Linux distribution
After years of sampling Linux Mint, Nate Drake opts for something spicier in the hybrid Peppermint OS, which integrates cloud-based apps.
Like many great ideas, Peppermint OS was conceived after a night in the pub. If you’re wondering about the moniker, one of the lead developers, Kendall Weaver, also works on Linux Mint. The name itself comes from the creators’ desire to build on Mint’s success but also add web integration, hence the extra zing of ‘Peppermint’.
The project has had a mixed history, previously being based on Lubuntu and incorporating elements of the LXDE desktop environment. These days, however, there are two main branches of Peppermint. One is based on the Debian fork (Devuan), while the version that forms the basis of this review is based on the most recent stable release of Debian itself (Debian 12 Bookworm). It uses the lightweight Xfce desktop environment and the inimitable Thunar file manager.
Although the ISO weighs in at around 1.5GB, on first boot you’ll find there are very few pre-installed apps. This is because Peppermint has a hybrid desktop that uses both cloud and local apps. The OS contains Kumo, which can be used to launch SSBs (site-specific browsers). This means a dedicated browser window is assigned to specific cloud-based applications. The latest version of Kumo comes with an updated GUI and is based on the universal Lua programming language.
This can sound a little daunting but Peppermint makes an effort to hold your hand. If you boot into the live desktop environment, you’ll see the Peppermint Hub, which has a list of suggested apps to install. This facilitates you downloading the latest version of certain apps from Debian repositories. However, if you want to install apps from Peppermint’s own repos, you need to update the Sources file yourself manually.
If you’re happy with what’s on offer, the latest version of Peppermint has now judiciously divided this into two sections: Suggested Software and Suggested Browsers, presumably to make the layout simpler – we used the latter to install Firefox ESR.
You can also launch the Synaptic package manager or download and set up Gnome S
