Mint 19.3 Cinnamon
e got so excited with the last point
release of Mint that we based our whole
LXF255 cover illustration on it. This time
it gets barely half a page in the back of the
magazine, but that’s not to say we’re not excited
about it. (‘Tis merely an underhand suggestion
that our cover ideas are engendered by whim
and caprice – though what is life without
whimsy? Ed).
Based on the Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS, the new
release features a 5.0 series kernel and some
rejigging of the bundled application chattels.
Xplayer, from Mint’s own X-apps suite, has been
ousted in favour of the stylish MPV frontend
Celluloid. HiDPI support continues to improve,64-bit
W
As always, Mint comes
with a raft of new user-
contributed background
images. We chose the
darkest one.with almost all bundled applications now
supporting being scaled. There’s a new Drawing
application, which replaces GIMP, and there are
far too many improvements in the Cinnamon 4.4
desktop to list here.
There is a new System Reports app that
can tell you about missing codecs, drivers
or language packs. And Nemo now has
configurable context menus, so you can choose
which actions appear for which filetypes.
Perhaps most noticeable, though, is the new
Mint logo. In hindsight perhaps we should’ve
used this on the DVD wallet. Ooops, next time.
Still, we did borrow its new boot menu theme on
the disc, so you can see it there.
Mint has proven popular
with 32-bit users, and even
though our disc this month is
useless to them, those readers
should perhaps grab (or
upgrade to) this release,
because unless something
drastic happens, this will be the
last ever 32-bit Mint version.
The next release will be based
on the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, and
that is a 64-bit-only affair. This
one, based on Ubuntu 18.04,
will be supported until 2023.NO COUNTRY FOR OLD LOGOS
MIN SPECS: 1GB RAM, 15GB STORAGEBlackArch 2020.01
e’re still buzzing from the hacking
feature a couple of month’s back,
and we’re always buzzing about Arch
Linux. So this Arch-based penetration testing
distribution is a winner – unless you don’t have
an internet connection. Then it’s pretty useless,
because it’s basically a tweaked Arch install
medium with the BlackArch repository added.
You can log into it as root with the password
blackarch at least.
But if you do have access to the internet, then
that repository will provide you with 2,443 (weW
counted them) of the finest security-related
tools money can’t buy. You probably won’t get
far trying to install them all on the live distro, but
once you fetch and run the install scripts (read
the manual) then you are free to add them. If
you do install everything you’re looking at about
50GB of binary goodness, but there are also
handy groups such as blackarch-cracker
(password/hash cracking) and blackarch-
exploitation if you want to get things by theme.
As always, if you get in trouble using this, you
didn’t get it from us.AND MORE!
THE LXF LIBRARY
Advanced Bash
Scripting Guide
Go further with shell scripting.Bash Guide for Beginners
Get to grips with the basics
of Bash scripting.
Bourne Shell Scripting
First steps in shell scripting.
The Cathedral and
the Bazaar
Eric S. Raymond’s classic text
explains the advantages of
open development.The Debian Book
Essential guide for sysadmins.
Dive Into Python
Everything you need to know.
Introduction to Linux
A handy guide full of pointers
for new Linux users.
Linux Dictionary
The A-Z of everything to do
with Linux.
Linux Kernel in a Nutshell
An introduction to the kernel
written by master hacker
Greg Kroah-Hartman.The Linux System
Administrator’s Guide
Take control of your system.
Tools Summary
Overview of GNU tools.
GNU Emacs Manual
Six hundred pages of
essential information!
Producing Open
Source Software
Everything you need to know.
Programming from
the Ground Up
Take your first steps.NEW TO LINUX? START HERE...
Never used a Linux before? Here are some handy resources:
Read our quick-install guide http://bit.ly/LXFinstall Looking for an answer?
https://askubuntu.com Want to delve more deeply? https://linuxjourney.com64-bit
NET-INSTALLED PENTESTING
http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux March 2020 LXF260 97Mint 19.3 Cinnamon
egotsoexcitedwiththelastpoint
releaseofMintthatwebasedourwhole
LXF255coverillustrationonit.Thistime
itgetsbarelyhalfapageinthebackofthe
magazine,butthat’snottosaywe’renotexcited
aboutit.(‘Tismerelyanunderhandsuggestion
thatourcoverideasareengenderedbywhim
andcaprice–thoughwhatislifewithout
whimsy?Ed).
BasedontheUbuntu18.04.3LTS,thenew
releasefeaturesa5.0serieskernelandsome
rejiggingofthebundledapplicationchattels.
Xplayer,fromMint’sownX-appssuite,hasbeen
oustedinfavourofthestylishMPVfrontend
Celluloid.HiDPIsupportcontinuestoimprove,64-bit
W
Asalways,Mintcomes
witha raftofnewuser-
contributedbackground
images.Wechosethe
darkestone.withalmostallbundled applications now
supportingbeingscaled. There’s a new Drawing
application,whichreplaces GIMP, and there are
fartoomanyimprovements in the Cinnamon 4.4
desktoptolisthere.
ThereisanewSystem Reports app that
cantellyouaboutmissing codecs, drivers
orlanguagepacks.And Nemo now has
configurablecontextmenus, so you can choose
whichactionsappear for which filetypes.
Perhapsmostnoticeable, though, is the new
Mintlogo.Inhindsight perhaps we should’ve
usedthisontheDVD wallet. Ooops, next time.
Still,wedidborrowits new boot menu theme on
thedisc,soyoucansee it there.
Mint has proven popular
with 32-bit users, and even
though our disc this month is
useless to them, those readers
should perhaps grab (or
upgrade to) this release,
because unless something
drastic happens, this will be the
lastever 32-bit Mint version.
The next release will be based
onthe Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, and
that is a 64-bit-only affair. This
one, based on Ubuntu 18.04,
willbe supported until 2023.NOCOUNTRYFOROLDLOGOS
MIN SPECS: 1GB RAM, 15GB STORAGEBlackArch 2020.01
e’restillbuzzingfromthehacking
featureacoupleofmonth’sback,
andwe’realwaysbuzzingaboutArch
Linux.SothisArch-basedpenetrationtesting
distributionisawinner–unlessyoudon’thave
aninternetconnection.Thenit’sprettyuseless,
becauseit’sbasicallyatweakedArchinstall
mediumwiththeBlackArchrepositoryadded.
Youcanlogintoitasrootwiththepassword
blackarch atleast.
Butifyoudohaveaccesstotheinternet,then
thatrepositorywillprovideyouwith2,443(weW
countedthem)ofthefinestsecurity-related
toolsmoneycan’tbuy.Youprobablywon’tget
fartryingtoinstallthemallonthelivedistro,but
onceyoufetchandruntheinstallscripts(read
themanual)thenyouarefreetoaddthem.If
youdoinstalleverythingyou’relookingatabout
50GBofbinarygoodness,buttherearealso
handygroupssuchasblackarch-cracker
(password/hashcracking)andblackarch-
exploitationifyouwanttogetthingsbytheme.
Asalways,ifyougetintroubleusingthis,you
didn’tgetitfromus.AND MORE!
THELXFLIBRARY
Advanced Bash
Scripting Guide
Gofurtherwithshellscripting.Bash Guide for Beginners
Get to grips with the basics
ofBashscripting.
Bourne Shell Scripting
Firststepsinshellscripting.
The Cathedral and
the Bazaar
Eric S. Raymond’s classic text
explains the advantages of
opendevelopment.The Debian Book
Essentialguideforsysadmins.
Dive Into Python
Everythingyouneedtoknow.
Introduction to Linux
A handy guide full of pointers
fornewLinuxusers.
Linux Dictionary
The A-Z of everything to do
withLinux.
Linux Kernel in a Nutshell
An introduction to the kernel
written by master hacker
GregKroah-Hartman.The Linux System
Administrator’s Guide
Takecontrolofyoursystem.
Tools Summary
OverviewofGNUtools.
GNU Emacs Manual
Sixhundredpagesof
essentialinformation!
ProducingOpen
SourceSoftware
Everythingyouneedtoknow.
Programmingfrom
theGroundUp
Takeyourfirststeps.NEWTOLINUX?STARTHERE...
NeverusedaLinuxbefore?Herearesomehandyresources:
Readourquick-installguidehttp://bit.ly/LXFinstall Lookingforananswer?
https://askubuntu.com Wanttodelvemoredeeply?https://linuxjourney.com64-bit
NET-INSTALLED PENTESTING
http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux March 2020 LXF260 97