Ignore the hype about Mac OS X or the upcoming Windows 10.

Folks, there’s a fantastic new operating system out there that runs well even on old PCs (an operating system is the basic software on which all applications run, kinda like Windows).

It’s called Linux Mint 17.2 aka Rafaela.

And the best part of this excellent operating system is that it’s free.

Linux Mint – Stable & Secure

Unlike the gazillion bugs and malware that bedevil Windows operating systems, Linux Mint users are mostly free from bugs or malware.

There’s a huge open source community behind Linux that works tirelessly to stomp out bugs and provide a secure operating system that’s not easily vulnerable to malicious hackers.

I’m using Linux Mint 17.2 on an old Dell Optiplex 780 SFF system that I got on eBay for cheap.

And I’m pleased to tell you that Linux Mint 17.2 is a work of art. Runs smoothly without any of the hiccups you’d associate with Windows or even OS X (sadly, Apple software is lagging behind its hardware these days).

Linux Mint 17.2 is considered a Long Time Release, so you’re assured of security updates until 2019.

Easy Download

Downloading Linux Mint 17.2 is a breeze and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes with a broadband connection.

I encourage you to select the “Cinnamon Desktop” Edition when you download Linux Mint 17.2. If you’re unsure whether your PC will support the 64-bit edition, pick the 32-bit edition.

Once you’ve downloaded Linux Mint 17.2 to your computer, ‘burn’ the iso image of the software to your USB stick or DVD using free software like xfburn.

The advantage of installing Linux Mint 17.2 on an USB stick or DVD is that it provides you an opportunity to test drive the operating system before installing it on your PC.

Boot with the Linux Mint USB stick or DVD and play with Linux Mint 17.2. If you like what you see, you can then install it on your computer (alongside your existing operating system or as a replacement). Keep in mind that Linux Mint will run a bit slow if you run it off the USB stick or DVD.

Since Linux Mint 17.2 is based on Ubuntu, most software written for Ubuntu will run on Linux Mint.

There are tons of free software for Linux Mint 17.2.

So whether you’re looking for a RSS news reader, an office package with word processor and spreadsheet or a notes app, you can get all of that for free.

If you’re not familiar with LinuxMint 17.2 and want some documentation before you take the plunge, here’s the Official User Guide to Linux Mint 17.2.

Now give thanks to the open source movement that made a remarkable and free operating system like Linux Mint 17.2 possible.