Hello everyone, today I'm going to tell you about my experience of returning completely to the distribution I've used for several years and which has always had my utmost respect: Debian . If you're expecting to read something related to the systemd controversy , Devuan , or the resignations of some of its developers, you'd be better off clicking the DesdeLinux logo and reading something else. I'm simply going to share my experience using what will be Debian version 8 , codenamed " Jessie ."
For those who aren't aware, the Debian team froze the testing branch on November 5th . From that point on, nothing new is added, and only bug fixes are implemented for the next release. If you wish to install this version (fully prepared for when Jessie is stable), you can do so from here: Jessie Installer.
So below I detail some things that, from the point of view of a mere common user, are worth mentioning about it.
Installation
The installer version currently included in the Debian images is beta 2 , and you can see the errata on the same website. The main difference I found, compared to other installations, is that it now accepts my Wi-Fi network password, allowing me to complete the installation without the laptop being connected to the router.
The second difference is the ability to choose your desktop environment, if needed, during the installation process itself. In previous versions of the installer, you had to know which desktop environment you wanted and select it before starting the installation. This is no longer the case. Once the hard drive is partitioned and the base system is installed, a menu will appear with all the available installation options (web server, printing system, etc.). The most popular desktop environments are displayed under "Desktop Environment." In my case, I chose MATE instead of Xfce because it's more actively developed, I wanted something relatively lightweight, and deep down, I'm a user who misses GNOME 2.
We see a simpler installer, avoiding potential errors for new users who are not used to Debian.
After install
It's important to mention for Mate users how Debian installs Mate by default . By default, it only installs the mate-desktop-environment package , which provides a fully functional environment that looks similar to the default Mate installation.
However we can open a terminal and install:
sudo apt install mate-desktop-environment-extras
which installs some utilities such as the "Open terminal here" option in Caja, something that I personally find very useful.
Another thing we could point out as "complicated" is printer installation. MATE doesn't include any printer management utility (or at least I haven't seen one on my system). But CUPS , the amazing printing system, comes pre-installed. So, I configured an HP printer without any problems by following the steps on the Debian wiki . Basically, you need to access it from your preferred browser at the following address: http://localhost:631. The CUPS interface allows for quick configuration that anyone can do.
Once that's done, we can install the packages we like best. I won't go into application installation, as I think it's very subjective and impossible to please everyone. I'll just say that, currently, I can live without Flash (since it's not installed by default) and it's a joy to browse without it.
System performance
Once installed and with the default configuration (a trip back in time for Gnome 2 lovers ), the system boots with a respectable 250-300 MB of RAM , representing 6.75%-8.1% of RAM usage on my system (3.7 GB). Quite good for the typical consumption of a standard distribution.
In previous Debian installations , I noticed that the sound wasn't configured correctly. The volumes wouldn't adjust properly, and the sound wouldn't return if it reached the minimum. However, I don't know if it's due to Mate , the new kernel , or something else, but this problem no longer occurs on my system. The volume is now adjusted independently for both the headphones and speakers. Perfect in this respect.
The system perfectly manages hybrid graphics (by disabling the ATI card ) and sound, as well as graphics card fans, etc. Therefore, I can say that the Debian team has done a considerable job.
Using Mate on Debian
Regarding the daily use of Mate , version 1.8.1, while it still has some way to go and bugs to fix, it provides a very good user experience for those of us who liked Gnome 2. But let's not stop there, because today it's much more than that. Mate 's development is focused on the user, offering a self-contained and traditional desktop environment. It's still based on GTK 2 , although there are plans to migrate to GTK 3 in version 1.12. Looking at the roadmap , we also find Wayland support in version 1.12.
In day-to-day use, its applications perform wonderfully. Special mention goes to Atril ( PDF viewer ), which handles files longer than 100 pages very smoothly, something that didn't happen with Evince in Xubuntu or Linux Mint with Cinnamon . Furthermore, the rest of Mate's native applications work correctly, as they are derived from their Gnome 2 equivalents and improved by the Mate development team.
Overall, I think the setup feels light and complete. Mate is a desk that does what it needs to do without frills or excess. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll leave you with an image of how beautiful it can look.
Conclusions
In conclusion, this version of Debian promises to be very good for everyday users. It includes Mate 1.8.1 , KDE 4.14.X , Gnome-Shell 3.14.2 , Xfce 4.10 , and Cinnamon 2.2 . In other words, fairly recent desktop environments in very mature versions.
The improvements in Debian are greatly appreciated. Overall, they bring the great Debian distribution , the parent of many others, closer to the average user. I encourage everyone to try version 8 when it becomes stable, as I believe it won't disappoint. If you're impatient, you can try it now even though it's labeled as testing . I've always used this branch and have never had any problems. Stability is guaranteed.
While we're talking about Debian , this applies to the entire ecosystem. Improvements come at their own pace, but they do come, and they're very good. Improvements to the kernel, stability in graphical environments, applications, etc. Overall, GNU/Linux is progressing well, and everyone who makes it possible deserves congratulations.
Without anything else to add, I hope this writing has served you.