After the November release of Linux Mint 14 - Nadia, here's a significant update from the developers team with Linux Mint 15 'Olivia' featuring Cinnamon 1.8 and MATE 1.6. So, what is new with the features on this new version of Mint? Firstly, there are the two new cool tools added for the first time - 'Software Sources' and 'Driver Manager'. And then if the new UI's intuitiveness doesn't appeal your tastes, there's provision for HTML5, CSS, Javascript, WebGL themed login screen - The MDM has a GTK greeter, a themeable variant of the same and a brand new HTML greeter for new-gen animated and interactive themes. The new Software Sources tool called 'MintSources' built from scratch replaces software-properties-gtk and lets you easily enable or disable optional components and gain access to backports, unstable packages and source code. Featuring a PPA, 3rd party repositories and authentication keys management, MintSources has solutions for the APT problems. Then there's 'MintDrivers' as your Drive Manager, the new software-properties-gtk with a slightly better UI, that can be launched from the menu.
The most attention-driving feature of this update is the Cinnamon 1.8. With improved File Manager that lets user easily hide the sidebar and switch back and forth between places and treeview, the Cinnamon's latest release has Desklets, much-like KDE's Plasmoids or Android's Widgets - that can be added to your desktop. That's not all - you can have your own screensaver and have to do away with the Gnome Control Center, because you're making way for 'Cinnamon Settings'. And if you care for adding new themes or extensions aka 'spices', that can be done straight away from your desktop.
Lastly, coming to MATE 1.6 - the project in a significantly smaller in size than before has a lot of new features to show off. There's the MATE File Manager called 'Caja' with improved places section within the sidebar. Other than that the workspace switcher features a new option to wrap around between workspaces with the mouse wheel. There are bug fixes and improvements done to the Software Manager and the Update Manager, mostly related to UI.
While the latest release is garnering mixed reactions from the keen and curious, a lot of work seems to have gone for building up this upgrade for users. For developers, there's update with settings API for Applets/Desklets, Nemo Actions and the Standalone Looking Glass. What do you feel about this update? If we have some early bird users here, please share your views with us in the comments.
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