GNOME 40 is out now to showcase the latest Linux desktop environment work from the GNOME Project, which includes a number of feature overhauls and improvements.
Safe to say this is one of their biggest releases, at least since the original redesign of GNOME Shell into what we know it as now. In total, the release incorporates 24571 changes, made by approximately 822 contributors. They also dedicated this release to the team behind the GNOME Asia Summit 2020.
The biggest user-facing change in GNOME 40 will be the new Activities Overview design where you see all your open applications, workspaces and search through installed applications. Workspaces are now arranged horizontally, while the overview and app grid are accessed vertically and there's plenty of keyboard shortcuts, mouse actions and support for touchpad gestures too. Here's some shots of it (click to enlarge):
Pictured - GNOME 40 on Fedora 34
A lot more is new in GNOME 40 including a redesigned Weather application, an improved Settings application, the GNOME web browser has a new tab design and you can configure search suggestions from Google if you want, GNOME Software (their application store) also got revamped with a new look and will tell you where packages come from (be it normal distro packages or Flatpak) and much more. Plenty of style changes throughout too which better matches their overall design.
See the release notes and the special 40 splash page here.
If you want to see it in action and try it right now, Fedora already have a Beta out of Fedora 34 which includes GNOME 40.
Direct Link
Quoting: dibzDuring the original shift from Gnome2 to Gnome3, awful multi-monitor support was why I jumped ship back then. After trying various alternatives, I discovered XFCE was "a better gnome2 then gnome2 ever was" and never looked back.
Gotta admit, I've been frustrated with KDE on this end, as well. Not sure I can stomach going back into time for xfce, but I will certainly consider it.
Luke_Nukem Mar 24, 2021
Quoting: LinasIt's beautiful.
Damn... that pic very accurately sums up how it feels to use Gnome-40 now.
Arehandoro Mar 24, 2021
RandomizedKirbyTree47 Mar 24, 2021
There, fixed the title for you.
Luke_Nukem Mar 24, 2021
Quoting: ArehandoroI love it. Also being trying it in fedora 34 and the only thing that I've been missing is Pop_OS! Shell tiling window feature. I wonder how they'll implement it for Gnome 40.
You can install the extension. Though I haven't checked if it works on 40
Quoting: Guesti would like more options in the ....
Hey, woah, don't go crazy!
Stupid joke, sorry. In all honesty, though, as a curious non-gnome user, I found your comments quite insightful. Thanks.
wvstolzing Mar 24, 2021
Quoting: GuestThey all copy from each other what they think their users like. Besides, which DE is actually original? The only ones that I think are truly different in my experience are the tiling window managers but even those aren't original either.
I would've liked to use Jeff Raskin's original plan for the Mac (before Steve Jobs fired him, & canned his design); or the smalltalk system — though I'd be perfectly content if the current paradigm we have just *survives* the flat, poor contrast, mobile-first design fads.
By the way Mac OS has really jumped the shark in the UI department with the last round of updates. This guy gives good examples: http://morrick.me/archives/9150 (Be warned though; this is an Apple fan; so there's plenty of BS as well.) At least Gnome doesn't *hide* buttons & tabs into a grey-on-white fog when you're not hovering over them.
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