MX Linux 21: An Increasingly Popular Distro

[@59.9fps]

MX is running great on my 14 year old Core2 Duo system (typing this comment from there). Ran out of the box without any tweaks on the Legacy MBR system dual booted with Windows 7 (I wanted a Linux OS for safe internet browsing and would use 7 only offline for games), installed old 470.xx drivers for GTX 970 instead of newer (and not necessarily greater for old hardware), has recognized old G31 motherboard audio and network, and takes about 650 megs out of 4 GB RAM by itself. Till now with Firefox and 5-7 tabs has not risen above 70% of RAM usage. The team behind this distro seem to actually test what they put out, unlike several other popular Linux distros which did not work out of the box on this system. It is commendable how this distro has been #1 for so long and at the same time supporting a wide spectrum of hardware. So many tweaks specific to MX bring out the passion the team has for their work. 👍

[@steveu235]

Thanks for showing all three possible DE's makes choosing easier.

[@cantdance3077]

Got a Brother printer for Christmas and I was having issues on Arch and Manjaro getting it to work. MX Linux recognized it immediately, making my life a lot easier

[@RoyNeeraye]

I'm relieved to know that installing OSes keeps you from roaming the streets and causing troubles, Chris 🤣🤣🤣 That statement really made my day!!!

[@ExplainingComputers]

:)

[@skipinkoreaable]

Chris is installing OSes and Stanley is opening boxes. All is right with the world. Seriously though, it's nice to see another great video from Explaining Computers. This one about MX Linux was a treat.

[@horseradishpower9947]

Hiding Breakout in the game section did the trick. He was on that one app for six days in a row... It is a nice looking OS, to be fair.

[@waynestewart1919]

Yeah, I can't imagine Mr. Barnatt doing that. Though it would make for sensational comedy. 😂😂😂

[@hawaiianryan1890]

Still, I would like to see Chris roaming the streets and causing trouble.

[@moose43h]

I agree with the roaming and causing trouble part. It’s a relaxing hobby to check out new features and apps

[@allenellisdewitt]

12:50 THANK YOU for exploring the other spins, it's so easy to see reviews/examinations of distros that don't do that, thanks!

[@swamprabbitmx-linux6486]

Thank you for the very thorough review, I've added a link in our running thread for MX-21 "in the news" and Reviews. One new MX Tool for MX-21 is MX Tour, which highlights major things about each DE and MX.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Thanks for this, most appreciated. I made a note whilst making the video to cover MX Tour, which is excellent, and then forgot! :) Sorry.

[@rockyhill3]

One of the reasons I started using Mx Linux for our field laptops at work is the the Snapshot option under Mx Tools which is essentially a single-click respin option that allows one to easily make a bootable iso of the current configuration. Once a I have a field laptop configured with all of the software and scripts I need for the field season, I easily create an ISO and install it on the other laptops via a USB stick. A real time saver! If you ever decide to cover this Distro again, I think that option is definitely worth a mention. Thank you for your fantastic videos!

[@k.b.tidwell]

And be aware (as I became this morning after researching on how to speed up the MX boot time) that if you choose to boot with systemd instead of the default init, there can be problems with the live setup. It's not fully compatible.

[@hasiburrahmanjitu2734]

Even though English is not my mother language, whenever my 3 year old son hears you saying "Welcome to another video from Explaining computers!!" , He just shouts out loud "DOT COM !!!" MX Linux was always my favorite disto. It became more when it was launched with KDE..now MX has become my all time favorite when you have just uploaded a video on it.

[@DaveSpagnol]

Mostly good review, but you should have included MX Tweak. With it, you can instantly change the XFCE desktop panel from Vertical to Horizontal. If you attempt it through the XFCE Settings Manager, the icons on the panel end up the wrong way around (Start Menu on the right and Leave button on the left). MX Tweak corrects this. There are also other little options such as double click vs single click etc.

[@runwiththedolphin]

That you for the walk through and review. I very much appreciate the attention you gave to the documentation efforts as well as the tools and community. We originally started making tools and applications to "scratch our own itches" and we are just happy other folks find them useful as well.

[@anthonymccarthy4164]

I've been using MX for more than a year and you showed me a lot of features I hadn't noticed before. Educational and practical as always. With me it's a game of checkers. I had to uninstall it from Mint. I don't have enough hours left to waste that many playing checkers with the computer.

[@AshifKhan-qn8ef]

Can we switch between workspaces in mx Linux using touchpad?

[@anthonymccarthy4164]

@@AshifKhan-qn8ef I've never done it but I would imagine you can, it seems to be common among different Linux distributions I've used.

[@kencreten7308]

I'm always on the lookout for great Linux distros, and usually I'm disappointed and just keep using Ubuntu. I mainly use Linux on my little Celeron mini-computer for experience, and a VM on Windows with VMs for fun. I'm finding MX Linux to be as you said, very well documented. Very refreshing. Thanks for the "reveal." :)

[@ExplainingComputers]

Thanks for your support Ken, most appreciated. :)

[@kencreten7308]

@@ExplainingComputers No problem at all. So far I'm really appreciating MX Linux. Just for info, I used the Fluxbox window manager for years at one place I worked. It is incredibly lightweight, as you know, but it's menu system, at least in the basic form of the window manager, is easily and incredibly configurable. For work, I ran everything I needed, apps, scripts, what have you, from a single, carefully thought out right click menu. I'm mainly using Windows at home now, with various linux machines around and VMs with all kinds of OSs. But I love the Blackbox/Fluxbox, etc, window managers.

[@robertkampmann405]

Great review, i like XFCE on MX and Mint too. Installing Linux has become painlessly for nearly a decade now, and it is great to see it still improves. For me upgrading is a struggle, as it is a lot of work to setup the settings of all the tools.

[@TheQuixoticRambler]

Chris, thanks for showcasing MX-Linux. It is great to see this support from the Number One tech presenter on the tube! I honestly believe MX is one of the best gateway distros, along with Mint, for getting started with Linux.

[@lauriehartley9808]

Thanks for your review. For many years while still a Windows user I tried many live USB Linux Versions. I switched from Windows to MX Linux completely about 2 years ago and haven't switched distros since then. Currently I am on Version MX-19.4_ahs_x64 patito feo. I haven't upgraded to MX 21 because my machine is running flawlessly. I think the big thing for people switching from Windows is to decided what software they need to run. The MX package installer is very good. Also the MX user forum is absolutely terrific. Two last comments - it might have been worthwhile making a comment about:- a) the software updater - the little box in the panel which turns green when updates are available. This is my friend because I get to decide when to update my software and system!! b) the quick system info widget in the MX tools - very useful and a must have when visiting the MX user forum.

[@ronj9592]

I don't use Linux at all and in fact don't use most of what you you review, but your knowledge and presentation is so educational and entertaining that I look forward to your weekly videos.

[@signalscout6020]

As a Mint user for several months in part due to your videos, I’m glad you’re not out causing trouble. MX looks like a fun option for an old Celeron I have on the shelf.

[@chromerims]

Another triumphant video, thank you CB/EC! MX Linux has been my daily driver for personal use since 2020. Everyone should know that the MX support community is extraordinarily helpful and welcoming to all levels of users (I've been a beneficiary); it is plainly manifest that a 'big tent' esprit be corps is in the MX team's DNA; and it is foundational to MX's appeal. I still need full desktop MS-Excel (not 365 webapp version) for work unfortunately; otherwise MX makes comprehensive defenestration a delightful process. Also MX's toggle handling (without total removal) of systemd/init distinguishes it from Canonical. MX is perfection for a small USB key plus Ventoy, and one may readily launch via 'toRam' on a wide array of bare metal. I too have managed to not crash MX, and for me being after a few years of usage (albeit non-gaming and non-video editing); their releases in my experience have been stable and assuring. I hope the MX team's work continues forever.

[@BilisNegra]

Professor Barnatt being so fond of Breakout-type games warmed my heart. I was never a skilled gamer as a child with many types of games, but I could spend all evening playing Arkanoid if I actually had the chance. Such nice memories.

[@gregcampwriter]

I run Cinnamon Mint on my desktop, since that's the computer that I use for writing, image editing, and web browsing. My primary computer has to be a tool that doesn't get in the way of my work. I currently have Mint on my laptop as well, but I keep toying with the idea of trying something else there. This video confirms MX Linux as one of the options.

[@vincognito]

I've been using MX Linux XFCE since the MX 18 point release. I was a distro hopper until I found MX. Although there's always the temptation to try out other flavors of Linux, I think I'm going to stay put with MX for quite some time. It it's so stable that you can literally feel its solidity. Also, the folks on the MX forum have been patient and supportive. It's a great community. All in all, I'm happy to use MX as my daily driver.

[@billywild5440]

Me too!

[@AJ-po6up]

As always your videos are so relaxing and informative and the best part is that I always learn something new, I'm glad you created this channel you've been doing a great service for the community and for Linux, Chris!

[@edr313]

Thanx for finally recognizing MX linux. I nstalled MX19 on a spare laptop just for fun - years ago - since in my previous life I was a unix shell programmer. Now it is my go-to for whatever I do. Can't wait to check out MX21. Windows 10 users should also check it out before microsoft cuts the cord.

[@tiburcio729]

I love the MX specific tools it has especially mx-snapshot that allows you to create your own ISO.

[@jons2447]

AGREE!

[@paulbailey6251]

Thanks Chris - Just installed on my old IBM ThinkPad T60 (32 bit). Working absolutely fine. You can't have too many backup computers.

[@michaelgkellygreen]

Great video Chris, i will check out MX for sure. I'm a big fan of Linux Mint and my 86 year old Dad uses it for his daily usage so its defintely user friendly. Keep up the great work.

[@AndrewAHayes]

I too run Linux Mint as my daily driver, its like an old pair of slippers, very comfortable! I have looked at many distro's and havent yet found anything I like more than Mint and I think its because Mint is a great transition from Windows

[@mrmustard1300]

If you want to try different GUIs on Mint it's not too much trouble to switch back and forth from MATE to say i3. You basically just logout and login again.

[@alexmartian3972]

@@mrmustard1300 how to install several GUIs? one Mint distro is one GUI

[@jimbcanine]

@@alexmartian3972 I run Linux Mint Cinnamon. From the software manager I downloaded the Mate and also Ubuntu gnome GUI's. I can choose which one I want at login.

[@Nikolai508]

I think describing Linux Mint as a good starting point for people moving from Windows does it a disservice and puts more "hardcore" users off, when in reality it's a stable, has very sane defaults, doesn't have the negatives of Ubuntu but all the positives and great for gaming with Steam.

[@lightly-red-huedmaleindivi6266]

I too run Windows as my daily driver, its like an old pair of slippers, very comfortable! I have looked at many operating systems and havent yet found anything I like more than Windows and I think its because Windows is a great operating system

[@trondknudsen6689]

My first preference is Debian and I'm no distro hopper, but Lubuntu was sluggish on an old HP laptop, so after being informed by this review about MX Linux (which I previously didn't know existed), I decided to give it a try. It runs beautifully on my old laptop. I like its default features and settings, and it's a pleasure to use. Excellent distro and review. Many thanks for the well-chosen info.

[@isiseshisewebhu]

My previous distro on this same old laptop was LMDE5, really a spiff OS, but MX just does it a little better.

[@DanCalloway]

Excellent review! You never cease to make me laugh in your videos with some of the antics that you perform, such as the ending of this video playing "Break Out" while you say you've been performing rigorous testing. Love it! Keep up the great work. My distro of choice, i.e., my daily driver is FerenOS Linux, but MX-21 Linux has been on my radar in the past and this version on my current radar for the future.

[@player07441]

i have more enjoyment seeing your notification than there are linux distros

[@ExplainingComputers]

Wow!

[@catriona_drummond]

I found that welcome screen to be the single most useful thing on all the like 20 Linux distros that I have tried out in the last months, being quite the Linux-noob. Lets you install the Nvidia-drivers for example and customie other things to get the machine fully ready - without having to dig through various setting menus. It is indeed very welcoming.

[@elvinhaak]

Yes! It is sooo nice! Have been using MX linux for years now on all my systems including pretty old ones (almost 20 years old for example). It is nice to see it growing without getting sluggish.

[@dermond]

I just change from MX linux to q4os because Xfce was kinda slow on my notebook, I like when I press the super key, immediately opens the menu. But it's a good distro over all, it keeps you updated and it's beginner friendly

[@tbirdtelecaster7481]

I have been running MX23 beta 2 and it is brilliant, no bugs and i installed a cinnamon desktop without conflict, the debian 12 base works real good with it. Thoroughly recommend

[@rikprince8414]

Hmmmmm...... I might just have to give this one a go. Zorin has been on my test rig for a few weeks. However, the KDE distro of MX might be closer to what I need. Excellent video, Sir!

[@gwgux]

I've never gotten around to giving MX Linux a go, so this was very helpful to me! I liked how you compared the different DEs it ships with. Most people don't do that. You have given me what I needed to know about MX Linux!

[@thomasgraf1986]

Always fun to see these other distros explored. Haven't seen one I like more than Mint yet, but it's interesting to see all the variety! Brilliant as usual Chris!

[@billgross3579]

Linux Mint is my daily driver on most machines ... But it is a little large for one little laptop with only 2 Gb ram and 32 Gb SSD (not expandable). Always looking for something even slightly smaller. Thanks for giving me another candidate to try out!

[@Sunlight91]

I also have a netbook with 2GB RAM and 32GB SSD. Instead of using the internal SSD I installed Lubuntu on an tiny 64GB USB3 drive. It hardly sticks out and won't suddenly fall out. Today you can get a small 128GB drive for a small price.

[@Smittron]

Hi Bill. Try using the XFCE version of Linux Mint on your laptop. Like the Cinnamon version the XFCE version is very good but uses less resources.

[@Reziac]

PCLinuxOS is overall probably the lightest of the full-featured distros. Our KDE version uses about 600mb RAM out of the box, and the Trinity, LXQt/DE, and Openbox versions use only about 300mb. (Mate, Xfce, and occasionally other DEs also available.) I use it on a 15 year old laptop and it's pretty good there.

[@elvinhaak]

@@Reziac Ever looked at AntiX ? It is also still updated and very close to MX. I run it on a machine that has very, very limited resources for example only 256MB of RAM. Yes a Pizero has more capacity (but that does not have a screen and keyboard buildin ;-) )

[@Reziac]

@@elvinhaak Yeah, I have, didn't care for it. But I don't really have a need to run the OS on such limited hardware right now. And I greatly appreciate all efforts to be efficient for the sake of both performance and limited or older hardware... especially since I tend to keep old hardware running until it dies beyond resurrection.

[@edalder2000]

I use Mx Linux on a ThinkPad x250. Mx is user friendly Debian. My favorites are how you can save all of your changes from a live session during install. You can make an iso from your system if you with live USB Maker. Nicely done Distro

[@VeryUsMumblings]

Yes, it's easy to install, more user-friendly version of Debian. I also have it on an old laptop, works great, stable and pretty good on battery-life, too.

[@CallsignEskimo-l3o]

I've just distro hopped to MX Linux and installed Cinnamon as the Desktop Environment. Having just moved from Linux Mint, I was pleased to find many of the LMDE versions of Mint apps available from the repos such as Warpinator and Web Apps. The real selling point for me was the MX Linux Snapshot function that has allowed me to make an iso of my current configuration with all my preferred applications and I can use it as a backup or a bootable usb to carry with me.

[@retrocomputeruser]

Nice upload Chris I found it interesting you tried all flavours. Not many do that to show the differences so I applaud your effort. My choice is KDE. The OS has that better choice for customisation. Never had problems with either.

[@GNARGNARHEAD]

MX has been the best Linux experience I've had, looks like it's only got better since I ran it, a definite recommendation from me

[@k.b.tidwell]

I've run MX for quite a while. For my software requirements I've needed to use Xubuntu for slightly better compatibility. Overall though, it's an excellent distro, and my solid number two go-to. Going to go roam the streets and cause trouble now.

[@JamesFreedmanIsVeryCool]

whats your number one?

[@tanmaypatel4152]

@@JamesFreedmanIsVeryCool He mentioned Xubuntu

[@JamesFreedmanIsVeryCool]

@@tanmaypatel4152 oh, i misunderstood them. I was under the impression that xubuntu was his number two. My mistake

[@k.b.tidwell]

@@JamesFreedmanIsVeryCool Actually, now MX has moved to number one because I have had problems with snaps on every flavor of Ubuntu I've tried and on every computer I've tried it on. Yes, I've disabled snaps and use flatpacks when necessary, but for not having to mess around with "stuff", MX is better...for me. The compatibility issues I noted originally were less annoying to deal with than the snaps issues, so now I consider that to be of no consequence in my choice of distro. Thank you everyone for commenting!

[@waynestewart1919]

Well done again, Mr. Barnatt. MX Linux looks great for low-end computing. Some of the default apps have a bit dated looking UI, but appear quite functional. I say I'll have to give it a go.

[@aussierule]

Lol the breakout part in the middle where you had to pull yourself away and the B roll footage of you playing breakout in the end when you were talking about "rigorous testing" hahaha I love it.

[@wasitacatisaw83]

Was getting worried then. 2 minutes past 2 and no video, then boom, here it is. Thanks Chris 👍

[@ExplainingComputers]

Do not worry -- I've not missed a Sunday . . . yet!

[@8ballali]

Such a lovely, easy, user-friendly, operating system. Of all that I've used, it's comfortably the best for someone like me, that isn't very tech savvy. The admins do a fantastic job. Extremely helpful people around in case I do something stupid. They even test every app before putting it in their repository. Superb! I may never try any other operating systems, ever again.

[@SB-qm5wg]

I really like this distro! I'm impressed by all the built-in apps & a lot of customization.

[@NewAgeDIY]

Great overview. Looks like a well organized OS. Having a lot of features and tools at your fingertips makes this disco very user friendly.

[@peterthecoderd.1210]

I like the way the installer works so painlessly. I'm a Fedora user where installing requires the Linux gods to look on you favourably. I like Fedora enough to endure the pain, but I'm envious.

[@RogerioPereiradaSilva77]

I know what you mean. Fedora's installer works well but it has got to be the most counter intuitive installer of all times (and I used to install Slackware in the 90's). Anaconda used to be so easy to use that makes me wonder what went wrong...

[@Adkturn]

Just installed MX Linux Xfce over Win10 Home with 0 issues using this tutorial (unlike with some other distro's I've attempted). Thanks!

[@ExplainingComputers]

Great to hear!

[@Paddy_Roche]

Thank you as always Chris, great presentation love the KDE.

[@The_0p3r8t0r]

really enjoyed using it. gone away to try others and always come back as it just works. also the comments about keeping out of trouble had me laughing, can't see you hanging around an off-licence looking for trouble in your hoodie

[@IanTindale]

A thing I’ve realised I’m looking for lately is a way of taking an old small decrepit netbook, Acer A110 in my case, and using it purely for the workbench and connecting to Raspberry Pico using Thonny while all around it is mess and soldering and snipped-off bits of wire. Such a netbook wouldn’t matter if it got damaged or ugly or flux spots on the screen or solder splashes on the keyboard. All it has to do is run thonny and connect to the internet to get packages into it easily and usb to the Pico. Distros like this are of interest in that area.

[@SchoolforHackers]

Amen - I keep all my old laptops for utility purposes just like this.

[@uno-tu9xx]

Thanks for taking the time to show us MX linux. Think I liked KDE best.

[@geoffhalsey2184]

Nice lightweight distro with lots of useful help, but having used Linux Mint for many years, not enough to tempt me away.

[@send2gl]

You were so enthusiastic with this distro that I gave it a try. It is now dual boot with my main Ubuntu 20:04. As same disk all my Ubuntu files available when running MX Linux It is a very impressive and aesthetically pleasing distro

[@ExplainingComputers]

Hi Geoff, sounds like a good result! :)

[@ninline2000]

I've run so many different Linux distros over the years. I started in 1999 with SUSE and the installation process was a little more involved back then. I had finally given up on any new Amiga and bought a used, dual cpu PII 333mhz server, with 5 4.3GB SCSI hard drives. I actually purchased SUSE Linux at the Best Buy in Macon, Georgia and it came with installation CDs and manuals. Installation went well and I was amazed at how well it worked. It took me a while to get used to Yast, but the OS was similar enough to how Amiga OS worked that I got the hang of it pretty quickly. I've been running Linux ever since, now my daily driver is a Pi4 8GB SBC.

[@nylhsaaaa]

I started using it in 2019 and it's come a long way.

[@alanthornton3530]

I've tried MX 19.3 xfce in Virtualbox & it runs really well, plenty of tools & options to keep me out of mischief. I'll have to give KDE and Fluxbox a spin, I'm still sticking with Linux Mint as my daily driver though. There is one part of the video that I've watched several times, its about the grub install I'm slightly confused about (I'm not on an uefi system) as there are several choices? As always an excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon tea & provisions at the ready & a video from Chris :)

[@haplozetetic9519]

I've been using KDE on Mint for quite some time and was really disappointed when they discontinued the KDE version because now I need to take time to install it myself. I just can't be entirely comfortable in any other DE after using KDE and adjusting it to my preferences. Just about any functional detail in KDE can be changed to work the way you want. It also has a very good set of applications.

[@XLessThanZ]

I have a 32-bit netbook for which I've been looking for a Linux distro and you've sold me on MX Linux. I've never used Linux before, but you do a great job on touring the system and helping me decide on the pros and cons for what I'd like to do. Maybe if I find more uses for this netbook, I may also see how Linux Mint works on it. Thank you 👍

[@ExplainingComputers]

Good luck with this. :) Note that you would have to try Linux Mint 18 or earlier, as the current version does not support 32 bit.

[@XLessThanZ]

@@ExplainingComputers I'll keep that in mind

[@ivarand]

@@ExplainingComputers Mint 19 is available as 32 bit also, and in support until april 2023

[@AMDRADEONRUBY]

It's Sunday my favorite day as ever mean new video and mean some fun too watching it. Have a nice week. Miguel

[@SupremeNerd]

Ive used Linux Mint (favorite), Zorin, Ubuntu, and Linux Lite. I just may do this one. This has the potential to become a new favorite

[@FeedScrn]

Thanks for the tours. - It looks like all the distros are being distributed with different flavors available. More choice is a good thing.

[@perrymcclusky4695]

I’m so glad you’re not roaming the streets and causing trouble, but making Linux videos instead. Linux distros seem to be getting more impressive as time passes. Looking forward to your next video!

[@buhrdt]

It is an interesting distro for sure, I'll add it to my Ventoy drive to play around with. I have found having some distros to choose from is pretty handy. Sometimes Mint doesn't always work, so it's nice to have options. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Great chennel, your work is appreciated. I have learned a lot from your chennel, it was incredibly helpful when I choose to switch to Linux. Your videos helped me choose Cinnamon as my distro of choice, and it is a perfect distro for my use. I work in the digital design field, and my productivity has increased after switching to Linux and open source software. Keep up the good work, I and others appreciate your work and effort.

[@ExplainingComputers]

Very interesting to hear of your success switching to Linux and FOSS -- thanks for sharing. :)

[@zipinkent4026]

Excellent presentation, thanks. I must give the KDE flavour a shot.

[@oceania68]

I use MX 19 on one of my machines, its been brilliant. To upgrade it requires a full re-install of MX 21, however, I'm happy with MX 19 currently, and will probably put MX 21 on another new machine once I've built it. I enjoy playing 0AD on it, amongst other things. 🙂

[@Tesirapa]

MX Linux is what started my linux adventure, because it was the only fully compatible distribution working out of the box on my computer. However I can't really say I liked this distribution, I see all these preinstalled tools as "bloatwares", it's based on Debian which is a LTS distro (which is fine for servers), and I never really liked KDE and XFCE too (and I hate fluxbox). But honestly I'm just not the target of this distribution. I can see why it's in the first position on distrowatch, it's really beginner friendly, and all those "bloatware tools" can actually be very useful :)

[@richardpalmanteer9798]

Well, that was a very good presentation of MX Linux 21 Chris. I've used Linux Mint as well and like it's interface and the OS as well. I'm now running Raspberry Pi Debian 32 bit for desktops on my new Thinkcentre M92B I purchased a few weeks ago with Intel core i5 3470T CPU @ 290GHz, 2901MHz 2 core with 4 logical processor 4GB RAM SoDIMM 1600MHz and Intel Q77 Express Chipset. It has a 500GB WD Black I have a 240GB Kingston HD SSD I'll install soon. As always "Enjoy The Adventure". Thanks for your help on Twitter as well 😀👍

[@PinakiGupta82Appu]

Very detailed review, indeed. I appreciate the efforts you put into checking the software availability in all three desktop environments. Overall, MX is a great distro for stability and performance. The number of programs available to MX end-users is somewhat less compared to Ubuntu spin-offs. However, turning on backports on any Debian system will open up a floodgate of new programs that are usually not found in the default Debian repository. They ship slightly older and tested programs to make the OS more robust, which is great unless the latest and the greatest bleeding-edge versions become a necessity for work in certain scenarios. Older programs are not an issue these days in general, because of Flatpak and AppImage packaging. We need this type of critical assessment more and more, so keep up the good work. 💯

[@John.0z]

I use Mint on my main computer. I loaded MX Xfce on an old Asus EeePC and found it to run quite well on that small, and limited machine. When they release a 64-bit Raspberry Pi version I will be trying it on my RasPi4/8G.

[@tbernesto0912]

Thank You Very Much Chris.. I have been Using MX Linux since Version 15, and I Think It is a Really Great Distro.. . Thanks Again for your Videos. Have a Great Hug.. !! !!!

[@MrTom_Songwriter]

@ExplainingComputers Another great video Chris. As I have unfortunately contracted the dreaded COVID virus right before Christmas, I have been resting and trying to recover.. So I came across your video on MX Linux. Two things of interest on MX Linux. Some of the team members were apart of MEPIS, a very old distro' and group that I remember going WAY back in the day. The very awesome thing is, after I saw your video and then found out more about this the MX Linux Dev team, I even more interested as they have a 32 bit version of MX Linux with Fluxbox as the GUI. Fluxbox is also a lighter "Windows Manager" from many years back. I was able to install this MX Linux version on a very old laptop that had a 32bit CPU and a problematic video card and it installed quickly I'm using it right now. It uses Debian 11 for it repositories, and so far on this old laptop it's been really wonderful. I do like Linux Mint and also plain Debian as well but the MX Linux dev team put together a really fine distro'. Probably the last thing to add (as I know I'm rambling a bit) is it really refreshing to see a Dev' group that wants to support 32 bit CPU architecture.. there is a lot of system still out there and being able to repurpose old systems like this laptop is just plain excellent on many levels. Happy New Year, cheers. - MrTom

[@roverdad]

Wow, thanks for this. I used a fluxbox based distro for years (crunchbang) and have used xubuntu for the past few. I will have to give the fluxbox/xfce de’s here a spin on my newer laptop.

[@leemanwrong]

MX has been my go to for a while now mainly because i can take a snapshot of my desktop setup and put it on a usb drive and take it with me wherever i go.

[@englishrupe01]

What an excellent review......many thanks, Chris!

[@retiredbecktek]

Ive use MX for years and its predecessor, Mepis. Happy w / it

[@YOURTECHFRIEND]

I saw you roaming the streets the other day - contemplating nicking a computer mag! ;-D 😅 Great channel btw!

[@dmiracle74]

Great video! I liked the overview of all three. I prefer Xfce out of those three, though Gnome is my favorite.

[@IsaFuie]

I've been interested in using Linux for one of my next PC builds. I initially mulled over Manjaro (thanks to one of Prof. Barnatt's videos ages ago), but this video has also given me another option to consider. Oh, and just as a sidenote: I never skip the ads (one of them was over 3 minutes long), but I don't mind, cos Prof Barnatt is more than deserving of that KZbin dosh!!

[@neb_setabed]

Shoot, I fell asleep last night and woke up in the middle of a 45-minute ad on some random person's Channel. I didn't even know they had them that long until last night

[@ravagingwolverine]

@@neb_setabed On a few occasions, I've received ads that were full TV shows of 30 minutes or so, as well as ads there were over two hours long. Those were rare, but I've seen them and skipped them. Crazy what gets through.

[@rpavlik1]

Nice to see, had never heard of it. Seems like they've added some nice user friendly UI on top of the always solid Debian base.

[@keithmiller9665]

We wait for the pause, and then all say along with you “Lets go and take a closer look” :-)

[@MrLukealbanese]

Great review Chris. I'd like you to have covered the non 'systemd' aspects of MX though as this is an option for those of us who prefer not to use systemd I believe.

[@srtcsb]

One of the more 'tinker-like' things I used to love about Linux was the ability to switch between windowing interfaces. I seem to remember there were two parts to it... A windowing manager and a windowing interface. I think Enlightenment was actually both, but worked for other windowing interfaces as well. Anyway, I miss being able to do that. I'm pretty sure I could do it in Linux Mint or any other distro, but I'm unfamiliar with how it might be done nowadays. It's clear that the distro managers are just building the whole distro around one interface or the other, but I'm talking about being able to choose the interface at login (provided the proper interface packages are installed, of course). Thanks for another great video Chris. 😎

[@RogerioPereiradaSilva77]

In most cases, it should be just a matter of installing the alternative desktop environments and window managers you want as the package managers typically take care of updating GDM and/or SDDM configuration so that you just need to choose which DE or WM you want to use from the login manager. That said, things can get out of hand quickly since all these DEs and WMs tend to use the same menus for everything so you will end up getting an overwhelming amount of menu items if you go the route of installing the big DEs, for instance.

[@srtcsb]

@@RogerioPereiradaSilva77 Thanks for the tips. I'll do some more investigating. 👍

[@waynebickell1793]

It's great to see another video of a Linux distro, especially one I haven't tried! My main distro (This PC) is running KDE Neon, which I really like because I get the latest Plasma as soon as it's released, but recently I replaced Linux Mint Cinnamon with EndeavourOS Cinnamon on my old ThinkPad downstairs (I may change to Plasma) and I couldn't be more satisfied moving away from an Ubuntu base! Will Neon suffer the same fate? Time will tell!

[@jimisan08]

I did test drive this two linux distros lately such as ubuntu and mx-21 on my old laptop.....Before installing, I deleted all partitions in the hdd and went on with Ubuntu...After successful installation however it failed to boot up....I tried to solve the problem by googling but unfortunately it still persist...Then I tried MX-21 which to my astonishment booted up my laptop without any problem....which is simply amazing....Now that I wanted to add another distro like Kubuntu that I know the reason why Ubuntu failed to boot...all because of EFI boot stub which got to do with UEFI boot loader. MX-21 is a lovely linux system which is simple for a window user.... Great MX-21!!! 👍👍👍

[@jls9225]

Have a good and relaxing weekend Chris. As Always, Be Smart and Stay Safe.

[@zacmitchell_1984]

Oh I was wondering about this distro. Thanks for showing it!

[@Lietseu1]

User of Linux Mint since 5 years, I was interested by your new video as usual 😉, I wonder if this distro is worth the effort to get it ? Sh.t I'm so curious that... I'm going to try it 😊 Thank you again for your efforts to give us so good and useful video 🖖

[@JacoBecker]

Excellent - thank you so much. MX is indeed a marvelous distro and definitely worth a look !

[@arthurmann578]

Nice video once again, Chris! Thank you for the info! 👍👍❤❤

[@ElectroCurmudgeon]

thankyou. MX looks like a great all around new linux users.

[@robertcs68]

Linux Mint crashed on me several times on 2 different computers so I downloaded MX Linux late fall of 2021 and have had Zero issues since. MX Linux is awesome!

[@jons2447]

AGREE!

[@ravagingwolverine]

I don't know if the circumstances were the same, but I was getting freezes with Mint and Manjaro with an 11th-gen Intel laptop. A similar thing happened to me when the 3rd-gen Intel chips were new. In both cases a kernel upgrade fixed it. For this particular machine, Mint was necessary unless there was no way to get it working, but the 5.15 kernel fixed it and I share that in case it's helpful to you or anyone else. It wasn't difficult to do either. I don't know which kernel MX is using, but as version 21 came out in October, perhaps it's more up to date than what Mint came with. Nice to hear that MX solved your issue. I used and enjoyed OpenSUSE for several years under those same circumstances. It's nice to experience other distros that way as it gives you options down the line.

[@scottb4029]

Been trying out mx Linux on a mac mini with an Intel from 2011. Running with the smaller distro it moves rather quickly. I like mint, but I started learning with a Fabian based system and I really like the interface on the mx Linux. Thank you for the video.

[@tbone9900]

Been using MX 19 Xfce for my older PC for a few years. Xfce is a bit too minimalist for me but great for older hardware. Just wish that MX would release a version with Mate DE and I would considered switching from Mint. Thank you for this upload and bringing attention to Linux distros. Never realized that playing with PC keeps me from roaming the streets and causing troubles, but I guess it is true.

[@jons2447]

Hey, couldn't you change the DE on MX?

[@tbone9900]

@@jons2447 Yes, but while Mate is considered a lightweight DE, it still slow down these older PC too much. On the newer PC, just too lazy to load Mate on MX since I have been using Mint Mate since Ubuntu dumped Gnome 2 for Unity.

[@climjames]

Thank You for another video. I will look at MS Linux 21 it in Virtual Box soon. I have been using Zorin 16 on my old HP Stream after windows became corrupt. Works well.

[@marpintado]

Thank you, very useful to get concise information about new distributions.

[@lastinline1958]

Great one, Chris. I've been using MX for a while, and use it on all my computers (even my ex-Chromebooks). I like the stability, as well as the addition of MX Tools. Very useful. MX Cleanup is a real bonus.