Improvements in GNOME 2.24 and Ubuntu 8.10

It'll be really hard for me to keep track which feature was done by which, so I'll post GNOME 2.24 and Ubuntu 8.10 as one. How is it hard? Well, I used to think that most of the things in Ubuntu were done by GNOME, but I was proven wrong when I looked deeply into the progress of Ubuntu 8.10 from alpha to final. I learned the new quit menus were taken from OpenSUSE (not to be confused with the quit menu being split up into three parts in System part of the Menu Bar; that was by GNOME), that most of the work on the new FUSA applet was done by Ubuntu, and there's some things that Ubuntu takes out of GNOME that I noticed in Foresight's unedited version of GNOME that I couldn't see in Ubuntu's GNOME.



1. Improved file browsing with Nautilus.

First, tabbed Nautilus, of course. Displayed a thousand times over the Internet, but I thought I'd display my version of it, fresh-install 8.10, with no changes whatsoever:

And of course, the new Compact View option (which isn't new at all; the compact view option was available in the previous GNOME, and the previous, and the previous, etc. The only change-up in this version was that before, to create a compact viewing environment, you had to set 3+ options. Now it can be done with a simple click:

Plus, there are two features unmentioned in the releases notes, (one of which people are already aware of) and they are:

  • The eject icons for removable media in the Places sidebar:
  • Restore [to Original Location] right-click option for files in Trash:
And very very little changes too:
  • Right-click on a file -> Delete in Trash renamed to right-click -> Delete Permanently:
  • Right-click on CD_DVD Icon in computer:/ -> Eject renamed to right-click -> Eject Volume to match rest of the system wording (Mount Volume, Unmount Volume, Eject Volume):


2. Menu and panel items switch-up.
A lot of menu-moving around this time of Ubuntu in the Menu Bar panel applet.
_______________

The only thing done by GNOME is in the Places section. The CD/DVD drive icon is displayed even there is no CD inserted:

Then on to Ubuntu-made changes.
_______________

First, Network Manager. Network Manager version 0.7 changes network configuring so much that now, network configuring is no longer an administrative tool in System -> Administration -> Network, but in System -> Preferences -> Network Configuration as a preferences application. Nice, except for the fact that the "Network Configuring" item is not translated, and is not available for translation on Launchpad. :(

Clicking the menu item brings up a new control center for all network-related tasks:
_______________

Second, Dictionary got moved to Applications -> Office (it was previously located in Applications -> Accessories):
_______________

And third, Document Viewer (Evince) and Image Viewer (EOG) are hidden by default, because they can be opened anyway by double-clicking a PDF or image file, and simply waste menu space if left visible by default.

OpenOffice.org Formula (OpenOffice.org Math) is installed again (it was left out in Hardy for lack of space on the ISO), although it is hidden by default in Applications -> Office.

Apparently the devs forgot to make an icon for it in the Human theme, (notice that the image for it is round, while other OpenOffice.org application icons are square).
_______________
Another clearly visible change is that Applications -> Accessories -> Bluetooth Analyzer, which was set visible by default in Ubuntu Hardy, has disappeared completely from the Accessories section. Further investigation reveals that it has been moved to Applications -> System Tools, and is hidden by default for complexity and inactivity of use.
_______________
For some reason the devs have chosen to hide System -> Preferences -> File Management (Nautilus file browser preferences) in 8.10. I think they were trying to hide System -> Preferences -> Encryptions and Keyrings, (which is right above) and screwed up. At any rate, it should be set back, because unlike normal applications' preferences, Nautilus is a literal shell for GNOME and makes up all of the Places section in the Menu Bar, therefore making it extremely important and earning a merit to have its preferences dialog displayed by default in Ubuntu.
_______________
Finally! System -> Preferences -> Multimedia Systems Selector, has been hidden! I always believed that it was too complicated and had too little descriptions for the average end-user to understand anything, and finally, the devs removed it from view! Of course, this doesn't prevent advanced users from just enabling it via the menu editor if they feel the need to use it.
_______________
OnBoard has been moved to System -> Preferences and has been removed from view by default.
_______________

And some panel switch-ups too:

The [Fast] User Switcher applet has been moved to the far end of the top right corner, and a Separator has been put between it and the other applets.
_______________

That is all the menu change-ups that I have noticed.


3. New way to quit computing.

Just say no! (Lulz, lame joke reference to smoking: quit smoking, quit computing, just say no.....get it?)

Ubuntu, after seeing how ugly inefficient the new GNOME quit menus were, with no descriptions of what each option does, and no Help button, decided to take refuge in OpenSUSE.

So the devs accepted GNOME's action on splitting the Quit... menu into three pieces, (Lock Screen, Log Out... , and Shut Down...) but as I already said, they couldn't accept the new menus:
(I wasn't there before Ubuntu replaced GNOME's by OpenSUSE's, so I couldn't produce my own screenshot. Thank "Keir" for this.

So they took OpenSUSE's, in fact the best quit menus a set of human eyes can come upon, in my opinion:


Beautiful set of icons, and with descriptions underneath and a Help button, integrating seemlessly with the GNOME desktop (did I mention the beautiful big icons and the Help button that provides seamless integration with the GNOME desktop?).

But according to Mr. Shuttleworth on his post about the FUSA applet in 8.10 Intrepid, he has mentioned a feature he and his slaves employees didn't have enough time to implement: It speaks of the FUSA applet hiding from view System -> Lock Screen, System -> Log Out, and System -> Shut Down... if it is running; then, when the applet is removed, they all return to view. This is to prevent two ways to quit your computer and prevent confusion. (Bad move, in my opinion; the quit menus have Help buttons and descriptions, while the FUSA applet quit options are only one-two lettered words.) This is to arrive in intrepid-updates or if not, definitely by jaunty.


4. More programs to manage.

Sessions Preferences got more complicated! Now you can manager tons of more startup programs that were previously uncontrollable, such as the splash screen, login sounds,
the remote desktop server, and the window manager!:






5. Two way to set time and date.

Wow. With GNOME 2.24, there are to ways to set the time and date. First, the classic way: time-admin (System -> Administration -> Time and Date). And second, by use of the Clock panel applet. Huh? What do I mean? Aren't they the same thing? I'll explain.

Open Clock Preferences by Clock panel applet -> right-click -> Preferences:

You see the button Time Settings? Yeah well, in previous GNOME versions, it simply opened up time-admin, you entered your password, and set the date and time, etc. But no longer. The devs thought, "Hey, we're in Clock Preferences, so why are we opening up an administrative tool? Plus, why is setting the date and time for one user administrative?"

So now, clicking Time Settings brings up a whole new redesigned-from-the-ground-up window to set time, just for that user. And if you want, you can click Set System Time... where you will be prompted for your password, and then the time you just set only for your account saves as the system default.


6. Useless GNOME Screenshot improvements.

Here I go again. GNOME's screenshot program (Take Screenshot) "improved" with version 2.24. Now comes the ability to include your cursor in the screenshot or not:



And after taking your screenshot, there comes another "cool" feature, the ability to copy the image to your clipboard:

Amazing. But I'm still waiting for ability to make a selection of my screenshot, which GIMP's screenshot taker, and GScrot can already do.


7. Subtly changed Alacarte.

Same as ever, Alacarte, GNOME's menu editor, still has the bugs that existed since its creation, and none have been fixed. Only visible change is that the Properties and Delete buttons are no longer accessible only through right-click on an item. They have made buttons for it in the right sidebar.


8. Advanced language support.
Once I reported a bug that Language Selector (System -> Administration -> Language Support) didn't show its icon on the top-left of its window titlebar. The developer never got back on the bug report, but he must have seen it, because when I checked Language Selector in Ubuntu 8.10, it was fixed.

But the most amazing change in the version included in Ubuntu Intrepid is that now, you can manage which language files you want to have support for on your system. Just look!:
If you actually cannot see what is different in this version by looking at the above screenshot, please locate the red parentheses that I have conveniently inserted and regard the text in between the symbols.


9
. Third-party application updates.

Ubuntu includes many useful applications th
at are not from GNOME, hence the term "third-party". Some of which are Firefox, GIMP, Transmission, etc. Note that I am not an Ubuntu fanboy who ignorantly thinks that everything in Ubuntu is done by Ubuntu. If you have seen some of my other posts (which I have greyed out) I am not a huge Ubuntu fan.
_______________

Transmission 1.3x line!

The 1.3 line is amazing. One obvious change is the load of options. If anyone has noticed, the 1.2x line in Ubuntu Hardy had one tab for preferences: one tab only! And bizarredly, the 1.3x line has five tabs! That's load of configuring, but I'm glad this happened:
_______________

GIMP 2.6!!!!! :)

Too happy to express it in words. Updated translations, less menubar clutter, and faster and better! (Just read the release notes)A mere screenshot cannot display my happiness on the inclusion of this update despite it being released far after Intrepid's feature freeze, but I'll post it anyway:
_______________

F-Spot 0.5.x.

I don't know what's so amazing and what the change is from the 0.4.x line, mainly because I never used it before. But seeing as how one of my commenters on my blog on new features in Ubuntu 8.10 (which is no longer active) got all hyper about it, I'm assuming a really cool thing is in F-Spot 0.5.
_______________

Pidgin 2.5.2. Woot!

Not really anything special in this version, except for a few icon cleanups, memory leak fixes, and some translation updates. One thing, however, catches the attention of all IMers around the globe. And that is:

Don't understand? Well, by clicking that square next to the "Available - Waiting for..." you can easily set an icon for your IM account, no matter what protocol it is.
_______________

Brasero 0.8.x.

Two really important updates in the 0.8.x string. First, a new project option added to the start window:

And then, a new plugin, Normalize, that will enable you to set a constant volume for your music:
_______________

That's all, folks!


10. CD/DVD/volume insertion prompt.
I am loving this. Not only does GNOME 2.24/Ubuntu 8.10 better recognize when I insert CDs or DVDs, (in GNOME 2.22/Ubuntu 8.10 it took five minutes of taking out the CD/DVD, then reinserting it, and repeating the process just for my system to recognize that I had inserted a disk) but now, a window pops-up when you insert a CD/DVD! It asks what you would like to do, if you want to do this always for these kinds of removable drives, and oh, you can eject the CD/DVD right from there if you want.


And if you insert a volume (Curiously, my USB stick had no specified device name, so GNOME classified it as "No Name":


11. [Fast] User Switcher [Applet] upgrade.

Just take a look at this screenshot of the User Switcher panel applet:

There's a new Guest session entry for lending your laptop so your friend can check their emails quickly, or letting them IM with their buddies, etc. And you can manage your whole system from there! No need to go System -> Shut Down... only to have another dialog pop-up and choosing Shut Down again. Just click on the applet, click Shut down, and you're set!

And look what happens to the applet when Empathy or Pidgin (internet messengers) is run:

You can manage your IM status just from the applet. This feature works with Pidgin, Empathy, and Kopete, Mr. Shuttleworth claims, at least. Pretty neat, if you ask me.


12. Miscelleanous cleanups throughout GNOME.

First up is GNOME Volume Control. Though I cannot produce a screenshot, in Ubuntu Hardy, GNOME Volume Control, despite it being a preferences application, actually had its own menubar (File Edit View etc.). That was the first and last time I have ever seen a preferences application have a menubar and not buttons.

What exactly was it like? It had a File, Edit, and Help (if I remember correctly). Under File, it had Quit and under Edit it had Preferences and under Help it had Contents and About. Now compare that to the re-layouted version in GNOME 2.24:

Help -> Contents converted to a Help button, (like all other preferences applications) File -> Quit removed (you can quit by pressing Close) and Edit -> Preferences replaced by a huge Preferences button. Needless to say, the About dialog is not necessary. Wow, a huge cleanup, looks better in GNOME 2.24, doesn't it?
_______________

Passwords and Encryption Settings, (System -> Preferences -> Encryptions and Keyrings) like Volume Control above, has gotten a re-layout also. Previously, there were approximately six tabs in it. But now, there are only two:

Imagine how confused a newbie would be. That much options? Six tabs? It's a good thing the devs minimized it to two this time around in GNOME.
_______________

File Roller (Applications -> Accessories -> Archive Manager) now supports four new file types: ALZ, CAB, RZIP, and 7ZIP. This was achieved due to resorting to P7Zip for certain tasks. Finally, no more "sudo aptitude install unalz && unalz /home/exsecrabilus/Desktop/archive.alz"!


13. "Create a USB startup disk".

No opinions. If you ask me, it should have been hidden by default, in Applications -> System Tools. So much things wrong with this application that I'm not gonna rant again and attract flames.


14. Mount archives like removable drives.
I'll get on with it: Nautilus (File Browser) has a new part of it that can manage archives by itself. (I don't know why this happened, and the developers of File Roller must be pissed at Nautilus for taking its job and now becoming an ultimate bloated application.)

But basically, this is how it works: You locate to the archive, right click on it, and press "Open with "Archive Mounter"":

A new icon will appear on your desktop, and it will actually act like a removable drive. You can right-click -> Unmount Volume, you can eject it from the Places sidebar in Nautilus, etc.:

From there, you can just copy and paste the contents, like you've extracted it. This is particularly useful when you have a 1000 GB archive and want to extract one image from it.

(The window to the left is what it is when it's first opened; obviously, it only displays one folder, so I opened that one, which displays the contents in the window on the right.)


15. Jockey becomes THE hardware managing tool.

Wow. Tell me if there's a better hardware drivers manager than Jockey (System -> Administration -> Hardware Drivers) in Linux. With version 0.5 (which is still in beta stage, BTW) you get information if it's been tested by the developers, if the driver license is free, and the best of all, you finally get more printer support!: When a printer is inserted and it will not work automatically, Jockey will select the right driver from http://openprinting.org/ and help you make the best of your printer. Though I cannot produce a screenshot due to the fact that I don't own a printer that doesn't automatically work, here is an overview screenshot:



16. GNOME finally submits to Compiz.
To edit the number of workspaces on your desktop, you just right-click on the Workspace Switcher panel applet, press Preferences, then you can add and remove desktops.
But, of course, if you tried changing it while running Compiz, the terror began. No matter what you changed in the workspace preferences, the number of workspaces stayed the same--that is, until you switched back to Metacity. And the only solution was to install CCSM and even from there, it was difficult because of "Horizontal Virtual Size", "Vertical Virtual Size" and "Number of Desktops". Huh?

GNOME has finally done something about it. Starting with version 2.24, the Workspace Switcher detects if you are running Compiz, and if you are, switches its preferences mode so that the number actually changes.

The current 2.24 version Workspace Switcher Preferences, which didn't change at all from version 2.22:


And the new mode of the exact application above, changed to if Compiz is detected as running:


Neat huh? This is a step in the right direction for GNOME, since Compiz is becoming more and more popular. However, there are still unresolved issues, such as the Compiz Wallpaper plugin, that won't work if Nautilus is drawing the desktop icons (see here for more information).


17. Other Ubuntu-related changes.

The Ubuntu website for version 8.10 is surprisingly ugly and bad. Look!:


The one for 8.04 Hardy is hot and has a very nice style with smooth colors, but this is just ugly! They even forgot to capitalize the "s" in "Ubuntu shop". Bad, bad, bad.

Other than that, a new wallpaper:


Oh yeah, and Human-Murrine got renamed to Human, effectively destroying the old. ugly, and slow theme, Human. The newly renamed Human theme:


There is also a dark theme, called DarkRoom--it was previously known as NewHuman. It's a very nice dark theme, but for some reason, it refuses to display itself correctly on my computer, so therefore I cannot take a screenshot of it.


18. Ability to theme sounds just like appearance.


That's right! All you have to do is 1, make a folder, 2, put your sound files with the correct theming name, then 3, somehow (I am not a themer so I don't know how) make an index.theme file, finally, 4, move it to '/usr/share/sounds', and voila, you just set a whole sound theme in seconds without having to go through the pain of setting each one manually! (Of course, actually making a theme file is not easy. See the full specification for more information.)


19. Quick search feature in Synaptic.


*Clap* No words. No words.

There is also a new feature in Synaptic[in the process of getting the screenshots] that displays, if the package is in Ubuntu Main, a message at the end of the package's description that the package will receive security updates until April/May 2009. If the package is in Universe, Multiverse, or some third-party repository, it will say that Canonical cannot do anything about bugs caused by the package.



Overall, GNOME is getting better, with Ubuntu's choice of third-party applications. But, there are still little setbacks. So let's hope we can see more in the next GNOME.

41 comments:

  1. Great post! Very interesting and informative (well maybe you could have skipped calling people "losers" at the end). Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I ended up switching to the gnome desktop with ubuntu instead of using kubuntu. Normally a kde man. I am now a gnome man. Quite simply, the gnome of old really sucked. The gnome of new is pretty cool.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fist usable review after all those stupid *buntu blogs. Very good comparision with previous release.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Maybe your just a little past the ubuntu hype, but i totally have to agree that the other articles on ubuntu are crap.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fabulous post. I have been thinking of switcing to Linux espeically since I found out tehre are several programs available that allow you to run Windows apps (crucial to my busines) from within Linux! Sweet!

    Jiss
    www.anolite.echoz.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is an awesome post. Great for seasoned Ubuntu users.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I keep meaning to get this XP rubbish of my computer and try ubuntu, what worries me though is driver support.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ubuntu is great, but if you need to access a windows file server at all, stick to 8.04 Hardy. 8.10 breaks something in Samba support so that file servers don't show up anymore. I'm heartbroken to be relegated back to Windows rank and file until someone somewhere fixes the problem.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This was an excellent and skilled review. Much deeper than all the others I looked at.

    Keep up the good work!

    ~tdub

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great post! Really indepth too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Actually informational. thanks

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congratulations! Very nice review.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, if only they'd make the open/save box more useful.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi,
    it would also be nice if some one knows what has changed using commands:

    For example to start/stop demons (services) in Hardy:
    sudo /etc/init.d/loopback stop
    sudo /etc/init.d/loopback start

    Ibex:
    sudo services loopback stop
    sudo services loopback start

    In Ibex also works the "Hardy way". This new Ibex is more RedHat way.

    Are there any other new commands...

    ReplyDelete
  15. If only either group was compitent enough to fix a serious regression introduced by GVFS. Browsing windows shares is broken for any passworded servers/paths. It took them years to get it right and now its just been broken and added as a 'release note'. What a joke. How in the hell do you convince management that linux on the desktop is viable when they will release a product in that state.

    ReplyDelete
  16. about mounting windows shares ,

    have you tried mounting shares with PyNeighborhood before browsing ?

    at least in hardy they are kept in places on nautilus.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Good work, This is an awesome post, hope you get more Diggs. Like to see more of your work on other Ubuntu feature's

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great Post... Very useful and complete

    ReplyDelete
  19. Great!!!
    Simply awesome. Although I'll be taking adip in Kubuntu this time.
    Remember me???
    7 reasons why KDE sucs!

    ReplyDelete
  20. That's really a nice article describing the features for 8.10

    Great work!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Really nice and usefull writeup - thanks for that.

    > 6. Useless GNOME Screenshot improvements.

    Regarding those two features. As someone who makes a lot of computer related instructional material those features are extremely useful and have been very much missed - so thanks for pointing them out.

    I have on a regular basis been forced to add the mouse pointer to a screenshot in gimp - and the pain to get the screenshot into your document. This is actually very great news.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I have never - never - seen such an exhaustive and informative blog. I always try being detailed on my blog, and until now thought I was succeeding quite well, but it's nothing like this... Thumbs up!

    They didn't forget to capitalize "Ubuntu shop" though - "Ubuntu help" isn't capitalized either, it's just a matter of style.

    I would like to know what you don't like about usb-creator, though - perhaps I'll find out by reading your older posts ;)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Great review, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  24. best review i've found.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Excellent review - easily the most informative I've read on 8.10. I was directed here from the Linux Mint site... can't wait for Mint to cherry-pick Intrepid's features for Felicia.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Great Review, allows one to check out new features easily.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Will there be a http://ubuntunext904.blogspot.com/ site where we can see what's coming up in Jaunty?
    (And more generally, a continuously updated "ubuntunext" site?)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Or will this blog be dedicated to new Ubuntu features? :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. I was planning to take my hat off and clap my hands at the end of my reading of this article. But the notes of article just completely killed it.

    hmm.. almost there, why? sigh!

    ReplyDelete
  30. great post, you make me want to go back to ubuntu
    but still i have to leave ubuntu
    first, the login time from the login screen till you can use your computer increased , from around 15 seconds up to 40 seconds

    second,
    15. Jockey becomes THE hardware managing tool.
    when i activate my video card (ati x1950) then its temperature will raise ... it will be so so so hot. so bye bye ubuntu

    third, gnome has a lot of useless services for me, for example bluetooth, evolution, and the number of these useless services just going up

    if my videocard's temperature doesnt rise and i can somehow dont have to install those useless services then ubuntu is super !! (yeah and boot time has to decrease too, hardy was great intrepid is ....)

    i will give mint a shoot. ati x1950 I am proud of you but you are also my weakness against linux sign*

    ReplyDelete
  31. yeah, i forgot to leave my email, xieu90@yahoo.com
    ATI X1950
    show me the way to go back to ubuntu, if you have

    ReplyDelete
  32. I recently came across your blog and love it

    ReplyDelete
  33. i think your blog is very useful to me....and i like it..

    ReplyDelete
  34. Latest film Clash of the Titans
    In order to start the final struggle for power and fighting constantly with the King caused the human king and the gods of competition and confrontation, but only confrontation between the gods, it really could destroy the entire world, and let all have ceased to exist ... ... Zeus (with Muni Sen ornaments) the son of Perseus (Samuwoxin Cotton ornaments) While the identity of God is born into the human world, but was brought up as a human dependent - Even so, he was still no way to save his beloved family fled the Hardee's (Ralph Fiennes decoration) of revenge, he is from the God of Hell Hades. Perseus realized that he no longer has any care, he voluntarily assumed a...
    HP Pavilion DV5000 Battery|Dell Inspiron 1525 AC Adapter|DV1000 Adapter|Dell PA-12 AC Adapter|Dell Inspiron 5100 Adapter|8600 Adapter|Dell Inspiron 1501 Adapter|HP 417220-001 Adapter|Dell inspiron 1300 AC Adapter

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hellο, Neat pоst. Theгe is аn іssue аlong with your
    sitе in web ехplorеr, maу cheсk this?
    IE nοnetheless іs the market chief and a huge paгt of folks ωill leave out your wοnderful wrіting because of thіs рrοblem.


    my ωeb blog big green egg review

    ReplyDelete
  36. It's being sold for an extremely high price ticket costly price linked to $1,795. A pair related with sunglasses that highlights your face shape. This consists of Vinyl Covered Polyester Canvas, analyzing nine ounces for a square inch. k ., on with winds that up in the same way top all of the windshield wonder. http://www.humboldt.net/phpBB2/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=46397

    ReplyDelete
  37. I think that what you posted was actually very logical.
    However, consider this, what if you were to create a awesome title?

    I mean, I don't wish to tell you how to run your blog, but suppose you added a title to maybe get folk's
    attention? I mean "Improvements in GNOME 2.24 and Ubuntu 8.10" is a little vanilla.
    You could look at Yahoo's home page and note how they create post titles to grab viewers to open the links. You might add a related video or a related picture or two to grab readers interested about everything've got to say.
    In my opinion, it could bring your blog a little bit more interesting.



    Take a look at my website michael kors watches

    ReplyDelete
  38. A borns baby bag will be handed to a quite a few child.
    For example, does virtually anyone give out digital pedometers or fondue packages for Christmas?
    In that case simply decorate probably the most notable thing.
    With the holiday can not select the color-hyun, or even a substantially messy know.
    http://eastwestlinks.com/groups/celine-bags-out-to-do-with-started/

    ReplyDelete