New Linux Mint setup, 2025

I needed to upgrade my computer. Not for power, or a failing computer, but because the software is failing. Unlike last time, I didn’t look what was available. I took Linux Mint as the operating system. Unlike last time, Linux Mint installed nice and slick. But then…

Base setup

Mint customisation

Why, after all these years, a white on black theme? And that modern I‐suppose‐carbon desktop wallpaper? Ok,

• Light theme (I needed to change the mouse pointer also, this time)

• Panel to the top (’move’ it)

• Browser switched to preferred search engine (‘Duck Duck Go’ for me)

• Desktop background/‘wallpaper’ (light pastel. Of course, most of what is on offer is ’nature’, with a few war machines. Sometimes I feel humans deserve what they get)

• Double size scrollbars

• I like big and bold. Font sizing/scaling has never worked for me, so reduce screen resolution (faffing with font sizing and bar‐expanding controls never worked for me except on KDE/Plasma‐based operating systems. Yes this damages visual finness)

• Basic software (Mint Linux software choices are good. But I’m adding. See below…)

• Add a workplace switcher, add some new workspaces

• Get a new light on dark theme for terminals (I’ve never gone for this hardcore commandline‐is‐not‐GUI malarkey. Switch in ‘preferences’, I go for ‘tango light’)

Oh well, there’s a step by step setup offered after installation which is thoughtful. That gives you, notably, driver and system updates. Jolly good.

Check a mobile phone can plugin

Often not possible on other systems, but possible in Linux. Useful (beats self‐emails). So try it. May grumble with ‘Filesystem can not be mounted’, but tinkering with phone settings e.g. ‘USB connection’ then switching to ‘File transfer’ will often open a remote browser to the phone’s memory.

Extra software

Probably of interest to anyone,

VLC

Play anything sound and video sttreaming

Inkscape

Vector editing

GIMP

Photoshop type editing

Transferring Firefox tabs, passwords, etc.

I tried using the ‘sync’—‐which needs an account—not copying a profile. This worked half‐well. I loved that ‘sync’ transferred passwords, and can optionally transfer tabs. But, maybe I messed up because ‘sync’ scrambled my tab order, which is, across fifty tabs, grief. NB: disconnect ‘sync’ after transfer, if you want to keep stable.

Also, see the next section.

Multi‐Factor authentication

Multi‐factor authenitication will nowadays stall many accounts transferred to other devices. ‘ Attempt to access from a new device. Is this you?’ kind of prompts. The accounts will not work until you give approval.

This can include online accounts—just because it’s from a web‐browser, the authentication may still object. So for starters, web‐based email accounts will need re‐authenitcation, I also need to approve or install approval tokens for some online services, such as my Python account.

Extra work

These items are of more interest to myself. But may ring some bells,

Extra software

• EasyEffects (make your not‐bad headphones sound better)

• Handbrake, SoundConverter etc. (sometimes useful, depends what you get up to)

• QGIS (’cos I like maps, see elsewhere in this site)

• Geany (text editor with code‐writing facilities)

• Gnumeric (I like it better than Excel and Libreoffice Calc)

Git

Git will need setting up. With,

• name

• email

• (probably) choice of text editor

And it will need an SSH connection (see next step)

SSH

I have a few activities that use SSH connections. These need setting up. See SSH general instructions for how. Notably,

• Github

• Connections to web servers

Programming

I do some computer coding. Most of this is too individual for listing but, as example (in Linux Mint, the language Python is pre‐installed),

Python‐venv

Explained elsewhere, carries dependencies with code. Installed through packaging

Python‐pip

Python package download

Scala and SBT

SBT = Scala build tool. Cranky language time, means destruction of packaging setup. I used ‘cs’

minifier

Program for crushing web‐code. With commandline control.

TML Markup

I have a markup language, so the Mime type, highlighters and icon need installation.