Ultimate Linux Mint 18 Cinnamon

Let us first take a screenshot of the initial look of Linux Mint 18 Cinnamon

##Download this github

You can run any of these scripts by downloading the zip file from github. Go to the download folder and right-click to Extract here. Go inside the folder and right-click in a blank space to go to the terminal. Now your terminal is opened in this extracted folder.

Or you can use the terminal and the git command

git clone https://github.com/erikdubois/Ultimate-Linux-Mint-18-Cinnamon

##Update your system.

Choose if you like to download from local servers or not.

Ofcourse you can change the theme. I like the mint-y-dark theme which I will use in the later screenshots.

Kernel, cinnamon and nvidia

As described at http://erikdubois.be/ I try to get the latest of everything. This attitude tends to break things. You have been warned. But the best way to learn about linux.

The first time I suggest you follow the steps in the article.

I have written a script to automate my installations.

###Kernel

I choose to install the kernel via scipts.

- ./update-to-the-last-stable-4.x-latest.sh

Do not forget to type "./" in front of the name.

###Cinnamon

I never install this on my working computer. You have been warned.

The very latest cinnamon version can be installed on your system.

These lines will add a resource and update your system.

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/cinnamon-nightly
sudo apt-get update 
sudo apt-get install cinnamon -y

###Nvidia

The last months/years I have no issues with the drivers coming from Linux (i.e.nouveau). So I do NOT install the Nvidia drivers.

Nvidia drivers will NOT be installed as they are very specific to your hardware. But checkout the code.

You can normally install nvidia drivers without any other source.

Try typing this in the terminal

# sudo apt install nvidia    and then press on TAB

If for some reason you want other sources for your drivers then check out these two.

Copy/paste these lines in a terminal to get the latest nvidia drivers.

# sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa
# sudo apt-get update
# sudo apt-get install nvidia-340 -y (for example)

Check on Nvidia.com which driver you should use.

Wait for the installation and reboot.

More info when running into problems : http://erikdubois.be/install-latest-nvidia-driver-linux-mint-18/

##Software installation

We start the installation script of all the needed software in the same way as above.

- ./install-all-needed-software-at-once-vx.sh

Do not forget to type "./" in front of the name.

The best of them

Spotify
Sublime Text
Variety
Inkscape
Plank
Screenfetch
Numix Icons
Google Chrome
...

There are other scripts for applications I sometimes need but will not be installed as of yet.

##Change the theme to Mint-Y-Dark

Ofcourse you can change the theme. I like the mint-y-dark theme which I will use in the later screenshots. I installed screenfetch to show you some technical information.

sudo apt install screenfetch

Sometimes you can change the present theme to its dark equivalent. Follow these steps to check if a dark variant of your theme exist. Best to logoff or reboot to be sure.

This is an example of Sardi icons and dark theme on.

Download the Arc themes

Using the scripts at https://github.com/erikdubois/Arc-Theme-Colora we can change the standard blue colour from Arc to any colour we like.

Check first at https://github.com/erikdubois/Arc-Theme-Colora-Collection if your colour has been created already.

We can install all the created themes with this script

theme-arc-colora-collection-3.0-vx.sh

The version of cinnamon is important to have a nice theme or not.

Linux Mint 18 > cinnamon version 3.0

cinnamon --version

Arc-Dark-Polo

Read here for more info on ARC BASED THEMES : http://erikdubois.be/category/themes/arc-based-themes/

Download the Mint-Y themes

Using the scripts at https://github.com/erikdubois/Mint-Y-Colora-Theme we can change the standard green colour from Mint-Y to any colour we like.

Check first at https://github.com/erikdubois/Mint-Y-Colora-Theme-Collection if your colour has been created already.

We can install all the created themes with this script

theme-mint-y-colora-collection-3.0-vx.sh

The version of cinnamon is important to have a nice theme or not.

Linux Mint 18 > cinnamon version 3.0

Linux Mint 18.1 > cinnamon version 3.2

cinnamon --version

Mint-Y-Arc-Dark

Read here for more info on MINT-Y BASED THEMES : http://erikdubois.be/category/themes/mint-y-based-themes/

Minty-transparent

Based on Minty-transparent I dived into the code to see how themes were made and changed some minor accents.

##Download the Sardi icons

Sardi icon collection can be downloaded at sourceforge.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/sardi/

For ease of installation I use the script

- icons-sardi-vx.sh

More documentation on http://erikdubois.be/category/sardi-icons/

Follow the collection on google+.

The most recent pictures can be found there.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/YFP-LB

Sardi is meant to be changed by the users. You can use scripts to change the hexadecimal colour code in about 3 seconds.

Sardi Colora has such a colouring script.
Sardi Flat Colora has such a colouring script.
Sardi Flexible has such a colouring script.
Sardi Ghost Flexible has such a colouring script.
Sardi Mono Colora has such a colouring script.
Sardi Mono Numix Colora has such a colouring script.

Colour codes can be figured out locally with gpick or online via http://www.colorpicker.com/.

This is the original colour of Sardi Flexible with Minty-transparent theme.

##Download the Sardi-extra icons

There is also a collection of Sardi Extra icons at

https://github.com/erikdubois/Sardi-Extra

These icons can be downloaded but will not be maintained. Nor are they part of the core icons of Sardi. They are the result of ideas and scripts that are included in Sardi icons.

Example on Linux Mint 18.1.

Easy installation with this script

	icons-sardi-extra-vx.sh

More documentation on http://erikdubois.be/category/sardi-icons/

##Download the Surfn icons

For ease of installation I use the script

- icons-surfn-vx.sh

More info can be found here : https://github.com/erikdubois/Surfn

##Aureola Conky

This is an exercise in writing conky configurations in lua syntax.

At https://github.com/erikdubois/Aureola you can check out these conky's.

Easy installation can be done with this script :

conky-aureola-vx.sh

More information can be found here : http://erikdubois.be/category/linux/aureola/

##Aurora Conky

Aurora is a collection of conky's I like. But prior to the conky version 1.10 (no lua config)

Download it from http://sourceforge.net/projects/auroraconkytheme/.

Installation is described at

http://erikdubois.be/category/linux/aurora-conky/

In this downloadfolder you will find an installationscript as well i.e. Auto_LinuxMint_Rebecca_cinnamon_aurora.sh

But basically unpack the zip file. Make the hidden folder .conky (if it does not exist yet) and place the folder aurora in there.

Install conky-manager that will make life easy.

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:teejee2008/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install conky-manager

Start up conky-manager and choose the conky to your liking.

You should arrive at something similar depending on theme and icons choices:

##Change the cursor

I like the breeze snow cursors.

install-breeze-snow-cursor-theme-v1

##Install the plank and download 100+ theme

Plank is installed through this script

install-all-needed-software-at-once-vx.sh

Find plank in the menu and start it. CTRL + Right-click on the plank and choose preferences and put in on top. Standard you will have only 3 themes.

If you want to install 100+ plank themes, you need to run this script :

plank-themes-vx.sh

Surfn icons and all plank themes

Sardi icons and all plank themes

Read more on plank e.g. how to autostart plank on boot : http://erikdubois.be/category/linux/plank/

##Change from bash to zsh in your terminal

I like bash but I prefer zsh with lots of different themes from oh-my-zsh to spice things up. So let us install that via this script.

./install-zsh-vx.sh

Remember to type this in the terminal

sudo chsh yourname -s /bin/zsh

Log off or reboot.

##Folder nemo-scripts

Check out in Nemo (filemanager or explorer in windows)

Edit/Plugins

There you can post actions and plugins in the hidden folders.

Move the content of the folder config_apps/nemo-scripts-plugins to the hidden folder

~/.local/share/nemo/scripts

and change to your liking. These are quick fixes and one backup script to a Backup folder.

Or just follow the youtube movie to get more details about 3 scripts I have kept over the years.

Youtube Resources

Content Playlist of 100+ short movies to make your desktop eye-candy Sardi icon set playing its part therein.

About 100+ short movies to completely change your desktop experience for linux. Updating, kernel installation, applications installation, variety settings, firefox and google search, lastpass and xmarks, sardi icon theme, fixing icons that never change, theme installation of vertex and arc, applets, dropbox, zsh, printer, aureola conky, surfn icons, plank, personal settings of cinnamon, gimp scripts added, dropbox fix, keyboard fix for music, ...