After six months of development, Matthias Clasen of the GNOME Release Team has finally ad GNOME 3.38 version "Orbis", which replaces the previous version of GNOME 3.36.
The latest version comes with many updates such as improved performance, higher stability, new features and reorganizations of GNOME applications like Map, Web, Clocks and Sound Recorder.
The 10 main features of GNOME 3.38 "Orbis"
1. New Welcome Tour app written in rust
The GNOME desktop environment comes with its official welcome application, GNOME Tour, which appears on first login after initial setup.
With GNOME 3.38, the Tour application is now redesigned, highlighting and guiding new users to the main features of the GNOME desktop. The fun fact is that the new Welcome Tour is also the first application written in the Rust "most popular programming language" that ships with GNOME by default.
2. GNOME Web
Another application that has received a number of other enhancements is GNOME Web. If you are using a Chrome web browser but want to upgrade to GNOME Web, it now allows you to import passwords and bookmarks from Google Chrome.
For a better browsing experience and better privacy, GNOME Web has Intelligent Tracking Prevention enabled by default. Besides, it also allows you to prevent websites from storing local data in your browser.
3. Major improvements to GNOME applications
Along with Tour and Web, GNOME 3.38 also touched on a number of other official GNOME applications. For example, he redesigned the screenshot, sound recorder, and "Add world clock" dialog in the Clocks app.
Even GNOME Maps can now display labels in satellite view and adapt its user interface to mobile phones. Additionally, you can also switch Maps to night mode.
4. Game collection
If you are a fan of a GNOME game collection that provides multiple video games, then you will be amused to know that the games now also support Nintendo 64 games.
For better usability and easy access, it also allows you to organize games in groups. Overall, the games have received enough performance improvements to become more stable.
5. Different refresh rates for each monitor
If you are using multiple monitors and want to have a different refresh rate for each, this is now possible in GNOME 3.38. With the latest enhancements to the Mutter window manager, the GNOME shell now allows you to have two or more monitors running at different refresh rates.
6. Restart directly from the system menu
If you used the old GMOME 3.36, you may find it annoying to restart the system as you have to click on the "Shutdown" button in the system menu first and then "Restart".
This may sound okay to some, but for others, including me, this is one more step we need to take. Therefore, with GNOME 3.38, you will notice a separate "Restart" button next to "Shut down" in the system menu.
7. Share the Wi-Fi hotspot via QR code
Wi-Fi hotspot is a technology that allows you to share your system's Internet connection with other wireless devices. Therefore, if you want to turn your Linux system with GNOME desktop into a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, now you can share the QR code with other devices such as laptops, tablets and mobiles. .
8. Custom application grid
One of the major changes in GNOME 3.38 is the customizable app grid. You can now create folders, move apps to and from just by dragging your app icons into the app grid.
With better grid customization, icons may decrease for a lower screen resolution as well. Additionally, GNOME has now removed the "Frequent Applications" tab to add support for custom positions. This means that you can rearrange and organize your apps however you want.
9. GNOME operating system
Unlike the traditional Linux distribution, GNOME OS is specially designed for developers involved in the development and testing of GNOME.
With recent changes (UEFI support) in GNOME applications, Boxes, which are used to manage virtual machines and remote desktop connections, you can now run GNOME operating system images. Therefore, if you want to test the GNOME 3.38 desktop, pictures are available for download and installation.
10. Other improvements in GNOME 3.38
- The option to display the battery percentage indicator in the system menu
- New parental control update
- New fingerprint registration interface for devices with fingerprint readers
- GJS now uses Spidermonkey 78
- New icons for GNOME applications
- Updated text color scheme for the GNOME Terminal
If you want to know more about GNOME 3.38, check out the official site release notes.
Finally, enjoy the official GNOME 3.38 video tour.
GNOME 40 is the next version
GNOME's Emmanuele Bassi also revealed GNOME's new versioning scheme. After GNOME 3.38, the next version of GNOME will be GNOME 40, which is scheduled for release in March 2021.
As GNOME relinquishes control of 3.x versions, the next GNOME 40 development cycle will have three versions: alpha, beta, and release candidate (RC) before the stable release. Then after the first stable version, the next version will increase by 1, for example 40.1, 40.2, 40.3, etc.
If you want to know the reason for such a big change and why the next version starts at 40, read the Faq this will answer all your doubts about the new version scheme.
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