We seem to have missed the actual Ubuntu Testing Week but a late reminder is better than none at all right? With Ubuntu 21.04 coming soon it's time to report the bugs.
Now is a good time to get testing, as the Beta version is out now and a Release Candidate is due around April 15 so this is your chance to make one of the top Linux desktop distributions as good as possible for the 21.04 release due on April 22. According to Steam stats and our own stats, Ubuntu is in the top three most used for gaming.
Pictured - Ubuntu 21.04 Beta
What to expect from Ubuntu 21.04? It's coming with the 5.11 Linux kernel, Wayland as the default (except NVIDIA), Pipewire support is in for the next-generation of Linux audio / video, PulseAudio 14, BlueZ 5.56, NetworkManager 1.30, most GNOME apps updated to GNOME 40 but they're sticking with the previous Shell version due to it being a big change and updates to all your regular apps like the latest Firefox, LibreOffice and Thunderbird.
How to get involved? Head over to this link which has a bunch of other important links.
Additionally, announced today, is that Alan Pope is set to leave Canonical. Pope has been a huge force in the Ubuntu community over the years and recently as a Developer Advocate, along with their work on Snap packages and much more. Good luck for the future popey! This follows on from Canonical losing Martin Wimpress, their previous desktop lead back in February.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: ArehandoroThere are only 2 issues, that I know of, that prevent me from using Wayland full time. The first one is Teams, under Wayland the screen can't be shared.Not sure if works for you, but Chromium-based browsers and Eletron apps (compiled with a recent version) can already share screens using xdg-desktop-portal, so I believe you could share your screen on teams if you access through the browser.
Quoting: ArehandoroThe other one is FreeSync, with Wayland on Gnome the max Hz on my screen is 60 instead of 144 that the monitor is capable of.I'm also looking forward to freesync through HDMI, I don't recall right now if it's going to be enable with a mesa or kernel update, but I know it'll be soon.
Arehandoro Apr 9, 2021
Quoting: BielFPsNot sure if works for you, but Chromium-based browsers and Eletron apps (compiled with a recent version) can already share screens using xdg-desktop-portal, so I believe you could share your screen on teams if you access through the browser.
Unfortunately, no. Last time I tried didn't work.
no_information_here Apr 9, 2021
Quoting: RedfaceThere is one application (snap-store the Ubuntu branded gnome-software and its dependency snaps) installed as snap in 21.04 same as it was since 20.04I haven't followed recent snap news so it is good to know they haven't pushed more into the default system, yet.
I don't use Gnome, but was helping a friend running mailine Ubuntu using the Ubuntu software "store" app, and it kept trying to default to installing snap packages of many of the things they were looking for. It took real effort to figure out which version of the software came as a deb vs a snap.
Chronarius Apr 10, 2021
Quoting: AkonadyQuoting: KimyrielleThe point of Linux to me is that it's not controlled by a single corporation who can dictate me what to do with my system, and if I wanted an Appstore-like monopoly in my ecosystem, I might as well buy a Mac.
I think you like fragmentation (that holds Linux back) and no optimization whatsoever.
No that is not holding Linux back. I know a large company which runs +50k Linux Desktops
, and a few others with +10k Linux Desktops. Not to mention that most of them are running with Ubuntu or a flavour of it!The "real" problem, which is holding Linux back on Desktops, is that new computers are bundled with Windows in the Stores!
Quoting: Guestso i fully switched from xfce to gnome 40.So, I guess for some DE's like XFCE, Budgie, and Cinnamon that the advent of a mature Wayland is going to be a really existential moment when they decide to become "legacy" DE's, pack it in, or invest the time, energy, and effort that KDE and Gnome have in working with Wayland.
Quoting: iiariThe thing is, they won't have to invest as much time and effort as KDE and Gnome. They're much smaller projects than the big two, and they can make use of the code and documentation produced by those who went before. That's the beauty of Open Source.Quoting: Guestso i fully switched from xfce to gnome 40.So, I guess for some DE's like XFCE, Budgie, and Cinnamon that the advent of a mature Wayland is going to be a really existential moment when they decide to become "legacy" DE's, pack it in, or invest the time, energy, and effort that KDE and Gnome have in working with Wayland.
For what it's worth, Xfce has a Wayland roadmap and it's being worked on. But slowly, as they always do due to very limited manpower. I don't imagine they'll reach that milestone any time soon.
Quoting: no_information_hereQuoting: RedfaceThere is one application (snap-store the Ubuntu branded gnome-software and its dependency snaps) installed as snap in 21.04 same as it was since 20.04I haven't followed recent snap news so it is good to know they haven't pushed more into the default system, yet.
I don't use Gnome, but was helping a friend running mailine Ubuntu using the Ubuntu software "store" app, and it kept trying to default to installing snap packages of many of the things they were looking for. It took real effort to figure out which version of the software came as a deb vs a snap.
The source under details will be like ubuntu-hirsute-universe if its a deb, and snapcraft.io when its a snap
Where there are multiple source for the same app and gnome software which Ubuntu software is a branded version of recognize them as the same app, a source selector button is on the right upper window bar, where you can select between the sources, and here the format, deb or snap, or flatpak, is also shown.
But sometimes there are several entries, you have to select each on the search results and check them then.
This is how Gnome software and appstream data handle it, not Ubuntu specific as far as I know.
It would be nice if the format always was under the details
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