In today's open source roundup: Download the final release of Linux Mint 17 KDE. Plus: A slideshow of Linux Lite 2.0, and Springseed 2.0 gets a facelift Linux Mint 17 KDE has been released, and you can download it today (see the download links below). Linux Mint 17 KDE features KDE 4.13 along with numerous Linux Mint enhancements and updates. Linux Mint 17 KDE also offers long term support that includes security updates until 2019. According to Linux Mint Blog: The team is proud to announce the release of Linux Mint 17 “Qiana” KDE. Linux Mint 17 is a long term support release which will be supported until 2019. It comes with updated software and brings refinements and many new features to make your desktop even more comfortable to use. New features at a glance: Update Manager Driver Manager Login Screen Software Sources Welcome Screen KDE 4.13 System Improvements Artwork Improvements Main Components LTS Strategy More at Linux Mint Blog Image credit: Linux Mint Blog You can use these torrents to download Linux Mint 17 KDE: Linux Mint 17 KDE 32-bit Linux Mint 17 KDE 64-bit There are tons of other download links available on the announcement page linked above. So use them if you prefer not to use torrents to download Linux Mint 17 KDE. If you run into any problems using Linux Mint 17 KDE be sure to check out some of these helpful resources: Linux Mint Blog Linux Mint Documentation Linux Mint Downloads Linux Mint Forum Linux Mint Site I haven’t had a chance to use Linux Mint 17 KDE, but my experiences with the Cinnamon, MATE and Xfce versions were all quite good. I expect that Linux Mint 17 KDE will compare well to the other Linux Mint spins. All of them are live desktop environments so you can easily run them off a disc before actually installing them on your computer. Linux Lite 2.0 slideshow Linux Lite 2.0 is out, and we’ve got a helpful slideshow that walks you through the new features and changes. According to ITworld: Linux Lite offers a compelling, easy to use desktop that is based on Ubuntu. It’s geared toward making it easy for Windows users to make the jump over to Linux. And it does a pretty good job of that by using the Xfce desktop environment to provide a Windows-like experience to new Linux users. Linux Lite 2.0 includes updated applications, Whisker Menu as the default menu, Linux Lite software repositories, sound control from the tray, descriptive title bars in terminal windows, and more than twenty popular applications that you can easily install from the terminal window. This release also offers a new system font called Droid Sans, tabs in the file manager, and dialog boxes for auto-login. More at ITworld Image credit: ITworld You can get more information on the Linux Lite site, and help on the Linux Lite support page. Linux Lite 2.0 is available in 32-bit or 64-bit version on the Linux Lite download page. Linux Lite can be a great option for new Linux users coming from Windows. The interface and overall feel of Linux Lite will most likely remind them a bit of Windows, and that can be helpful as they begin to adjust to having Linux on their computers. Springseed notes app gets new interface OMG Ubuntu reports on changes to Springseed’s user interface design. According to OMG Ubuntu: Version 2.0, the first stable update since February, refreshed the application’s UI with a darker, angular new look. The light colour scheme and custom window frames of version 1.1 have been replaced by a dark sidebar with large typography, native window borders and a boxier, flatter design with colourful accents in the edit window and high contrast icons. More at OMG Ubuntu Image credit: OMG Ubuntu If you aren’t familiar with it, you can get more information on the Springseed site, or the GitHub page. I tend to like darker interfaces, so I’m quite pleased with these changes to Springseed. I think they make the application a lot easier on the eyes than the previous version. What’s your take on all this? Tell me in the comments below. The opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views of ITworld. Software DevelopmentOpen Source