Fedora 35, Red HatThe free Linux distribution (distro) is now enabled as beta. From an updated desktop experience to behind-the-scenes adjustments, we're taking a look at the Workstation edition to see what's new for desktop users.
A more polished Fedora
The Red Hat Community Linux Build was released in beta on 28 September 2021, with the official launch planned for the end of October.
This version is “all about polishing”, What Red Hat said in a blog post. Although the emphasis is still on a cutting edge desktop PC with everything, Fedora 35 focuses on extending existing features and improving support. It's a nice mid-term update that combines all the new things we've seen in recent versions of Fedora and the GNOME desktop., as well as some improvements. Let's dive in and take a closer look at the polish.
GNOME 41
Whereas contemporary Linux Ubuntu 21.10 stays with GNOME 40, the default desktop environment for Fedora has advanced to GNOME 41. This second iteration of the popular desktop with GNOMEThe new numbering scheme is based on what we have seen in previous versions.
Highlights the use of multiple workspaces where certain applications operate in full screen on different desktops. It also doesn't show a launcher of any kind, as we have been seeing in recent iterations. To see the launcher, press the Super key (Windows) and enter the Activities Overview, or use a three-finger swipe up or down on a touchpad.
From the overview, you can drag and drop apps to different workspaces. It is feasible to have multiple applications in a single workspace, but there are no minimize buttons / maximize to dismiss apps easily. Of course, you can add those buttons, but they are not there by default.
You can also place windows on one side of the workspace or the other to view two applications at the same time, but the best approach is to put new apps in their own workspace if they take up the whole screen.
To switch between workspaces, go to Activities overview or use the Super key + PGUP o PGDN. For touchpad users, change with a three-finger swipe left or right in the Overview.
There is a redesigned software store with improved support for Flatpak containers. In Fedora 35, if you enable third-party repositories (the Store automatically asks you to do this), you can get selected apps via Flathub. It is not a full access, but apps like Zoom and Minecraft come from this source.
We hope to see more Flatpaks in Fedora as time goes on.. Similar to what happens with applications in Windows and macOS, Flatpak applications run in containers that are separate from the rest of the system. This increases security since applications do not have unlimited access to the entire system..
There is also a new multitasking section in the Settings application where you can configure how the desktop will work. You can activate a hot corner to open the Activities overview (the same as pressing the Super key). You can also activate the edges of the screen to automatically resize a window. Finally, options exist to determine a fixed number of workspaces or delete unused workspaces automatically.
Power management profiles are also easier to manage in GNOME 41 just by clicking the power button in the upper right corner. In this way, can quickly switch from balanced to energy saving, a cool feature for laptops when you need to extend battery life.
If you don't like GNOME 41, can switch to other desktops like Fedora Kinoite, a “round” of Fedora with the Plasma KDE desktop environment. Kinoite has wider support for Flatpak applications, and uses rpm-ostree from the Fedora project, which handles package management and uses libostree for disk images.
Behind the scenes updates
Under the hood, Fedora 35 is packing a lot of new things. Use version 5.14 del Kernel de Linux. That version of the kernel features improved support for ARM-based systems, if you like that kind of thing.
There is improved 3D support for Nvidia drivers when using applications that do not have native Wayland support. The default version of Python is 3.10, that was launched on 4 October 2021, and Python 3.5 no longer supported. The interpreter of Node.js is the version 16, PHP is in version 8.0 and the RPM package manager uses the version 4.17. Fedora 35 now also has DNS over TLS built in, which is a more secure way to get IP addresses from the internet phonebook.
Fedora 35 continue your effort to review audio management. Previously, changed to PipeWire for audio server tasks, and now Fedora includes WirePlumber as session manager. WirePlumber replaces the default session manager built into PipeWire and supports custom rules for routing flows between devices.
If you are a Fedora Cloud user, the version of the operating system designed for virtual servers, the file system has changed to Btrfs. This file system, originally designed by Oracle, enables grouping of units, online defragmentation and snapshots on the fly, as we explained in our study of the multiple formats of the Linux file system. Fedora Cloud is also receiving BIOS and UEFI support based on your needs..
Hats off to this distribution update
Fedora 35 looks like a great new version of the popular Linux distribution. The new audio management is a welcome change, and even though the workspaces that were first seen in GNOME 40 may take some getting used to, it is a good idea and a good approach to work on a PC.
How could we expect with the latest version of Fedora, he comes, default, with the latest versions of Firefox and LibreOffice. These pre-installed applications help you to start working efficiently on the operating system.
If you are a long time Fedora fan, or are you looking for a new option to replace your current distribution, it is important to note take a look at Fedora 35 Workstation. Download the beta now from Fedora Alternative Downloads Page.
Note: The Fedora Server “network installer” will allow you to select the desktop workstation edition during installation.
Once i'm done, follow our instructions to install Linux. And if you decide that Fedora 35 is not for you, consider checking the latest version of the elementary operating system.
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