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For the main edition and for each Spin, there are installation images for 32- and 64-bit architectures. This article presents a review of the KDE Spin, using a 32-bit installation image on real hardware and in a virtual environment.

To all our readers, here is an opportunity to win an iPad. What does it take to do that? Simple. Just complete a survey from our ad partner and you will be automatically entered to win one of two iPads.

Sabayon is a rolling-release distribution, so existing users do not have to reinstall to get the latest core and applications of a Sabayon release. That is one of the best features of the distribution.

Both desktop environments aim to satisfy users who refuse to let go of old technology and those who demand new technology, but packaged in a familiar format. And Linux Mint is the first project to make both available to users in separate ISO installation images for 32- and 64-bit architectures.

This article is a review of both editions.

This tutorial presents a step-by-step guide on how to dual-boot either one with Windows 7 on a computer with a single hard drive. Because the Cinnamon and MATE editions of Linux Mint 13 share the same installation program, the steps involved are the same regardless of the edition you use.

The list of planned features is very long and includes many UX and UI additions, improvements and bugfixes, but the two that I am looking forward to the most are KLook and StackFolder, two features already available by default on ROSA Marathon 2012 and also in ROSA Desktop 2012 beta.

To change the properties of the panel, which by default is on the bottom edge of the desktop, you need to access the Panel Tool Box widget located on the extreme right edge of the panel. Depending on the distribution you are using, the panel could be locked or unlocked.

The other desktop environments and window managers supported by Mageia 2 are E17, LXDE, WindowMaker and IceWM. Aside from the Live CD installation images for KDE and GNOME 3, users are offered dual-architecture CD installation images, DVD, and network-based CD ISO installation images for 32- and 64-bit architectures.

The aim of this article is not to present a point-by-point comparison of the two desktop environments, but to present a general overview, so a new user has a top-level idea of what they are.

It is an alternative to Google Analytics and from my experience, better in many respects. The latest version, released just today June 1 2012, is Piwik 1.8, and it comes with its share of new and improved features and bugfixes.

This release is rated critical, so if you are running Piwik 1.7.1, the previous stable version, immediate upgrade is highly recommended.

For those set of users, suitable alternatives are: Modify the interface with extensions, as I showed how to do here, or install Cinnamon desktop, a project from the developers of Linux Mint. Cinnamon appeals to many because it offers the familiar look and feel of the type of desktop environment they are used to. This article shows the simple steps required to install and use Cinnamon on Fedora 17.

Specialized Spins for Security, Scientific-KDE, Design-suite, SoaS, Games, Electronic-lab and Robotics were also released. It is very unlikely that I will review these, but there will be reviews of the main edition and KDE Spin. While the reviews are still being baked, here are a few screen shots from test installations of the main edition and KDE Spin for your viewing pleasure.

From my perspective, the worst culprit is GNOME 3. And though I have often criticised the default GNOME 3 interface, with a little bit of tweaking here and there, I have been able to get it to a point where I can actually use it for my daily computing tasks. It is not perfect, but much better than the default configuration. The idea is to make it look like a standard desktop that lends itself very well to using the mouse, rather than mostly to keyboard shortcuts.

Consequently, I have not even bothered to install a distribution running GNOME 3 in its default state on a “production” boxen, other than for review purposes only. But while preparing a review of Mageia 2, I came across an extension that could just make me a believer and user of GNOME 3.

GNOME 3 is a perfect example, but it is not the only one. I could cite many examples from the K Desktop Environment too. Even Cinnamon, a desktop environment that was created out of dissatisfaction with the stock GNOME 3 interface, has it share of one-too-many-mouse-clickers.

There is Linux Mint 13 MATE, which features MATE, a desktop environment forked from GNOME 2, and Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon, which features Cinnamon, a desktop environment built atop GNOME 3. So, Linux Mint joins a growing list of Linux distributions that do not ship an edition running the GNOME 3 desktop in its default state.

BackTrack 5 is a Linux distribution designed for penetration testers and other security professionals, or those who want to mess with all the best security and penetration testing applications the free software community has to offer.

To install E17, you need to download a DVD, dualarch Live CD, or a network-based CD ISO installation image. They, and not the Live CD images, gives you the opportunity to select what desktop environment to install. At some point during the installation process, you will get to the step shown in the image below. To install an E17 desktop, you need to choose the Other Graphical Desktops.

KLook is a pretty nifty utility. With KLook, you view audio, video, text and image (png and jpg) files from the same application window. It is like a fusion of Totem and your favorite image viewer but with a few more features. KLook has been integrated into StackFolder, which means you can now view files supported by KLook straight from the panel, without launching Dolphin.

There is ROSA Marathon and ROSA Desktop. According to the Release Notes, ROSA Marathon is designed for enterprise, SMB and SOHO users who do not need bleeding-edge applications and technologies. ROSA Desktop is for personal use, and the 2012 edition is still being baked, slated for release sometime at the end of the year.

ROSA Marathon 2012, the latest edition of the ROSA Marathon line, is the subject of this review.