Installing Linux 18 Continuum Live

Part 2 Installing Linux 18 Continuum Live

After verifying that everything is working, you can run the installer from the desktop. MX uses a graphical system installer which features several steps as the steps MX's installer offers a lot of customization.

The installer begins by asking you to select on which disk we will install the distribution. You then have the option of launching the GParted disk utility to set up partitions.

When you return to the installer it will ask which partitions will be used for our root file system, swap and /home directories. MX supports formatting our partitions with a range of Linux file systems, including Btrfs, ext2/3/4, XFS, JFS and Reiserfs. The installer then copies its files to our hard drive. I would recommend ext4.

Once packages have been placed on the hard disk, you will then be given the option of installing the GRUB boot loader and we can select where GRUB is placed.

Give the computer a host name and enable Samba file sharing. Then select your language preference, time zone and our keyboard's layout from drop-down lists.

Choose whether the desktop's clock displays in 12 or 24 hour format.

Then check boxes next to items such as OpenSSH, scanning, CUPS printing, cron and sudo.

The final page of the installer gets you to create passwords for the root and regular user account. You can optionally enable home directory encryption and automatic logins from this page.

With all these steps completed, the installer exits, returning  to the live Xfce desktop.

Booting into Linux 18 Continuum Xfce desktop

What is the Xfce desktop? Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment. Its very good for older or low resorce system. The Xfce desktop environment consists of icons, windows, toolbars, folders, wallpapers and desktop widgets.The desktop also comes with Conky, which tells you your system resource usage.

The first thing you will see is the Mx welcome. Things to pay attention to:

User manual (Instructions on how to use mx linux)

Tools (MX Tools makes it easy to access most system tasks)

Tweak (desktop customization)

Codecs (installs media support including DVD playback support)

Popular Apps (installs applications with one-click download and automatic installation)

Update Your system.

The first thing you need to is install updates. This distribution, like most, requires you to enter root’s password. Click on the MX Apt Notifier (the icon of a yellow box in the Notification Area)

The followings are the partial list of default applications with this release:

• Office Productivity Suite LibreOffice.The Linux replacement for Microsoft Office, this can do everything Microsoft Office can do.
• Thunderbird: Email client. 
• Clementine: a modern music player and library organizer.
• Firefox: Web browser. Cheese: Linux’s webcam application.
• Xfburn: CD and DVD burning application
• GIMP: Linux’s answer to Photoshop.Gufw: Firewall  
• Asunder: CD Ripper
• gMTP :It supports all MTP based devices including MP3 players, Media  Players, Tablets and  Mobile Phones.  
• VLC is a multimedia player that plays most multimedia files as well as DVDs, Audio CDs, and streaming protocols.
• FBReader: e-book reader
• Games: AisleRiot Solitaire, Chromium B.S.U, LBreakout2, Mahjongg, Peg-E, Swall Foop, Hearts Card Game
• PulseAudio & Alsamixer Audio: Are sound servers  that allow you to contorl your mic/speakers.

 MX Tools

One of the strengths of MX Linux, and what sets the distribution apart from its Debian base, is the collection of MX utilities. The MX administration tools can be found in the desktop's application menu and through the MX Tools control panel.

MX Tools makes it easy to access most system tasks like:

• Changing Panel orientation or look
• Flash updates
• Codec installer (A codec is a piece of software that allows you to play video or audio formats.)
• Boot Repair
• Sound
• NVIDIA driver installer
• Broadcom Manager (for wifi card setup)
• Mx Package Installer (installs applications with one-click download and automatic installation.)
• Repo Manager ("repo" for short, is a storage location from which software packages may be retrieved and installed on a computer.)
• USB Unmouter

These tools may not be necessary for more experienced users who know how to handle separate repositories and hunt down codecs, but for less experienced users these MX-brand tools can be big time savers.

By default MX Linux Desktop will not play most videos files, especially encrypted DVDs. Codec installer will install restricted codecs that are purposely left out, you won’t be able to watch movies, or videos you downloaded from the bed.

If you're using a laptop you may need to use Broadcom Manager in order to get WiFi to work.

Mx Package Installer

The first thing you see is Popular Applications. Just Expand the categories with the little arrow to see the packages available more information is available by clicking on the small information icon. Check those that you want, and click Install. If a package is already installed, you will have the option to uninstall or reinstall.
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Stable Repo:This tab gives you access to the full catalog of apps available for MX Linux.

MX Test Repo:This tab allows the user to browse packages available in the MX Test repo.

Debian Backports:Debian Backports repository maintained by Debian.

Flatpaks: are a type of package that has all the dependencies included that's supposed to work on multiple Linux distributions.
  
Part III Running MX Linux 18