Elementary OS 8, a distribution marketed as a fast, open, and privacy-conscious alternative, has been released. Windows и macOSThe project focuses on high-quality design, aiming to create an easy-to-use system with minimal resource consumption and fast startup. Users are offered a custom Pantheon desktop environment. Bootable ISO images (3.2 GB) are available for download for the amd64 architecture (to download for free from the project website, enter 0 in the donation amount field).
Elementary OS's original components are developed using GTK3, the Vala language, and its own Granite framework. The distribution is based on the project's work. UbuntuAt the package and repository support level, elementary OS 8.x is compatible with Ubuntu April 24.04. All additional applications offered for installation through AppCenter, as well as some default applications, are packaged using the Flatpak format. The graphical environment is based on the Pantheon shell, which integrates components such as the Gala window manager (based on LibMutter), the Slingshot launcher, Control Panel Switchboard, Wing top panel, Dock taskbar, and Pantheon Greeter session manager (based on LightDM).
The environment includes a set of applications tightly integrated into a single environment that are necessary to solve user problems. Among the applications, most are the project's own developments, such as the Pantheon Terminal terminal emulator, the Pantheon Files file manager, the Code text editor and the Music (Noise) music player. The project also develops the photo manager Pantheon Photos (a fork from Shotwell) and the mail client Mail (a fork from Evolution).
Key innovations:
- When logging in, you'll now be presented with two sessions to choose from: Classic and Secure. The new Secure session uses the Wayland protocol by default and enables a permissions prompt that requires the user to approve Flatpak apps to access advanced features such as taking screenshots, changing the desktop background, accessing location data, and continuing to run processes in the background after the window is closed.
The configurator for applications installed in Flatpak format provides the ability to selectively restrict access to the network, printing, Bluetooth use and USB device management.
The secure session also features support for screen configurations with different pixel density (DPI) settings, which allows for correct operation when connecting an external monitor with a low DPI to a laptop equipped with a HiDPI screen. In addition, the new session for systems with touch screens has better support for multi-touch gesture control. The performance and responsiveness of the interface on low-power systems have been improved.
- The AppCenter has been expanded. In addition to the set of Flatpak packages provided by the project, the ability to install packages from the Flathub catalog is enabled by default. To distinguish native packages created for elementary OS from the crowd, such packages are now marked with the "Made for elementary OS" label. Additional access rights settings and warnings about the sandbox isolation modes used in packages have been added to the package information pages.
- Settings and operations related to system updates and driver management have been moved from AppCenter to the configurator (System Settings). AppCenter only contains functions for updating individual applications. System updates are installed using the offline update mechanism and are applied during computer reboot. Application updates are installed during operation and do not require system reboot. An option for automatic installation of updates has been added to the configurator, and a button for installing accumulated updates before turning off the computer has been added to the shutdown dialog.
- A new, completely rewritten taskbar (Dock) is used, in which, in addition to the functionality already familiar to users, new features were offered for organizing simultaneous work with several tasks and simplifying navigation through multi-window applications. For example, when you click the mouse on the icon of an already running single-window application, as before, the window of this application comes into focus. At the same time, clicking the mouse on the icon of an application for which several windows are open now leads to a separate display of thumbnails of the existing windows so that the user can select the window of interest. Opening a new window for an already running application is carried out by pressing the middle mouse button. Among the innovations, the ability to quickly launch applications pinned to the panel by their number, using the keyboard shortcut "Menu + number" is also noted.
- For people with vision problems, the capabilities associated with enabling and using the screen reader and keyboard control have been redesigned. The ability to enable sound indication for selecting windows by the blind via the Alt+Tab interface has been added.
- The configurator interface (System Settings) has been updated, featuring a new two-panel design that works correctly on both large and small screens. Added settings for text scaling, screen reader activation, contrast and brightness control, disabling dynamic scrollbar appearance, keyboard layout switching control, and emoji input. Improved quality of the settings search system. Automatic selection of units of measurement based on locale has been implemented.
- The power management settings now display the charge level, battery status, and connected external autonomous devices, such as a wireless mouse and keyboard.
- Improved display of the charge indicator in the panel. Added support for automatically setting different power consumption profiles depending on the connected devices and battery charge level. Power consumption profiles can also now be quickly switched via the indicator in the panel.
- A new Quick Settings menu has been added to the panel, through which you can activate dark mode, change text size, show the on-screen keyboard, and disable automatic screen rotation.
- Some keyboard shortcuts have been changed. Pressing the Menu button now displays the application menu, and Menu+space is used to change the keyboard layout. You can change the settings through the Keyboard section in the configurator.
- Added new cursor pointer images.
- When showing the interface for navigating through open windows and virtual desktops, the gray side background is now replaced by a blur of the desktop wallpaper.
- The clock size has been increased and background blur has been enabled in the login and lock screen interface.
- The video player design has been completely changed. Support for dark and light theme style settings has been added.
- The interface of the font application has been modernized and the performance has been improved.
- The Web browser has a more minimalist design and performance optimizations.
- The package database has been updated to Ubuntu 24.04 with core Linux 6.8. Multimedia is enabled by default server Pipewire.
Source: opennet.ru
