Linux Mint 8 Helena

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Facts: 
  • Linux Mint is based directly on Ubuntu, which is forked from Debian
  • Linux Mint was created, and is maintained by, Clem LeFebvre and his team.
  • Linux Mint aims to be very easy to use and to "work out of the box."
What I liked:
  • The new and improved update manager.  You can set it to update when you want it to, as well as ignore updates from packages you don't use.  You can also add your own sources to get updates from.  I added the GetDeb site since I am there every so often to pick up a new version of Flock.
  • The MintMenu is better than ever, hugely customisable, now with options to add your own custom places to the places section of the menu and rearrange them.  You can also remove items from the system section if you like.  Back to the hugely customisable part:  you can change icons, their sizes, the colours, whether or not to see comments on the applications etc. etc.
  • As usual, Mint is the standard for excellent artwork.  Zwopper and Jernau are the two mainly featured artists (there are others too) of the distro and they hail straight from the Mint community.
  • My wireless connection worked with one click to choose the connection, this via a little applet in the panel.
  • The updated Software Manager has undergone some big improvements too.  Multiple selections can be installed, removed and the screenshots now show up in the bottom corner.  The more info loads the info right away now.
  • Pulse Audio has likewise improved and my laptop can actually be heard now!  I can watch a movie without external speakers if I want to (not that I would *grins*)
  • The installation screen (when installing from Live CD) has a nice informational screen that pops up while the install is going on and it tells all about Linux Mint.  (Don't even bother to go make a snack!)
  • Boot up and shutdown are much faster.
What I didn't like:
  • The horror that is the login screen!!! There is a lovely Minty one on the Live CD, but after the hard drive install, it goes to this hideous thing that made me want to kill people.  Furthermore, there is no longer an option to fix it in the login entry on the control center.  GRRRRRRR!  I used to have an awesome GDM theme with zombies on it that I loved.  This new login screen scared me.
  • I miss the Computer Janitor.
  • Gnome-Do is not installed by default.
Summary:

As usual, Clem and Co. have improved on what is already a very good, very newbie friendly distro.  Oh, while I'm thinking about it, in my blog, I wrote that the sound couldn't be tested.  My bad, it's there, I was just looking in the wrong place.  Anyway, Linux Mint 8 is getting from me a grade of A for newbie friendliness and ease of use and an A for the artwork (since I know the login screen isn't their fault). 
(I beg of you, fix the login screen!)  Everything just works, which is perfect for the newbie.