The team is proud to announce the release of Linux Mint 8 “Helena” LXDE Community Edition.

Quick steps:

• Download the ISO or the torrent.
• While it’s downloading look at the overview of the new features in Linux Mint 8 LXDE, read the User Guide and make sure to quickly go through the known issues.
• After the ISO is downloaded verify the MD5 (as described in the user guide).
• Burn the ISO at low speed and enjoy Linux Mint 8 LXDE.

Introduction to Linux Mint 8 LXDE:

Based on Linux Mint 8 Main Edition, Linux 2.6.31, Openbox 3.4.7.2, PCManFM 0.5.2, and Xorg 7.4, Linux Mint 8 LXDE Edition features a complete and familiar desktop experience while being low on resource usage and is suitable for a good variety of older hardware.

For a detailed overview of the new features and improvements included in Linux Mint 8 LXDE, please read “What’s new in Helena LXDE?“.

Benchmark:

Here’s a quick benchmark comparing this edition to the Fluxbox and Xfce editions of Linux Mint. All 3 editions were tested on the same hardware (a computer with 384MB RAM).

RAM usage at idle:

• Fluxbox: 131MB
• LXDE: 141MB
• Xfce: 154MB

Maximum RAM usage during the installation:

• Fluxbox: 235MB
• LXDE: 246MB
• Xfce: 262MB

Boot time from Grub to the login manager:

• Fluxbox: 31.16 seconds
• LXDE: 26.79 seconds
• Xfce: 26.46 seconds

Boot time from the login manager to the desktop:

• Fluxbox: 3.32 seconds
• LXDE: 3.77 seconds
• Xfce: 9.63 seconds

System requirements:

• x86 processor
• 256 MB of system memory (RAM)
• 3 GB of disk space for installation
• Graphics card capable of 800×600 resolution
• CD-ROM drive or USB port

Important information and known issues:

For a complete list of known issues read the release notes.

Download Linux Mint 8 LXDE:

This edition is available via HTTP and torrent from the download page.

Enjoy!

Have a lot of fun with this edition and let us know what you think. Reviews will be answered and your feedback will be used to improve the distribution before the next release. We hope you enjoy this release as much as we enjoyed making it and we wish you a very nice experience with Linux Mint.

The team is proud to announce the release of Linux Mint 8 “Helena” LXDE Community Edition RC1.

Quick steps:

• Download the ISO or the torrent.
• While it’s downloading look at the overview of the new features in Linux Mint 8 LXDE, read the User Guide and make sure to quickly go through the known issues.
• After the ISO is downloaded verify the MD5 (as described in the user guide).
• Burn the ISO at low speed and enjoy testing Linux Mint 8 LXDE RC1.
• Report bugs on the dedicated forum thread.

Introduction to Linux Mint 8 LXDE:

Based on Linux Mint 8 Main Edition, Linux 2.6.31, Openbox 3.4.7.2, PCManFM 0.5.2, and Xorg 7.4, Linux Mint 8 LXDE Edition features a complete and familiar desktop experience while being low on resource usage and is suitable for a good variety of older hardware.

For a detailed overview of the new features and improvements included in Linux Mint 8 LXDE, please read “What’s new in Helena LXDE?“.

Benchmark:

Here’s a quick benchmark comparing this edition to the Fluxbox and Xfce editions of Linux Mint. All 3 editions were tested on the same hardware (a computer with 384MB RAM).

RAM usage at idle:

• Fluxbox: 131MB
• LXDE: 141MB
• Xfce: 154MB

Maximum RAM usage during the installation:

• Fluxbox: 235MB
• LXDE: 246MB
• Xfce: 262MB

Boot time from Grub to the login manager:

• Fluxbox: 31.16 seconds
• LXDE: 26.79 seconds
• Xfce: 26.46 seconds

Boot time from the login manager to the desktop:

• Fluxbox: 3.32 seconds
• LXDE: 3.77 seconds
• Xfce: 9.63 seconds

System requirements:

• x86 processor
• 256 MB of system memory (RAM)
• 3 GB of disk space for installation
• Graphics card capable of 800×600 resolution
• CD-ROM drive or USB port

Important information and known issues:

As an RC (Release Candidate) this release is targeted at developers and beta-testers who want to help Linux Mint find and correct bugs before the stable release. Please do not use this release as your main desktop. For a complete list of known issues read the Release Notes.

Feedback and bug reports:

Please report any bug you may find via the Linux Mint 8 LXDE RC1 Bug Thread and give us your feedback on this release by posting a comment right here on the blog.

Download Linux Mint 8 LXDE RC1:

You can download Linux Mint 8 LXDE RC1 via torrent or via HTTP:

Size: 669MB LiveCD
MD5Sum: b66991424a718eeccc972c5509a20a5c

Torrent download: http://www.linuxmint.com/torrent/LinuxMint-8-LXDE-RC1.iso.torrent
HTTP download: http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=51

Africa:

• ftp://ftp.is.co.za/mirror/linuxmint.com/testing/ (South Africa)

Asia:

• http://ftp.jaist.ac.jp/pub/Linux/LinuxMint-ISO/testing/ (Japan)
• http://ftp.riken.jp/pub/Linux/linuxmint/testing/ (Japan)
• http://ftp.oss.tw/pub/Mint/LinuxMint-ISO/testing/ (Taiwan)

Europe:

• http://gd.tuwien.ac.at/linux/mint/isos/testing/ (Austria)
• http://ftp.mgts.by/pub/linuxmint/isos/testing/ (Belarus)
• http://mint.nano-box.net/iso/testing/ (Bulgaria)
• http://mirrors.cytanet.com.cy/linux/mint/testing/ (Cyprus)
• ftp://ftp.linuxmint-fr.org/pub/linuxmint.com/testing/ (France)
• http://linuxmint.copahost.com/testing/ (Germany)
• http://linuxmint.cybermirror.org/testing/ (Germany)
• http://ftp5.gwdg.de/pub/linux/debian/mint/testing/ (Germany)
• http://mirror.netcologne.de/mint/testing/ (Germany)
• http://ftp.cc.uoc.gr/mirrors/linux/linuxmint/testing/ (Greece)
• http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/linuxmint.com/testing/ (Ireland)
• http://ftp.akl.lt/Linux/Mint/testing/ (Lithuania)
• ftp://ftp.tpnet.pl/pub/linux/linuxmint/isos/testing/ (Poland)
• http://cesium.di.uminho.pt/pub/linuxmint/testing/ (Portugal)
• http://ftp.df.lth.se/pub/linuxmint/testing/ (Sweden)
• http://mirror.switch.ch/ftp/mirror/linuxmint/testing/ (Switzerland)
• http://mirror.sov.uk.goscomb.net/linuxmint.com/testing/ (UK)

Northern America:

• http://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/linuxmint/testing/ (Canada)
• http://mirror.amarillolinux.com/linuxmint/testing/ (USA)
• http://mint.ez.by/linuxmint.com/testing/ (USA)
• http://linuxmint.secsup.org/testing/ (USA)
• ftp://mirrors.secution.com/linuxmint.com/testing/ (USA)
• http://mira.sunsite.utk.edu/linuxmint/testing/ (USA)
• http://mirror.yellowfiber.net/linuxmint/testing/ (USA)

Oceania:

• http://mirror.optus.net/linuxmint/isos/testing/ (Australia)
• http://mirror.aarnet.edu.au/pub/linuxmint/testing/ (Australia)
• http://mirror.waia.asn.au/pub/linux/linuxmint/linuxmint-isos/linuxmint.com/testing/ (Australia)

Enjoy!

Have a lot of fun testing this release candidate and let’s all hope it will help us make a great stable release.