Mint 18 KDE Released as Spices Designed Team Announced
Linux Mint 18 for KDE users is finally here more than two months after the MATE and Cinnamon versions. Clement Lefebvre announced the release today on the Linuxmint.com blog saying, "It comes with updated software and brings refinements and many new features to make your desktop even more comfortable to use." The day before Lefebvre introduced his new Artwork Design team and some of their early work. They're to make Mint even more beautiful.
Linux Mint 18 KDE features Plasma 5.6 decorated with the same general Mint theme and images as found in the other spins. The KDE edition previously featured a more blue colored theme, but with version 18 it sports a very similar look as the others with green and gray the prominent colors. Man hours were a part of the reason for the change, but primarily it was probably to provide a more uniform look across the various desktops. However, if it was a matter of personnel and time, perhaps that is no longer a problem.
Yesterday Lefebvre announced the formation of a new artwork design team. This new team is to dress up the Cinnamon Spices Website, then perhaps others, and finally will collaborate with the development team on the distributions' look and feel. According to Lefebvre's post, the eight member team consists, at least partially, of artists who have helped Mint in the past and joined the new team by invitation. Lefebvre singled out two such artists in his post and shared Eran Gilo's new Cinnamon logo as well as the site's new look. The new updated Website theme is not live as of yet, but it will be a major improvement when it is. The Cinnamon Spices Website is a gallery and repository for Cinnamon desktop themes, applets/desklets, and extensions.
Early rendering of possible Cinnamon logo
Some of the software in Mint 18 KDE includes:
* Xorg X Server 1.18.3
* Linux 4.4.0
* GCC 5.3.1
* Firefox 47
* LibreOffice 5.1.2
* GIMP 2.8.16
* systemd 229
Linux Mint 18 also brought improvements in the Update Manager, namely more user control of kernel updates. The update policy screen also saw tweaks and now contains a help section. An improved look and theme support as well as dynamic coloring of inactive text also makes updating a bit more pleasant. Mint APT has been brought in-line with Debian's while still retaining its improvements. It also now features a progress output. "Btrfs support is back and installed by default again" and Gufw was added to the default software selection. Mint 18 will be supported until 2021. See the announcement for download links.