Two of the most popular Linux distributions are Ubuntu and Fedora, projects that will launch a new version of their operating system in the coming weeks. Your main editions will use GNOME 46, announced a few moments ago on the desktop's official website. Under that name we have both a desktop and many applications, and we will find several of the new features in programs like Nautilus, settings and other types of improvements.
The codename of GNOME 46 is "Kathmandu", and it was given to recognize the fantastic work done by the organizers of GNOME.Asia 2023. What you have below is a list of the most outstanding news that have arrived with GNOME 46, as well as the link to the original article with more detailed information.
Highlights of GNOME 46
The Files application, also known as Nautilus, includes a new global search that we can access with Ctrl + Shift + F. This will allow us to search for files from any location.
Overall, Nautilus has improved a lot with this release, with clearer information displayed when you are performing some operations. Now, when you are copying one or more files, for example, a message appears at the bottom left and how long it takes to finish. On the other hand, the change from the list view to the grid view has also been outlined.
Files also includes:
- Searching Preferences: It is now possible to search within Files preferences to locate specific settings.
- Detailed date and time: Files preferences now include an option to display the date and time in a more complete and consistent format.
- Location Entry on Click: Ability to quickly access the file location address bar by clicking the file path area.
- Featured Favorites in Grid View: Ability to quickly identify and access featured files with visual bookmarks in Grid View.
- Improved network discovery: More available network devices now appear in the Other Locations view.
Online accounts
GNOME online accounts have received several improvements, among which the Microsoft OneDrive option is now available. Besides:
- The default web browser is now used when signing in to accounts as part of account setup. This allows a wider range of authentication methods to be used, such as USB tokens.
- A new WebDAV account type has been added, providing a generic method for integrating contacts, calendars, and online files into your GNOME experience.
- The online account settings have also been completely revamped, and now have a modern and updated design.
Other improvements
Among the rest of the new features, we find points such as:
- New option dedicated to remote login. This allows you to connect remotely to a GNOME system that is not in use. Connecting in this way means that the system display can be configured from the remote side, resulting in a better experience for the remote user.
- The Settings app has received a complete update, with options reorganized to make them easier to navigate. A new System section has been created that contains preferences for region and language, date and time, users, remote desktop, Secure Shell and About.
- Touchpad settings improvements, with two new settings. The first is for secondary clicking, and the second allows you to disable the touchpad when typing.
Accessibility
- Accessibility improvements:
- A significant modernization effort has been carried out. This will improve performance and reliability, and enable support for Wayland and sandboxed applications in the future.
- A new sleep mode has been added. This highly requested feature allows users to temporarily disable Orca, using the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Shift + Q. Sleep mode is useful when using virtual machines that have their own screen readers, as well as auto-speech applications.
- The new commands allow Orca to report system status, including battery status and CPU and memory usage.
- Table navigation has been greatly improved, with support for more applications and new commands, such as toggling table navigation and moving to the last cell.
- Orca now has experimental support for Spiel, an interesting next-generation speech synthesis API.
GNOME 46 now available
GNOME 46 includes performance improvements, security and rendering and new versions of applications, both their own and those of their circle. Speaking of the GNOME Circle, they have taken the opportunity to welcome Letterpress, Switcheroo, Decibels, Fretboard and Railwai.
GNOME 46 has been announced a few moments ago, and that means that its code is available, but it has not yet reached any Linux distribution. They will begin to do so in the next few hours in a time that will depend on the philosophies of the different distributions.
Images and content: GNOME.