What to do after installing Linux mint. Installing the required languages, locales and layouts. Removing unnecessary languages and fonts

Have you ever wanted something better than what's running on your computer now? Whether you use Windows, Mac or Linux, you can see that there are other good systems out there.

What is Linux today?

Linux Mint is one of the most popular and fastest growing operating systems. Today it is a full-fledged replacement for Windows. The advantages of this “shell” are obvious: it is faster, better, easier to use, while its functionality is expanded and protected. In addition, the OS is completely free to use and distribute.

Moreover, Linux Mint is unique in its appearance, simple operation topics, large storage facilities software and functionality out of the box.

The OS has four versions or variants:

Linux Mint Cinnamon is a native Linux environment with the Gnome desktop. This version is elegant and functional.
Mate is another flavor of Gnome used as a classic OS.
XFCE is a minimalist and elegant desktop environment. It is suitable for computers with low resources.
KDE is one of the most complete desktop environments that has many functionality and good appearance. It's good for modern computers with the latest equipment.

System requirements for installing Linux Mint:

512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended for easy use).
9 GB disk space(20 GB recommended).
Resolution 1024 × 768 (with more low resolutions press ALT to drag windows with the mouse if they don't fit on the screen).

Wherein:

64-bit ISO can be booted from using BIOS or UEFI.
32-bit ISO - only with BIOS.
64-bit ISO is recommended for all modern computers (almost all devices released in the last 10 years have 64-bit processors).

How to make a boot file?

Go to the Linux Mint download site and select the best option for you. You can choose a download mirror or download a torrent. Depending on the speed of your connection, it may take some time for the download to complete.

To copy an ISO file to a DVD, you will need an image burning program. One of the most popular free options is ImgBurn, although there are many other popular functionalities (Nero, etc.).

Burn a bootable disc. You can also burn the image to a USB drive if you want to install Linux Mint from a flash drive. To do this, you will need to download the application from the official website Linux Live USB Creator.

Use the downloaded software to create installation media. Select the downloaded ISO as source file. Click the "Record" button to begin the creation process. This may take a few minutes.

Set your computer to boot from a DVD drive or USB. To run Linux Mint, you will need to start booting it from the created media instead hard drive. You can use for this BIOS menu your computer. Make the priority settings so that Linux Mint is installed from a disk or flash drive immediately.

Once your device boots from the media you created, you'll see a short list of options. Select "Launch Linux Mint" to boot the operating system.

This does not install a "shell". Booting the operating system from a DVD or flash drive allows you to test Linux and see its functionality before installing it. You will not be able to change any settings or delete or create files in preview. When running from disk, the shell will run slower than if it were installed.

Once you are familiar with the OS desktop, you can start installing Linux Mint from a flash drive or DVD by double-clicking the “Install Linux Mint” icon located on the desktop. This will launch the installer. Select your language and click Continue.

To use the bundled downloader, you must have at least 3.5 GB of free hard drive space, as well as an active Internet connection. If you are installing Linux on a laptop, make sure it is connected to a power source during installation.

The following menu will allow you to select how much hard drive space you would like to allocate to your operating system Linux system. There are two main options:

Clean the disk and install Linux Mint. This option will erase all data on the selected drive and install a new OS on it. Any existing operating systems or data will be destroyed. Use this option if you want Linux to be the only “shell” on your computer.
Install without deleting data. This option will allow you to use the free space on your hard drive to create a separate partition so that Linux Mint can be installed next to Windows or another OS. This option also allows you to select the partition size.

From the drop-down menu, select which drive you want to install the new “shell” on. If you choose the second option, you will be able to use the slider to set the partition size.

A Linux Mint installation requires at least 6 GB for its partitions, and swap partitions should be 1.5 times the size of the RAM you have installed.

How does the installation process work?

Once the installation begins, you will be asked to select your time zone and keyboard layout. You can use the "Arrange Keyboard" button if you are unsure of the default settings.

After selecting your input settings, you will be prompted to enter your name and create a user profile. You can change your username as you wish. The machine name is the name that your computer will display to other devices on the network.

You will also need to create a password. This username and password combination will be your administrator account and must subsequently be entered whenever changes are made to the system. Once the installation of Linux Mint is complete, you will be able to create more user profiles.

Wait for the process to complete. After entering your Linux information Mint 18 will start copying files. You can monitor the download progress by looking at the bar at the bottom of the window. Once the files have been copied, the installation will begin and your hardware will be configured.

This process may take some time, especially on older machines. From this moment on, everything happens automatically, so you don’t have to monitor the process.

The bootloader will use additional files during the installation process, so you will need a valid network connection.

Ending the process

Once the installation of Linux Mint is complete, you will be prompted to restart your computer. Click the Restart Now button to boot into the newly installed operating system.

Once the above process is complete, launch Linux Mint Cinnamon and log in to your account to go to your desktop. View the welcome screen. It contains links to guides and tips, so take a moment to browse through the resources available. This window will appear every time you start the OS unless you uncheck the box in the bottom right corner.

Customize your desktop

By default, Linux Mint (including the Russian version) will boot with a link to the contents of your computer and your home directory on your desktop. You can add a trash icon to make it look more like Mac computer or Windows. To do this, click the "Menu" button in the lower left corner and select " System Settings" From the left side. Click "Desktop" under Settings and check the icons you want to display.

Software

Linux comes with several basic programs such as Firefox, LibreOffice, GIMP Image Editor and VLC Player. You can also install many other applications, most of them are free. To do this, click the "Menu" button, hover your mouse over "Administration" and select "Program Manager". You will be prompted to enter your administrator password.

Programs are sorted by category, but you can also search for specific services. Keep in mind that most Windows and Mac programs are not available for Linux Mint 18, so you will need to find alternatives that perform the same functions.

Installing Wine and/or VirtualBox Wine will allow you to simulate Windows and, accordingly, install or run programs for this OS. However, sometimes this can be quite difficult - some applications will not be fully accessible.

To avoid this, you can install PlayOnLinux. This is a program that simplifies the installation of Windows Software (for example, MS Office 2007, games) with boot disk. The second option for running non-Linux software is installing VirtualBox, which creates a virtual partition for running the OS. Basically, you can install and run Windows (or anything else) inside Linux, just like in another window. Then you can install your software on it. You also don't risk breaking Linux Mint.

Install Compiz Fusion

Setting up Linux Mint after installation also includes loading and displaying some of the functionality necessary for the operation and comfortable use of the OS. Open Synaptic Package Manager, type "simple-ccsm" (without quotes), click right click mouse and mark the desired values for installation. These include ccsm, as well as compiz, compiz-plugins, compiz-core, compiz-gnome and compiz-fusion-plugins-extra. Make sure they are all checked (use the search box at the top) and then click Apply.

Set up Compiz

Compiz is a window manager that takes full advantage of your graphics card and adds many effects (like rotating your desktop in 3D). Right click on your desktop and click "change background" to open settings " Appearance" Go to "Visual Effects" and select "custom". Now click on the settings button to open the Simple CompizConfig Settings Manager and go to the Desktop tab.

Select "Desktop Cube" under Appearance. Use 3-5 columns and one table for the desktop. Go to the Effects tab. Select "Shift Switcher (Cover)" as Alt+Tab window switcher.

Find Warp: Cylinder, change the opacity to about 70 and check all the EXCEPT Blur boxes if you don't have a graphics card that can handle it. If your graphics are relatively old/integrated, don't touch this option.

Do instead simple settings. Hold Ctrl + Alt and click and drag the mouse to display the menu. Open CompizConfig Settings Manager. On the main screen, deselect "Denial" and check "Show Mouse". Click "Rotate Cube" and change the scale to 0.4. Go back to the Effects section ( left menu), check "Bicubic Filter" and "Trail Focus". Try using the Paint Fire and Water effects (just enable them and use the shortcuts from the settings page). Now go to "Cube Reflection and Deformation" (check it if it's not already checked), expand Appearance and click on the top image file. Click "Edit" and replace everything with "`" (without quotes). Same for the bottom image. Go through the top and bottom colors of the cube and change the opacity to 0 for both. Now go back to the main screen and check “Window Previews”. Feel free to try other things too. Everyone has different requirements and different tastes.

Install Emerald/Compiz Window Decorator

Go to Package Manager from the main menu. Enter Emerald in the search box above. Right click on it and mark it to install, then apply. Once it's installed, press Alt + F2 (launch a dialog) and type "emerald -replace" (without quotes). You should notice the change immediately. To make sure that the functionality is loaded every time the system boots, add it to the list in “Startup Applications”. Use the same command.

Set up Emerald/Comfiz

When the installation of Linux Mint is fully completed, the instructions for adapting it to familiar operating systems are especially relevant. You can make the borders of your window exactly the way you want, whether it's like Mac Snow Leopard or Windows 7. For this you need Emerald Theme Manager. If it's not already installed, go back to Synaptic (package manager) and install "emerald/comfiz-theme-manager". Then open it and explore. There are literally thousands of themes and settings to choose from. To use them, just go to gnome-look.org -> beryl and download what you would like to download. Then add them via Theme Manager.

Install Synapse to run programs

Just add ppa: synapse-core/ppa to your software sources, update and search for "Synapse" in the Ubuntu Software Center. Open it from the main menu. You can activate it by pressing Ctrl + Space. Type a program to search for and press Enter.

Install the dock

The Dock is a launcher for applications and windows. You have a lot different options for this, including Docky, Cairo-Dock, ADeskBar and AWN. To install any of them, just copy from the official website and paste the commands into Terminal. Go back to synaptic and download additional gstreamer plugins, ms core fonts and Flash.

I have nothing against the Linux Mint logo and dark background, but it is more pleasant to work on the system when the desktop background is set to beautiful image. So first of all, let's change the background. Open Menu -> Options -> Wallpapers:

Then go to the Serena tab and select the picture you like. On the images tab you can upload your own:

2. Theme

Mint 18 also added the Mint-Y theme. It is made in a modern flat style and looks quite nice. You can activate it in the settings. To do this, open Menu -> Options -> Themes and select values for all parameters Mint-Y:

Looks quite nice.

3. Add widgets

Cinnamon supports widgets, which are called desktops here. Return to the main menu of the Settings utility and select Desclets:

Here you can add the desired widget to your desktop using the button Add to desktop:

Or install additional widgets from the network:

4. Update your system

It is important to keep your system up to date. Linux Mint has a special update tool, run it from the main menu:

When you first start it, the system will prompt you to choose which updates to install; it is recommended to leave it as is to get the new software:

Then you can choose necessary updates and press Install updates:

Most likely, you will need to do the procedure twice, since you may first need to update the update manager itself.

5. Installing codecs

Previously, codecs were supplied with the distribution and there were no problems with this. But then the developers decided to remove them. But we can install linux mint codecs from official repositories. For this we have an application center:

In the search, type mint-meta-codecs or just codecs, you will immediately see the package found, as well as its rating:

To open the package description window, double-click on it and then click Install for installation.

To install all available codecs, open a terminal and run the command:

sudo apt-get install gstreamer1.0-libav gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly-amr gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly libgstreamer-plugins-bad1.0-0 gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad-videoparsers gstreamer1.0-plugins- bad-faad gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad libdvdnav4 libdvdread4

6. Install drivers

The system already contains drivers for many peripheral devices, even if they have a closed source, But not all. For example, drivers for a video card must be installed separately. Open the driver manager through the main menu:

When the program loads, select the drivers you want to install and click Apply changes. After installing the driver, you will need to restart your computer.

7. Installing programs

Despite the fact that the system already contains many of the programs you need, not everything is there. Everything you need can be installed through the application center. Skype communication program:

VLC media player:

Audio player Clementine:

Graphic editor Inkscape:

Torrent client qBittorrent:

Aria2 Download Manager:

Mozilla Thunderbird email client:

Chromium browser:

BleachBit system cleaning program:

You can find and install other popular programs in the section Favorites:

8. Installing Adobe Flash

Flash technologies are used less and less on websites, and are being replaced by HTML5, but many users still need Flash player. To install it, use the following commands in the terminal:

sudo apt-get install pepperflashplugin-nonfree
$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure pepperflashplugin-nonfree

9. Install Java

Many programs require a Java machine to run. You can install it from the PPA repository. First add the repository:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java
$ sudo apt-get update

Then install the package:

sudo apt-get install oracle-java8-installer

10. System backup

Setting up Linux Mint 18 cinnamon after installation should include backup. While the system is still clean, you can create backup copy, so that you can quickly restore it later. To do this, you can use the TimeShift utility. First install it from the PPA:

sudo apt-add-repository -y ppa:teejee2008/ppa
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install timeshift

Then launch the program from the main menu, then configure the backup frequency and create your first copy using the button Create:

Now you can restore the system if necessary.

Good day everyone! Today we will look at what you need to do after successfully installing the MATE desktop environment on your computer. This instruction is not mandatory and only shows the subjective opinion of the author of the article.

Setting up Linux Mint MATE after installation

When you boot your operating system for the first time, you will see a desktop with a welcome screen in front of you. To prevent this screen from popping up every time you boot up, you need to uncheck the box in the lower right corner of this window.

If during the installation process you did not have an Internet connection, then you do not have all elements of the system in Russian. To fix this, you need to install full support for the Russian language. We have already looked at how to get it, so we will not dwell on this in detail. Now we need to configure switching keyboard layouts. Personally, I find it convenient to switch languages using the alt+shift combination, but you can choose the one that is convenient for you. We find on the bottom panel an indicator with the inscription en and right-click on it. In the menu that opens, select “keyboard options”.

Select the “Russian” layout and click on the “parameters” button. Find the line “switch to another layout” and check the box next to the desired combination.

We close the window and now the language switching is configured. In the lower left corner of the screen, the menu button still remains with an English inscription. Let's replace this inscription with the familiar Russian one. To do this, right-click on it and select “settings” in the menu that appears.

Erase the text on the button and enter “Menu” or “Start” (you can write anything there)

Now that we've sorted out the menu, let's move on to the clock settings on the panel. Right-click on them and select “options” in the menu that appears.

In the “general” tab, uncheck all the checkboxes (if you need a date in your watch, then leave this checkbox). You still won’t see the weather and temperature (even if you set the terrain). In the "terrains" tab you can specify locality, in which you live. There is no practical benefit from this.

You shouldn’t even go to the “weather” tab, as this functionality doesn’t work. We've sorted out the clock and it's time to update the system (this needs to be done while the Internet is connected). Go to menu-system-terminal and enter the command sudo apt-get update. This command will update the list of repositories and available versions software. After that, enter the command sudo apt-get dist-upgrade. This command will update your system and download all available updates.

More simple option update is to launch the update manager. Find this icon on your panel:

Click on it and the update manager window will appear in front of you.

As you can see, there are few updates, but this is due to the fact that we have not updated the list available updates. To do this, click the "check for updates" button. After this, you need to click on the “install updates” button.

Linux Mint drivers

Most drivers for your computer are already installed when you install the system. To check the available drivers, go to the menu - administration - driver manager.

There are no drivers available for installation on my system, but your list may show an available driver for your video card. Select the one that says "recommended" and install it. After this, restart your computer.

Setting up the Linux Mint desktop

Our desktop currently displays the "computer" and "home folder" shortcuts. Let's remove them and add a cart display. We go to the menu-parameters-desktop settings and check the necessary boxes.

Now you need to adjust the screen resolution. We go to the menu-parameters-monitors, set the desired resolution and refresh rate.

Let's optimize the system boot process. To do this, go to the menu-parameters-launched applications.

This displays a list of all the programs that start when your computer starts. Personally, I remove nintUpload, mintWelcome and general access to the desktop.

To prevent your screen from locking after 5 minutes of inactivity, go to the menu-options-screen saver and uncheck the boxes.

All other settings can be found in the “control center”.

Removing unnecessary programs

IN installed system available required set software for full-fledged work. But you're used to working in other programs, so let's remove everything unnecessary. Launch the terminal and one by one enter following commands:

sudo apt-get autoremove hexchat*

this command will delete the chat

sudo apt-get autoremove banshee*

This command will remove the audio player

sudo apt-get autoremove brasero*

this command will remove the disc burning program (personally, I don’t even have a CD-ROM)

sudo apt-get autoremove thunderbird*

this command will remove the application for receiving and sending email

sudo apt-get autoremove simple-scan*

This command will remove the program for scanning documents

sudo apt-get autoremove transmission*

This command will remove the torrent downloader

Installing the necessary programs

We need a normal audio player and that is deadbeef. Go to and download debubuntu package i686 (if you have a 32-bit system) and debubuntu package amd64 (if you have a 64-bit system). Go to the folder where you downloaded installation file, right-click on it and select “open in gdebi”

Click on the Install Package button and wait for the installation to complete.

To download torrents we need the qbittorrent program. Open a terminal and enter the command

sudo apt-get install qbittorrent

So we looked at what needs to be done after installing Linux Mint. If you have anything to add this article, then write about it in the comments and I will make additions.

This article will describe and illustrate the installation process step by step for novice Linux OS users. initial setup latest version of the distribution Linux Mint 18 (Sarah) based on package base Ubuntu 16.04. The development team announced support for this release until 2021.

Brief list of changes: MATE

1. Desktop environments Cinnamon 3.0 and MATE 1.14.

2. Support for cross-desktop applications - xapps, an analogue of snap and flatpak packages. - a universal, non-distribution method for software distribution.

3. New topic registration - Mint-Y. An excellent theme that is not yet enabled by default. I like it very much and, as for me, it’s hers dark version Doesn't strain your eyesight at all.

4. Support for HiDPI screens high density pixels or just very high resolution.

5. Changing the utility apt, making it even easier to use, updating many system utilities and versions of pre-installed applications.

To begin installation, insert the disk or USB drive with the distribution kit into the DVD drive. You can download the system from the developer's website. When booting the computer, using the Boot-menu (called by pressing the F8\F10\F12\esc keys, depending on the Bios version of your PC), select the required drive For loading. The Live CD will start Linux Mint 18 (Sarah). Clicking on the icon on the desktop will launch the installation wizard.

In the screenshots above, the first steps are choosing the installation language, a window with a question about installing proprietary software - codecs and players. The next step is setting up the disk. I have one disk, empty, and I left the default partition. If there are other Linux partitions on the computer, partitions with installed Windows, then the dialogue will contain a proposal to leave the existing file system, install Mint on free space and select options for the bootloader. The next steps are to select the time zone, default keyboard layout, user login and password. This is not the root superuser password; it is not set when installing the system in Mint\Ubuntu. Below we will describe how to set it.

For now, everything should be extremely simple and clear. The following steps are completely automatic. The installer will copy, install and configure the system with everything software. The duration of the process depends on the performance of your PC (for me it takes about 10 minutes on average hardware). At the end, you need to remove the distribution media and reboot.

First launch - login window and appearance of the Cinnamone 3.0 desktop:

The first thing I wanted to do was change the design of my desktop to the highly praised one. Mint-Y. Themes can be changed in “Menu-Options-Themes”. Traditionally, I chose the dark option - it strains my eyesight less:

sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade

The first updates the local repository cache - the list of packages available for installation and/or updating, the second updates the system and all applications.

Appearance graphical utility for an update that's a bit like Windows:

The next step is completely optional. In Mint\Ubuntu it is assumed that there is no need for a root password, everything can be done the same way. This is convenient in some places, not so much in others. I prefer to set a password for the superuser:

su - passwd root

first command - you log in as root in it root folder, second - change (create) a password for it.

The last thing for today is adding a Russian keyboard layout and changing the switching combination.

Actually, that's all. I note that installing Windows 10 on this PC takes about half an hour - without drivers, office and other applications. Mint installed in 10 minutes with a rather large set of software.

Have a nice day.

Linux Mint is one of the most popular operating systems today Linux.
Developers Linux Mint They release several distributions with different desktop environments: Cinnamon (own development), MATE, Xfce, KDE And LMDE(Rolling release based on Debian, also of our own design).
Xfce it's fast and easy working environment with low system resource consumption. At the same time, it is visually attractive and user-friendly.

This is the desktop with Welcome screen, which displays various links to help a new user get started with the system.

At the very bottom of the monitor, as in most distributions, there is a control panel, which includes applets: menus, icons quick launch applications, buttons open windows and system tray.

The disadvantage of this environment that new users encounter is the absence of a keyboard layout icon after the first login, because... Even after opening the browser, the user is at a loss as to how to switch from English to his native language, although the system was installed and is displayed in it.

1. Keyboard layout and hotkey assignments

To display a keyboard layout icon, you need to add it to the panel. To do this, click right mouse button on any free space in the panel and in the menu that opens, select Add new items:

When the window opens Adding new elements, select Keyboard layouts and press the button Add:

Note. All newly added items are always displayed in the right corner. To move them on the panel, right mouse click on the element/icon, select Move, move it to the desired location on the panel and left clicking pins it.

To assign keyboard layout hotkeys, right-click on the icon and select from the menu Keyboard settings:

In the window that opens Keyboard, in the tab Layout turn off Use standard system settings and in the parameter - Change layout options activate the key combination you need:

Now that we have completed the missing element on the panel, it’s time to update the system, because... after the first login, this must be done Necessarily.

2. System update.

In the system tray, on the panel you should see an icon in the form of a shield with Latin letter i - Update Manager:

Click on the icon and it will open Update Manager with a single line - mintupdate:

And click on the button - Install updates. After this update of the manager itself, you should see a list of recommended system updates:

Press the button again Install updates and wait for the system update to complete.

Once all updates have been completed, the icon has been installed and keyboard shortcuts have been assigned, you can now work in the system Linux Mint 17.1 "Rebecca" Xfce, as in any other: travel across the vast expanses of the Internet and download necessary files, watch movies, listen to music, type in Libre Office and use a printer, download pictures from the camera and edit them, view your video from a video camera, communicate with family and friends, in general, everything that can be done in a regular operating system.

The further steps proposed in the article are not mandatory; they simply introduce you to the system and its capabilities.

3. Desktop setup

Right-click on any free space on your desktop and select from the menu that opens - Desktop customization:

In the window that opens Desktop three tabs: Background, Menu And Badges.
In the tab Background you can change the background image by clicking on it from the proposed catalog, or activate the parameter Change background at certain intervals, the desktop background images will change automatically, after a time set by the user:

Tab Badges is responsible for the appearance of the desktop. In it you can activate the display on the table Home folder, Trash etc. elements, as well as change their size and font size:

Among other things, on the desktop the user can right-click the mouse to create an additional directory, link, open a terminal or system application menu:

4. System settings

Settings systems you can find in Menu by clicking on the icon All settings:

System settings are divided into categories: Personal, Equipment, System And Other. All of them are already set by default, but you can change them at your discretion.

5. Additional programs to install

The system already has necessary programs, which the user can find in the menu. If you haven't found any special program in the menu, then in distributions Linux you don’t have to look for them on the Internet, first of all open them in system menu Program Manager, most likely you can find the necessary additional software in it:

As you can see in the picture, all programs are divided into categories, which makes it easier to find the one you need. Click on the selected category and view the list of programs offered, or enter the desired name in the search field, click Enter on the keyboard, select the program, click on it and press the button Install:

Once the installation is complete, the program can be found in the menu.

6. Enable Compiz window manager

No matter what they say "anti-Plyushkins", who claim that all sorts of goodies in the system are useless, I think on the contrary, the system should not only be stable, but also beautiful, if the hardware has it.

Compiz- a composite window manager that uses for acceleration 3D graphics OpenGL. It provides many different graphic effects and is a complex of plugins, decorators, interface customization tools and effects.
Compiz window manager integrated into the system by developers Linux Mint 17.1 "Rebecca" Xfce, but is not enabled by default, because as described above, it needs acceleration 3D. In other words, your computer must support 3D graphics. To check this, open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), copy and run the following command:

/usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p

If in the command output, in the line Unity 3D supported: you see yes, means to use Compiz perhaps, if no, then enable the window manager Compiz You can not.

For those for whom the terminal has determined the possibility of using Compiz - yes, next step there will be a launch Compiz. Open the window Search applications - Alt+F2, enter and execute the command (press Enter or button Launch):

compiz --replace

To Compiz started at login, this command must be entered into Autostart applications. Open the program Sessions and launch, tab Autostart applications, press the button +Add, which is at the bottom of the window and enter in the window that opens additional window as in the picture:

7. Desk cube

After Compiz launched, you can enable additional plugins and various effects in the program, which is in the menu by default:

To use the plugin Desktop cube, the first thing you need to do is add virtual workspaces. For this purpose in CompizConfig Configuration Manager log in General settings, tab Desk size and set the virtual dimensions parameters: 4 - horizontally and 1 - vertically, as in the picture:

Next you need to activate the plugin Rotate the cube and go into its settings to change the size of the rotating cube, otherwise it will be one to one with the desktop. In the parameter Change scale replace the first zero with a one:

Now try to rotate Cube Press the keys simultaneously Ctrl+Alt+left mouse button and move the mouse to different sides(For laptops at the same time Ctrl+Alt+left touchpad button and move your finger across the touchpad). The cube should rotate on a black background. To enable background with color scheme by default, open the plugin settings Desktop cube, tab Appearance and activate the parameter - Background:

This is the cube I got in my system Linux Mint 17.1 "Rebecca" Xfce:

Note. In the picture you see a rotating Cube in the background of the image I added in the parameter Background image, but after a reboot it "flies" and returns to the background with the default color scheme.

8. Installing the Cairo Dock

Panel Cairo Dock, one of the best panels quick launch of programs, specially designed for Linux. There are others, but I prefer this one Cairo Dock, because I find it the most customizable and the most beautiful.
Most effective Cairo Dock looks at the bottom of the screen, so we will have to move the main control panel Xfce V top part monitor, thereby freeing up space for Cairo.
Right-click on any free space in the panel, select Panel - Panel Options:

And uncheck the option Lock the panel:

You should now see two vertical dash-dotted lines next to the menu in the left corner of the panel.

Grab the panel at this location and drag it to the top of the monitor. Now go back to Panel Options and activate the item Lock the panel.

Next we need to install the panel Cairo Dock. Open Program Manager, enter in the search box Cairo Dock and press the button Install, or run the following command in the terminal:

sudo apt-get install cairo-dock

Once the installation is complete, you will find two programs in the menu Cairo Dock: Cairo Dock andCairo Dock (Fallback Mode):

Choose the first one, because... she's for more powerful computers and it has more effects, since we install it with Compiz. The panel should appear at the bottom of the monitor by default, although it can be “sticky” anywhere on the monitor, even in the middle.
Icons can be dragged onto the panel from the menu or after opening a program, its icon will appear on the panel, right-click on the icon and select Set as launch icon:

Icons are also easy to remove from the panel. Right click on the icon - Delete.

Of course, what you see in my photo and the default panel are two absolutely different panels, because I have already configured mine to my taste. And the settings Cairo Dock so much so that I could continue writing this article for a week in order to describe all the settings. Then it won’t be an article about Linux Mint 17.1 "Rebecca" Xfce, and the manual is about Cairo Dock. Visit Complete Guide in Russian for setup Cairo Dock.
For panel settings, right-click on any icon and select - Settings:

9. Create a Magic Lamp Effect with Compiz and Cairo Dock

After we have engaged Compiz and installed the panel Cairo Dock, God himself told us to create a very colorful effect Magic lamp.

Effect Magic lamp or Magic Lamp, this is the effect that is installed by default on systems MacOS X from Apple.
The effect is that all minimized/restored application windows smoothly “flow” out of their icon and “flow” back into the panel Cairo Dock.

Open CompizConfig Configuration Manager- plugin Animations and switch to the tab Minimize Animation. Click the button Create, to create the effect Magic Lamp. In the window that opens, in the parameter Collapse effect select Magic Lamp. Effect display time - Duration put it on 300 (exactly this optimal time in milliseconds). And in the parameter Window Match copy/paste: (type=Normal | Dialog | ModalDialog | Unknown)
So that all minimized windows do this effect and close the window Change.

The line with the effect will appear last in the list. In order for the created effect to be executed Compiz, it needs to be raised to the first line. Click on the line with the effect Magic Lamp and press the button Up to make the line first

Do the same in the tab Unminimize Animation:

Now open any program from the panel Cairo Dock and click on the same icon again to minimize the window to an icon. Clicking on the icon again will display a window with the effect Magic Lamp.

Note. Sometimes minimized/maximized windows “flow” into something other than the panel Cairo Dock, and in the window buttons on system panel. After installation Cairo Dock applet Window buttons can be removed so it's not confusing Compiz. Right-click on the panel in the applet area and Delete, because now performs its functions Cairo Dock.

Change the arrangement of windows on the desktop.

Default with working Compiz, involved Smart mode for placing windows on the desktop, i.e. all newly opened windows are placed on the free space of the monitor, but this mode can be changed at your discretion in the plugin Compiz - Window placement, tab Are common by selecting Placement mode - Centered:

Now all windows will open in the center of the monitor and the effect Magic lamp will be displayed more symmetrically with respect to the icon on the panel Cairo Dock.

10. Installation additional programs on the desktop

Let's add some more goodies or frills to the desktop.

10.1 Weather widget informer
GisWeather

And although the additions to both panels have their own weather elements, I think the widget is the most colorful and accurate for displaying the weather in your area GisWeather.

Installing the widget GisWeather

Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), copy and run the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:noobslab/apps
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gis-weather

Once the installation is complete, you will find GisWeather in programs Tools or search in the menu.

See how to customize the widget and display your area.

10.2 Conky Manager

Manager Conky also not in Program Manager, so you will have to install it by connecting your own repository.

Installation Manager Conky

Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), copy and run this sequence of commands:

sudo apt-add-repository -y ppa:teejee2008/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install conky-manager

After installation you will find Conky Manager in programs Tools or search in the menu.

Settings Manager Conky you will find .

Conclusion

System Linux Mint 17.1 "Rebecca" Xfce after installation and all the settings described above, it works stably, smoothly and looks very beautiful.
You can create such a fun desktop in Linux Mint 17.1 "Rebecca" Xfce.

P.S. I'm sure some users will have a question about the window theme I use. This is the topic Gnome Cupertino. I use it all the time in distributions. Linux Mint.

Installing a theme Gnome Cupertino

Run the following commands in a terminal:

cd /tmp && wget http://gnome-look.org/CONTENT/content-files/165104-Gnome-Cupertino.tar.gz && tar -xvf 165104-Gnome-Cupertino.tar.gz
sudo mv Gnome-Cupertino /usr/share/themes

After installation is complete, open the program Appearance to activate the theme.

And one more point in the desktop settings.

How to move window control buttons left?

Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), copy and run the following command:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences button-layout "close,minimize,maximize:"

If you want to move them to the right again, run this command:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences button-layout ":maximize,minimize,close"

If you don't have it installed yet Linux Mint 17.1 "Rebecca"Xfce(Final), you can download it using the following links:

Or from the official website: Linux Mint 17.1 “Rebecca” Xfce (Final)