Do either one really permanently delete the contents tho or can Linux\* "forensics" still recover, at least one right? Or...

I only had 2 years with Windows before I discovered Linux, not enough time to get fully indoctrinated into the Windows way of doing things. If I tried Windows now, I'd probably find it a nightmare.

My guesstimate is it is a troll. Fedora is up to 19 and Mint is up to 15 the OP installed 17 and 14 so already they are behind the 8 ball.

Linux Mint also has two versions, one with codecs and one without. It isn't hard to install codecs either.

Skype is up to 4.2, Skype 2 beta hasn't been available for a while now.
Very little of the OP adds up. If it did add up it would probably add up to either troll or someone who just isn't going to have any luck at all with Linux because from the very beginning they started with old technology.

It isn't.

First advice to any new Linux user : ASK

There is the very helpful Linux Mint forum(which is linked in the welcome screen itself) and the IRC channel(where you'll get almost immediate help). And LQ is a good place too-but for more generalized support)

For your issues:
1. There's no need to get the s/w manager and update manager to work. They work by default. If not, most probably something is wrong with the iso image.
2. Linux Mint is up at v15, or the long term support version of v13(supported till 2017).
3. Skype can be simply installed via the synaptic package manager. No need to even touch the terminal button. Installation would take a maximum of 2 minutes.
4. Your usb and dvd problem would probably need driver upgrades. Please post their specifications for us to provide more help.

2 members found this post helpful.

Nice job on getting Reputation for a repost!

Seriously - that is one of the best retorts to a linux troll ever though.

My initial reaction to seeing this post was "LQ is handing out free cheese with the whine" again?

I agree with the post by rokytnji above. Millions of people of all ages all over the world use Mint successfully and many millions more use other Linux distributions so the fact that the OP can't get things to work tells us more about him/her than about Linux. If this person had any actual intention of trying to get it to work, s/he would have been here or elsewhere with a question long ago.

I can understand being frustrated about trying something new and not being able to get it to work. But just complaining about it without trying to get help (the OP gives no indication that was done) when millions all over the world are successfully using it seems pretty ridiculous. The thing that amazes me the most about these type of posts is people whining about something they get for free.

There are plenty of things to whine about, as a regular desktop-ish user: Gnome 3, no Google Drive support, CUPS, support for games, MP3/DVD/Blueray, ATI Radeon Drivers, Outlook, Picasa, Visio, MS Skydrive,.. But as a Network Operator, I don't have any complaints against Linux servers.

Yet another case of "If you don't know, ask." A quick visit to the Skype site shows packages for Ubuntu LTS, Debian Stable, and OpenSuse. And if he'd asked me, I could have told him it's installed by default in Foresight, Hanthana, and Pinguy, and available in Kororaa. Seven distros with no need for terminal commands: that's not too difficult, is it? This reluctance to look for information seems common in Windows users, although I'm not sure why.

Speaking from my own experiences having been windows for the past... 14 years now. It's only because generally speaking for most tasks you don't have to look for information. With linux you do, at least at first. Windows holds your hand through virtually everything. I can see that now looking back. New program = download then double click. Done. If there's any additional steps it basically tells you what to do.

Not saying it's right or arguing that windows users are moreso lazy or whatever but "looking for information" is mostly a non issue for windows users. They just don't have to for most things. Better yet they aren't used to it.

1 members found this post helpful.

When I was new to Linux, struggling with things, I kept telling myself, "LOTS of people are out there using Linux -- they can't ALL be smarter than me!"

Best answer IMHO:

There are plenty of things which may not work well but, you can't beat the price which is what my point is. Whining about things you get for free, incredible! You don't have to use it. I look at Linux today compared to when I first started using it and I can't imagine how anyone who has even a minimal amount of knowledge cannot successfully install it, at least as a single OS. I think that the vast majority of users who try to switch from windows to Linux have never installed any OS, windows or other. Plus many are trying to dual boot and expect the free version (Linux) to do a better job of it than the paid system (windows). I guess I have to admire the OP for publicly admitting his inability to do things millions of people all over the world are able to do.


So you download and install your new anti-virus (or whatever) program and come to find out it really isn't any antivirus program but that your computer is now corrupted in some way and being used as a bot. Much better to have specific repositories for any system which are checked regularly and verified, even that can have problems.

I can't see how installing software can be any easier than it is on most of the major Linux distributions. sudo apt-get install 'software' or yum install 'software' seems pretty simple. For the semi-literate, most distributions have a software manager where it show an icon of the software we are be familiar with.

Posts like this do have a benefit to us, makes us feel at lot smarter because we've been able to do what the OP failed at.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaa! The free operating system I installed doesn't meet my expectations! Instead of asking intelligent questions to find a solution, I'm going to bitch and moan about it!"

http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

If someone can't cope with mint/buntu, I can't see how debian will be any better...?
Ye'd better start believin' in troll threads...