, Compiz is certainly the most impressive when it comes to desktop effects. There's nothing quite like a rotating cube to catch everybody's attention. Of course, Compiz isn't just about the 'wow' factor. It's also a very capable window manager. When properly installed and configured it can rival the best and bring your MATE desktop on par with more recent desktops such as Cinnamon."

"Using the 'Desktop Settings', you can switch back and forth between the two window managers. To try Compiz, run Menu->Desktop Settings->Windows and choose Compiz. Log out and log back in for changes to take effect," reads the official announcement.

Some of the features present in both the Cinnamon and MATE flavors include the improved Update Manager, the new Language Settings, and the kernel selections screen.

Check the official announcement for more details about this release. You can download Linux Mint 17 RC "Rebecca" MATE right now from Softpedia.

Remember that this is a development version and it's not a good idea to use it on a productions machine. It's recommended that users try the new operating system in a virtual machine, like VirtualBox.

Linux Mint 17 RC "Rebecca" MATE (12 Images)

Linux Mint 17 RC "Rebecca" MATE desktop
Linux Mint 17 RC "Rebecca" MATE launcherAccessories in Linux Mint 17 RC "Rebecca" MATE
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