Linux Mint Operating System for Desktops/Laptops

Linux Mint is an alternative to the very common Windows operating system. A main and important difference between Windows and Linux Mint is that Windows is closed source software while Linux Mint is open source.

Closed source software means that the company which writes and creates the code behind the screen and does not share the code outside the company. This means they own the code and have full control over it. Unless you work for that company, you may not know what exactly that code is doing.

On the other side of things, open source means that the code that is written and published for anyone to see. Someone with the ability to read and understand the code can review it to make sure the code does what the author has said it will do. The code can be checked to see if there is nothing there that would steal or damage your data. Any bad code can be called out and used to warn others about the safety issues of using that software. This adds a layer of safety and public trust not seen with closed source software.

Linux Mint offers a desktop computer operating system that is simple and similar to the Windows operating system to make the switch easier. Linux Mint is also designed to work on older hardware which can give life to old technology that can no longer keep up with Windows system requirements.

The installation guide is a good place to start. The most important step is creating a USB Media Drive which can be used to launch a temporary version of Linux Mint on your computer. This gives you an easy visual workspace to try out or install Linux Mint on your computer.