Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia: a great point release.

I've  Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia for a couple of weeks now, and coming coming from 21.2 Victoria it has been quite a nice upgrade. While it isn't a groundbreaking upgrade, the OS feels great.

Personally, the one of the best things that came with the upgrade is being able to verify the ISO image with a right click. Which is important for me, since I like to make a live USB of the newest release of Linux Mint to make a clean install when needed, or just install Linux Mint on a new Laptop when I upgrade my system.

Another thing I like, is that testing to move to Wayland started with this Linux Mint release. While Wayland isn't expected to come at least until 2025, the fact that testing has begun is a good thing.

To be honest, with each new release Linux Mint cements itself as my go to Linux distro. It has the right balance of offering access to the modern software without braking things by being on the bleeding edge. As such, it just works and it gives me what I need to being productive at work and access I need to relax on my free time.

I'm looking forward to Linux Mint 22 later this year, while I expect it to come with a bigger set of changes it all points that it will be just another great release by the Linux Mint team.

Linux Mint: just keeps getting better.

I've been using Linux since about 2008, when I decided to use Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) on my laptop because Windows Vista kept crashing on me multiple times a day. And since then I've using a Linux distro on my personal laptop, and since 2020 on I also started using it for work.

Since 2019, I decided to move from Ubuntu to Linux Mint full time. What motivated the move was that Ubuntu stopped using Unity, and started to use GNOME. And to be honest, I simply don't like GNOME 3 and Linux Mint's Cinnamon is a far better option for my use case. The only thing holding me to using Ubuntu was that I liked Unity and that I was used to how Ubuntu works.

Yet, ever since I made the jump to Linux Mint I can say that it has become my favorite OS. It just works, and it does it in a way that makes my life easier. And since it's based on Ubuntu, I can do all what I'm used to do when I used Ubuntu as my go to OS.

The best thing about Linux Mint, is that with each release it focuses on improvements that feel like an evolution of the OS, rather than trying to change things just to be on bleeding edge of Linux development. That means that things just work and changes tend not to break things.

I just like that Linux Mint feels like an elegant OS, that can be used by users that just want a OS that enables each user to do her or his thing, without getting in the way. The most important thing, is that you don't need to be an expert to use it.

And even if you are a computer expert, Linux Mint is a great option for those who just want an OS that is a great platform to use if you just want an OS that doesn't get in your way after you set it up to your liking, and you don't need to be on the bleeding edge of Linux.

Unless your user case means that you need to use Windows, or macOS, Linux Mint is a great option.

NothingOS 2.5 is a great upgrade.

When the public beta for NothingOS 2.5, which is based on Android 14, for Nothing Phone 1 came out I decided to give it a try. So far, it is a solid upgrade for the device. For my use case, there hasn't been any issue and to be honest the battery life has seen an improvement.

The changes, and tweaks, made to the user interface have for the better. Even though I already preferred Android for use in my smartphones, NothingOS proves that Android is a solid base. So much so, Google Pixels are the main competition to Nothing Phones so far. I would consider the Motorola Razr as a possible option, mainly because I'm interested in flip phones and I like Motorola, but the price makes me doubt about making the jump.

Later this year, or early next year, I might choose to upgrade my smartphone. So far, all points out that Nothing will continue to be my smartphone of choice.