the release of the distribution , transitioned to a package-based system . The distribution is fully compatible with Ubuntu but significantly differs in its approach to organizing the user interface and the selection of default applications. The developers of Linux Mint provide a desktop environment that aligns with classic desktop organization standards, which is more familiar for users who do not embrace the new methods of building interfaces introduced in GNOME 3. Available for download are DVD builds based on the shells (), () and (). Linux Mint 20 is classified as a long-term support (LTS) release, which will receive updates until 2025.
Key changes in Linux Mint 20 (, , ):
- The package includes versions of desktop environments and , the design and operation organization of which continues the development of GNOME 2 ideas — users are offered a desktop and panel with a menu, quick launch area, list of open windows, and a system tray with running applets. Cinnamon is based on GTK3+ and GNOME 3 technologies. The project evolves the GNOME Shell and Mutter window manager towards providing a GNOME 2-style environment with a more modern design, incorporating elements from GNOME Shell that complement classic desktop tools. MATE continues the development of the GNOME 2.32 codebase and is completely free from overlaps with GNOME 3, allowing the traditional GNOME 2 desktop to be used alongside the GNOME 3 desktop. The version with the Xfce desktop, as in the previous version, comes with .
In implemented fractional scaling support, which allows for optimal element sizing on high pixel density (HiDPI) screens; for instance, users can increase interface element sizes by 1.5 times rather than doubling them.
Performance optimization of the code for thumbnail processing in the Nemo file manager has been completed. Icon generation is now done asynchronously, and icons are loaded with a lower priority compared to navigating directories (the idea is to prioritize content processing, with icon loading happening on a residual basis, which significantly speeds up operations at the cost of a longer display time for placeholder icons).
The monitor settings dialog has been revamped. Added options include the selection of refresh rates and the support for assigning custom scaling factors for each monitor, resolving issues when simultaneously connecting standard and HiDPI monitors.
- the creation of builds for 32-bit x86 systems. Like Ubuntu, the distribution is now available only for 64-bit systems.
- The delivery excludes snap packages and snapd, and the automatic installation of snapd alongside other packages installed via APT is prohibited. Users can manually install snapd if they wish, but adding it with other packages without the user's knowledge is forbidden. The dissatisfaction with Linux Mint to the imposition of the Snap Store service and the loss of control over packages if they are installed from snap. Developers cannot make corrections to such packages, manage their delivery, or audit changes. Snapd runs in the system with root privileges and poses a risk in the event of infrastructure compromise.
- A new utility called Warpinator is included for file exchange between two computers on the local network, using encryption during data transfer.
- An applet has been proposed for switching between the energy-efficient Intel GPU and the high-performance NVIDIA GPU in systems with hybrid graphics based on NVIDIA Optimus technology.
Full support for the "On-Demand" profile is implemented, where by default, the Intel GPU is used for rendering in the session. The application menu allows launching each program using the NVIDIA GPU (the option "Run with NVIDIA GPU" appears in the context menu when right-clicking). To manage launching on the NVIDIA GPU from the command line, the utilities nvidia-optimus-offload-glx and nvidia-optimus-offload-vulkan are offered, allowing switching to GNU NVIDIA rendering via GLX and Vulkan. For booting without proprietary NVIDIA drivers in "Compatibility Mode," the option "nomodeset" is provided.
- The XappStatusIcon applet has added the ability to handle scroll wheel events and implemented a new function similar to gtk_menu_popup(), simplifying the porting of applications with GtkStatusIcon.
Support for the StatusNotifier API (Qt and Electron applications), libAppIndicator (Ubuntu indicators), and libAyatana (Ayatana indicators for Unity) has been provided, allowing the use of XappStatusIcon as a single mechanism for minimizing to the system tray, eliminating the need for different API support on the desktop side. This change improved the support for placing indicators in the system tray for applications based on the Electron platform and the xembed protocol (GTK technology for placing icons in the system tray). XAppStatusIcon offloads the rendering of the icon, tooltip, and labels to the applet side and uses DBus to transmit information between applets as well as click events. Applet-side rendering provides high-quality icons of any size and solves display issues.Applet applications such as Blueberry, mintupdate, mintreport, nm-applet, mate-power-manager, mate-media, redshift, and rhythmbox have been migrated to use XAppStatusIcon, giving the system tray a cohesive appearance. Many icons in the system tray have been unified across all editions (Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce), symbolic icons added, and support for high-density pixel screens (HiDPI) has been implemented.
- The improvement of applications developed under the X-Apps initiative, aimed at unifying the software environment across different desktop editions of Linux Mint, continues. The X-Apps incorporate modern technologies (GTK3 for HiDPI support, gsettings, etc.), while retaining traditional interface elements such as the toolbar and menu. Among these applications are: the text editor Xed, the photo manager Pix, the document viewer Xreader, and the image viewer Xviewer.
- The text editor Xed (a fork of Pluma/Gedit) now supports line merging and removal of leading empty lines before saving a file.
- In Xviewer, buttons for toggling full-screen mode and showing a widescreen slideshow have been added (). The window state for full-screen mode is now remembered.
- In the document viewer Xreader (a fork of Atril/Evince), a print button has been added to the toolbar.
- The Gdebi interface, the utility for opening and installing deb packages, has been completely revamped.
- The Mint-Y theme introduces a new palette that, through adjustments in hue and saturation, provides brighter colors without sacrificing readability and comfort. New color sets Pink and Aqua have been proposed.
- New yellow folder icons have been added.
- In the system login greeting interface, users are now prompted to choose a color scheme.
- Support for stretching the background image across multiple monitors has been added to the login screen (Slick Greeter).
- The backend in Apturl has been changed from Synaptic to Aptdaemon.
- In APT, for newly installed packages (not for updates), the installation of recommended packages (recommends) is now enabled by default.
- When launching a live session under VirtualBox, the screen resolution is set to at least 1024×768.
- The release comes with linux-firmware version 1.187 and the Linux kernel.
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Source: opennet.ru
