Preface

This document was suggested by Wayne Snyder (instructor Oxnard College, CA - CNIT 143 Linux Essentials).

The idea is to review different Linux distributions. Using the website http://distrowatch.com. Three distributions were sugested. One from the top 10, one from the lower 50, and one previously unused by the author. The author has added an “author’s choice” distro as a fourth.

Furthermore at least one distro should be installable on the raspberry Pi.

The author struggled valiantly with various techniques and issues, spending over 28 hours to finally create this document, 4 live boot USBs and 2 Installations (see Appendix).

Introduction

This article reviews four Linux distributions. Three are reviewed using live boot on a MacBookPro 2008. The fourth distro was fully installed on a newly acquired Raspberry Pi Model 4.

The following distributions are reviewed:

  • [Top Ten] Mint - Live (MacBookPro 2008)
  • [Low 50] Ubuntu Mate - Live (MacBookPro 2008)
  • [New] PoP!_OS - Live (MacBookPro 2008)
  • [Author’s] Kali - Installed (Rasperry Pi Model 4)

All ISOs were verified per DistroWatch methods.

The reviews answer the following questions:

  1. When was the distro first released?
  2. What is the latest version?
  3. What is the URL to download the distro?
  4. What is special about the distro?

Also:

  1. What is the intended audience?
  2. How is the look and feel?
  3. Ease of use?
  4. Hardware issues?

Screen shots are provided where possible.

This document (PDF1) has been created using Google Pixelbook (Chrome OS, Linux Beta), Jekyll static site generator, AWS Cloud9, AWS CDK, AWS CodeCommit and AWS S3.

It will soon be available using a guest account at ForgetWindows - Linux Distribution Reviews.

Reviews

Mint

Linux Mint 20.1 LTS “Ulyssa” - Xfce (64-bit) released 2021-01-08 is an Ubuntu-based distribution whose goal is to provide a classic desktop experience with many convenient, custom tools and optional out-of-the-box multimedia support. It also adds a custom desktop and menus, several unique configuration tools, and a web-based package installation interface. Linux Mint is compatible with Ubuntu software repositories. It was downloaded from GigaNET.2

Intended Audience

Mint is aimed at Windows (Microsoft) users. Unbuntu comes in many different forms: server, cloud, and media server. Whereas Mint is available in desktop only. It is especially good for Linux beginners.

Look and Feel

The desktop looks similar to windows and allows different themes: Alt Desktop

Ease of use

The is a button in the lower left of the “task bar” that gives access to applications: Alt Application Menu

Hardware issues

The trackpad acts slightly different - you must click the touch as it does not respond to touch. To right-click you must click with two fingers.

WiFi does not work by default. There looks to be solutions, but the author did not pursue them at the time of this writing.

Ubuntu Mate

Ubuntu MATE 20.04 LTS released 2020-10-22 is a desktop Linux distribution which aims to bring the simplicity and elegance of the Ubuntu operating system through a classic, traditional desktop environment - the MATE desktop. MATE is the continuation of the GNOME 2 desktop environment which was used as Ubuntu’s default desktop until 10.10 (when it was replaced by Unity). The project began its life as an Ubuntu “remix”, but starting with version 15.04, it was formally accepted as an official member of the Ubuntu family of Linux distributions. It was downloaded from Ubuntu.2

Intended Audience

Mate is for people that want the most out of their computers. Ubuntu MATE is an official Ubuntu derivative, which means users can use the Ubuntu support channels when they have a problem, which they couldn’t do if they running something like Mint. Great for people that do not want to deal with Microsoft or Apple.

Look and Feel

The desktop is straight forward. It has a menu bar similar to MacOS. It Also has a task bar at the bottom as well as allowing desktop icons - both features of Windows and MacOS. It has a “Trash Can” in the lower right of task bar - also a feature of Windows and MacOS. Alt Desktop

Ease of use

Unlike Windows or MacOS its main Application menu is in the top left of the menu bar across the top. Alt Application Menu

Hardware issues

The trackpad acts just as it does on MacOS for clicking and right-click a light single or two finger tap does ir.

WiFi does not work by default. It was very very straight forward to activate it. Selecting the Broadcom drivers and adding a WiFi connection was all that was needed: Alt WiFi Set Up

POP!_OS

Pop!_OS 20.10 released 2020-10-23 is an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution featuring a custom GNOME desktop. It is designed to have a minimal amount of clutter on the desktop without distractions in order to allow the user to focus on work. The distribution is developed by Linux computer retailer System76. It was downloaded from System76.2

Intended Audience

Pop!_ OS is for creators. People like scientists, engineers, programmers, etc. This means that for Pop!_OS research, user testing, and features will relate to these tpyes of clients. The purpose is to make the most productive tool possible for these clients.

Installation Steps

Some installation steps were needed.

  1. Select Language
    • English
    • United States
  2. Keyboaed Layout
    • English (US)
  3. Input Language
    • Default
  4. Try Demo Mode

Look and Feel

The desktop is is completely clean. There is a menu bar at the top with “Activities” at the top left. At the top right are icons for window settings and another set of icon that together drop a settings menu. The center shows datr and tome. Alt Desktop

Ease of use

Unlike Windows or MacOS its main menu is called “Activites” and shows just the following:

  • Firefox
  • Files
  • Terminal
  • Pop!_Shop
  • Install Pop!_OS
  • Show Applications Alt Application Menu

Hardware issues

The trackpad acts just as it does on MacOS for clicking and right-click a light single or two finger tap does it.

WiFi does not work by default. There looks to be solutions, but the author did not pursue them at the time of this writing.

Kali

see Trouble in Raspberry Pi Land

Kali Linux 2020.4 released 2020-11-18 is a Debian-based distribution with a collection of security and forensics tools. It features timely security updates, support for the ARM architecture, a choice of four popular desktop environments, and seamless upgrades to newer versions. It was downloaded from Kail (Raspberry Pi 4).2

Intended Audience

Kali is mainly targeted to Cyber Security professionals, though it is becoming more generally popular. Comes with a ton of security tools: nmap, wireshark, john_the_ripper, etc.

Look and Feel

The desktop is is relatively clean. There is a menu bar at the top with main application menu at the top left. There are a few essential icons after it. The date and time and settings icons are on the top right. On the desktop there are trash, file system and home icons. Alt Desktop

Ease of use

The main application menu has a numbered list of important security tools. Alt Application Menu

Hardware issues

The mouse acts normally.

WiFi does not work by default. There looks to be solutions, but the author did not pursue them at the time of this writing.

Appendix

Hardware and Software Tools

In attempts to create a “Live Boot” USB:

Used the following hardware:

  • iMac (mid 2011) macOS Sierra 10.12.6
  • MacBookPro (2008) macOS Mountain Lion 10.8.5
  • PixelBook chromeOS 88.0.4324.109
  • Rasberry Pi Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 Buster

Used the following software:

  • usbimager
  • etcher

Rasberry Pi Model 4 Bummer

Needed to update the EEPROM (firmware “BIOS”) Followed this procedure. However, when it came to the using the sudo raspi-config tool to select the boot order I accidently set the Pi to log in to the console instead of auto log into desktop. However, it would not let me log in useing the default user and password! Tried all kinds of fixes - nothing worked.

Finally, after several hours of fruitless f**king around I managed to put together the following:

  1. Power down and pull the SD card out from your Pi and put it into your computer
  2. Back command line text using cp cmdline.txt cmdline-original.txt
  3. Use nano cmdline.txt to add ‘init=/bin/sh’ to the end (single line)
    This will cause the machine to boot to single user mode.
  4. Put the SD card back in the Pi and boot
  5. Unfortunately the system comes up Read Only (this was a REAL problem)
  6. Execute this comannd to set to Read/Write mount -o remount,rw /dev/mmcblk0p2 /
    Make SURE /dev/mmcblk0p2 is your root filesystem
  7. Now you can change the pi user password with passwd pi
  8. Power down, pull SD card on your computer restore the original cmdline.txt
  9. Put the SD card back in the Pi and boot
  10. You can now login as the pi user
  11. Finally run sudo raspi-config and set the boot mode and set to auto log into desktop

WOW!

Trouble in Raspberry Pi Land

Doing the install was a nightmare. I ran out of time to document the tribulations. I hope the instructor would allow the author to publish a second edition with full details.

  1. Still working on better pagination ↩

  2. Quoted from Distro Watch ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4