This post is coming from a brand new mac mini, running Ubuntu 13 (experimental).No Mac OS at all. I have torn all my hair out trying to install CentOS 6.4 on the mini. I even tried to install Windows 7 and it didn't recognize the wireless ethernet hardware. Ubuntu? I just clicked the mouse and presto a fully functional beautiful OS on a cool mini. Major Kudos to the Ubuntu team.
sup nitro... I used an Ubuntu liveusb stick because I needed a system fast when my windows 98 took a shit on my desktop system. I agree it ran pretty well, but I have a decently new Dell desktop so it should have. Once I started looking under the hood I wished I hadn't. It worked well in a bind, but I'm not a fan. One question though, what is the reasoning to run Linux over mac OS-X for you?
Trying to work my way towards CentOS. I can't get that to install on a mini to save my life, not yet. Wanted to see what can and cannot work on a mini. The most compliant and lowest latency linux is what I am looking for, and CentOS with a real-time kernel seems to be a reasonable choice. I don't know what the lowest latency linux [kernel] is.
Same here, and Mint is without Ubuntu's Unity desktop Dash tracking thingy. And Mint is without Windows crashes, freezes, error messages, BSODs....
Well Linux is itself, just a Kernel. Everything else like userland and programs etc are made and packaged by whoever in whichever distro. Anyone can make their own distro actually. The difference being in who uses what package handler, how userland is laid out, init scripts, what comes pre-installed, plus each have there own Installer. Ubuntu (being based on and forked from Debian) uses the Debian package manager (apt-get) which is probably one of the best, with the most packages available with their own custom Ubuntu repos. If one wants to learn Linux/Unix, have the lowest latency kernel, or have a job as a sysadmin on Linux systems Ubuntu is not the best choice IMO. Although Linux has come far, it cannot compete with Mac OS-X on the desktop. I don't own a Mac but I think OS-X is a far better desktop OS. It is based off of BSD. Linux was a fork from minix back in the day and BSD is basically Unix. If Linus had BSD back in the day, he would never have made Linux... too bad he didn't live in Cali at the time. Linux is a kernel, and the BSD's are complete Unix OS's, not just kernels. Before this recent windows 98 desktop, I ran Linux as my main workstation for 5+ years. I used Arch at the time, but they have since made some changes, one major one is using systemd system manager. Before that, is was the most BSD like Linux distro with an awesome package handler (pacman) and a BSD like "Ports" for compiling your own custom software, which is why I liked it. I would have used BSD over Linux any day of the week but since I like to record music, Linux is a bit more advanced (more support from manufactures) in device drivers for some newer audio recording hardware. Before that time, I ran FreeBSD for years and slackware before that. I do not like this new trend in Linux where everyone wants bleeding edge for the hell of it. It's fun to mess with but for a true server/router/gateway etc... You need a STABLE system. That's what it used to be about. Linux is just a kernel and everyone is just hacking patches from wherever, and it is not getting the needed testing it should before being released as such. If you want to learn Linux though, I would try LFS (linux from scratch) or go with a good source based distro like Gentoo. There are others but those two have great documentation. Then you are able to completely build your own machine for what you want, with what you want installed. You can make a real stable server or a bleeding edge box if you want. Else, I would go Debian... stable for a server, Debian-sid branch for more up-to-date packages. Just my 2 cents anyway.
http://linuxg.net/how-to-install-xfce-4-10-on-ubuntu-13-04-12-10-12-04-and-linux-mint-15-14-13/ If you like the latest release of ubuntu and do not like Unity take a look at xfce. Very fast, does not change with each release of ubuntu and almost bug free. I use it on all of my machines and love it. Good luck,
Mint gets very far, but fails to correctly install the mac mini wireless ethernet adapter. Close but no cigar.