4. Changes in Fedora for Desktop Users
4.1.1. Automatic print driver installation
4.1.2. Automatic installation of language packs
4.1.3. PackageKit integration everywhere
Brasero has gained the ability to automatically install missing GStreamer codecs when they are needed for burning audio CDs. File-roller can now install missing tools for handling archive formats.
4.1.4. Redesigned user management interface
Tech preview
This Fedora 13 feature is an add-on option that shows future direction and progress.
The user account tool has been completely redesigned. The tool has functions to configure personal information in user accounts, and make a personal profile picture or icon. It also helps users generate strong passphrases, set up additional login options such as automatic login, and determine special roles for users such as in the case of a single owner of a personal laptop or an administrator of a shared system. This new feature was designed and implemented by several members of the Fedora Desktop SIG. Refer to
Section 5.1, “Security” for details of the security enhancements included in this feature.
To install and try the new user account tool, install the accountsdialog and accountsservice packages, and then run the accounts-dialog command.
4.1.5. NetworkManager improvements including a command line interface
4.1.6. Experimental 3D extended to free Nouveau driver for Nvidia
Fedora 12 included experimental 3D support for newer ATI cards in the free and open source Radeon driver, and now experimental 3D support has been extended in Fedora 13 to the nouveau driver for a range of NVIDIA video cards. Fedora and its sponsor Red Hat are dedicated to improving the quality and coverage of completely free accelerated video drivers. While we support user choice and do not prevent use of closed, proprietary drivers, we also recognize that these drivers sometimes conflict with and cause problems in the software written by FOSS community members. We prefer to honor the commitment of the FOSS community with our own commitment to free drivers that complement their work, and work in the upstream Nouveau community to make these drivers better. Simply install the mesa-dri-drivers-experimental package to take advantage of this new feature.
4.1.7. Shotwell replaces Gthumb and F-Spot as default photo organizer
Shotwell is a free and open source photo organizer designed for the GNOME desktop environment and has replaced Gthumb and F-Spot by default in Fedora 13. It supports the following features:
import photos from any digital camera supported by gPhoto
automatically organize events containing photos taken at the same time
use tags to organize your photo collection
edit non-destructively when altering photos, without ruining originals or using disk space for each copy
publish photos to Facebook, Flickr or Picasa
one-click auto-enhancement
rotate, mirror, and crop photos
reduce red-eye and adjust the exposure, saturation, tint, and temperature of your photos
edit any photo, even if it's not imported to the Shotwell library
For more information about
Shotwell, refer to
http://yorba.org/shotwell/.
Gthumb and
F-Spot continue to be maintained and available in the Fedora repository. They are not installed by default anymore.
4.1.8. Pino microblogging
To support the rapid rise of microblogging via services like identi.ca and twitter, Pino, a desktop client is included by default. It is a simple and fast. It supports many features including the following:
Identi.ca and twitter support
Multiple accounts
Follow/unfollow users
Support for status.net sites and API proxies for use with any identi.ca-like service, secure connections for Twitter and Twitter proxies, like birdnest and twit)
URL shortening via goo.gl and is.gd and ur1.ca
Nicks, tags and urls highlighting in the input widget
Direct messages with more than 140 characters
Support for favorites (add/remove/list)
Conversation view
4.1.9. Déjà Dup simple backup tool
Déjà Dup is the default simple backup tool for the GNOME desktop in Fedora 13. It hides the complexity of doing backups properly, and uses duplicity as the backend.
Features:
Support for local or remote backup locations, including Amazon S3
Securely encrypts and compresses your data
Incrementally backs up, letting you restore from any particular backup
Schedules regular backups
Integrates well into your GNOME desktop
4.1.10. Simple Scan scanning utility
Simple Scan is the default scanning utility for Fedora 13.
Simple Scan is an easy-to-use application, designed to let users connect their scanner and import the image or document in an appropriate format. More details are available at
http://lwn.net/Articles/377063/.
The XSane standalone application and its GIMP plugin are still available for users who need to perform any of the following tasks:
tweak more parameters offered by the scanner drivers
use the scanner for directly copying or faxing
scan directly from within the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)
The standalone application can be selected as an optional package in the Graphics group in PackageKit. The GIMP plugin is installed along with the GIMP main package if the Graphics group is selected.
4.1.11. GNOME Color Manager
Color management helps artists, photographers, designers, and others display and print work more accurately using completely free software. Color management supports setting output gamma tables for most monitors, including when they are hotplugged during a session. Users can also install vendor-supplied ICC or ICM files by double-clicking them, and calibrate displays and scanners with external devices and color targets using the ArgyllCMS package. Written by Richard Hughes, Red Hat engineer and Fedora contributor.
Color management helps you control and produce more accurate color output for displays, printers, and scanners.
4.1.12. Nautilus Enhancements
The Nautilus file manager now defaults browser mode. The user interface for this mode has been reorganized. Additionally, nautilus can now offer two directories side-by-side, in the new split-view mode. Users may need to enable the location bar via the menu item.
Spatial mode is still available as an option.
4.1.13. Gnote Enhancements
Gnote is a C++ port of Tomboy. It is the default desktop note-taking application for GNOME in Fedora and has a number of enhancements and bug fixes. Gnote now has a few new add-ins, and follows the XDG directory specification from freedesktop.org. Notes stored in previous versions are automatically migrated from .gnote to .local/share/gnote in the user's home directory.
DVB support in Totem is now handled through the GNOME DVB Daemon, which brings things like Electronic Program Guide (EPG) support, easy to use tuning, and Exporting of TV channels through UPNP (with Rygel).
4.1.15. Rhythmbox iPod Touch and iPhone music management
Building on the file system access added in Fedora 12, Fedora 13 adds support for music management in Rhythmbox for iPod Touch and iPhone devices through the libgpod library, as well as more appropriate icons for those devices.
4.1.16. Xfce Software Changes
The Fedora 13 Xfce Spin brings several changes to the default applications:
Gftp has been dropped, as this functionality is provided by Thunar and Gigolo
Totem has been replaced by Parole, a media player designed for the Xfce desktop with simplicity, speed and resource usage in mind
Gnome-screensaver has been replaced by Xscreensaver
TigerVNC has been replaced by Remmina, with support for additional protocols (RDP, XDMCP, SSH) and improved integration with the Xfce desktop via the accompanying panel plugin
4.1.17. Radeon 3D no longer experimental
Support for 3D acceleration using the radeon driver is no longer considered experimental in Fedora 13.
4.1.18. Abiword not included in default Live image
Due to space considerations, Abiword is not included in the Fedora 13 Live image by default. If you have created a Live USB key using the persistent storage option, or install the image to a hard disk, you can add Abiword and any other desired applications.
4.1.19. Kudzu and hwbrowser deprecated
The kudzu package and the graphical hwbrowser application have been retired. The fwfstab package has been updated and no longer relies on kudzu. Users can now make use of the udev and udisks packages to provide necessary support and utilities.
