12 ms·

Elementary OS 0.3 “Freya” is released

54 points by forlorn 12y ago

harsh1618 12y ago
Official website: https://elementary.io https://elementary.io
- higherpurpose 12y ago
  As a new potential user I'd like to see more screenshots on the front page before I send them my money or download and install the OS. A video preview of 2-3 minutes would be even better.
  - fugusaurus 12y ago
    Select 'Custom' under the payment options, enter 0.00 and download. Contribute later if you want to.
    - evook 12y ago
      Their official Download Mirror is sourceforge.
  - donpdonp 12y ago
    There is a surprising lack of information on the website. Here are a couple links that help fill in the gaps. "elementary OS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu. It makes use of a desktop with its own shell named Pantheon,[2] and is deeply integrated with other elementary OS applications like Plank (a dock), Midori (the default web browser) and Scratch (a simple text editor). This distribution uses Gala as its window manager..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_OS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_OS "elementary OS Freya vs elementary OS Luna - What's new?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBS6RDLTNA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBS6RDLTNA It looks intriguing. A host of application level services built on linux leads me to think of this as a KDE-like effort to remake the desktop.
    - xorcist 12y ago
      A browser that's not Firefox or Chrome scares me slightly, considering the amount of resources that go into securing them, yet they all fall at cansecwest. How vulnerable can I expect to be running Midori?
      - TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
        Midori is WebKit-based, so it's only as vulnerable as Safari.
        setpatchaddress 12y ago
        WebKit isn't the only possible source of insecurity in an app that uses it. It may not even be in the top 10 versus things like image and font rendering libraries.
        psgbg 12y ago
        That's not actually true. A browser is not as secure as it's engine. The thing is really more complex than that. There are configurations concern, certificates, security layer, apps/plugins/add-ons, bugs within the ui layer...
        TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
        Sure, but the bulk of the issues are in the renderering engine, and for that they are sorted.
        psgbg 12y ago
        I know, it's the exposed part after all, but still I wouldn't recommend it as "secure as safari".
  - iKlsR 12y ago
    They did a hangout yesterday where they run through a few things here https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=wtxmBJKMrDI https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=wtxmBJKMrDI.
    - agumonkey 12y ago
      It's funny, it's like a bedroom version of an Apple conf. Similar progress pace, but small team and FOSS.
      - TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
        The eOS devs do seem to take a lot of cues from Apple.
        agumonkey 12y ago
        Yes, it's not surprising and not limited to them either. But seeing all the similarities in a non fanatic context also makes Apple work a tad less amazing.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
  - linuxexchange 12y ago
    We've been doing boot process and default desktop screencasts for new Linux releases for a little while now at LQ. http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-screencasts-114/elementary-os-freya-screencast-4175539420/ http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-screencasts-11... for the elementary OS Freya one.
nubela 12y ago
Anyone use linux (via Virtualbox) on a MBP? I really miss Linux but I really do not wanna fuck around with hardware/drivers anymore. And eOS is just gorgeous.
- sparaker 12y ago
  I have done this in the past and had no problems with it, besides it felt a bit slow.
- fit2rule 12y ago
  I run my main Linux development system under VMWare on OSX (on an rMBP) and it is awesome. I love it. Sometimes I forget OSX is even there.
- listic 12y ago
  I'm sure you can run Linux without a virtual machine of any kind on a Mac. With the right hardware (which MBP of some generation just might be) there's no need to fuck around; everything just works (and, unlike Windows, you can count on pulling a hard drive from one machine and putting into another). I have installed Ubuntu 14.04 on a white 2008 MacBook and it just worked.
  - hobarrera 12y ago
    Indeed. Macs are pretty popular for running Linux, since they have a very small variety of hardware that's mostly supported just fine, don't have locked bootloaders or any weird stuff like that (I'm looking at you, Sony), and offer pretty good hardware and price.
- dkuntz2 12y ago
  I've got an Arch image on my MBP, it's just as simple to setup as it sounds, just load the iso and follow the installation steps based on the distro. You may need to install some virtualbox drivers, but that's not difficult.
sparaker 12y ago
This is one of the linux flavors i actually like using. Great going guys.
acd 12y ago
Thinks this Linux distribution gets the desktop look right!
- listic 12y ago
  For those of us who equals 'right' with 'the way Apple does it'? Serious question; I am unfamiliar with this particular distro, and I've tried using a Mac and couldn't get used to it.
  - reitanqild 12y ago
    I like eOS. Like you I don't use Mac because of a few things that totally breaks it for me. eOS looks kind of like Mac OS X but IMO does a few things a lot better. For example consider just the fact that you can get a nice desktop where you can apt-get all your[0] normal programs and they look nice. Or the fact that the menu follow the window in question instead of being locked to the top of your screen. [0]:yes I consider myself a linux user who sometimes have to use other OS, not the other way around.
    - listic 12y ago
      I guess I have to try it. I think they could have explained how they are different and what their point is, on their site. Their Human Interface Guidelines are 'coming soon' https://elementary.io/docs/human-interface-guidelines https://elementary.io/docs/human-interface-guidelines. Are they just a few guys?
      - dkuntz2 12y ago
        Yup, it's mainly just a few guys in their free time IIRC. The HIG has been coming soon for several years now though.
  - TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
    For how long? Was it your main machine? Just trying it in a store you have no hope of getting to know it.
washadjeffmad 12y ago
Magnet link, amd64 iso: magnet:?xt=urn:btih:fc85dc999730a42de3924444aadbcfa183b5f388&dn=elementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso&tr=https%3A%2F%2Fashrise.com%3A443%2Fphoenix%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Fopen.demonii.com%3A1337%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.ccc.de%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.publicbt.com%3A80%2Fannounce&ws=http%3A%2F%2Fsuberb-sea2.dl.sourceforge.net%2Fproject%2Felementaryos%2Fstable%2Felementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso&ws=http%3A%2F%2Fignum.dl.sourceforge.net%2Fproject%2Felementaryos%2Fstable%2Felementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso&ws=http%3A%2F%2Fheanet.dl.sourceforge.net%2Fproject%2Felementaryos%2Fstable%2Felementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso&ws=http%3A%2F%2Fcitylan.dl.sourceforge.net%2Fproject%2Felementaryos%2Fstable%2Felementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso
- Scarbutt 12y ago
  You broke HN ;)
  - agumonkey 12y ago
    I don't know which I prefer, overly large page width, or overly large overflowed scrollable div.
- TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
  Might want to prefix that link with two spaces so it shows up as code.
kennywinker 12y ago
I installed the previous release (luna) a while ago on an older pc I had laying around. I was really impressed. Though much of it is a ripoff of OS X design it's a pretty well done ripoff and coming from a Mac I think it's the most usable linux distro I've used so far. I'd love to see more adoption of this project, as it has a lot of potential to make linux more usable to non-technical types.
- haddr 12y ago
  This is a very well-polished distribution in terms of usability and user interface. I don't care actually if they ripoff some good design examples as long as it gives a good overall feel. And it certainly does. I remember it was one of the fastest growing linux distribution some time ago...
- w4rh4wk5 12y ago
  "copy what's good, improve what's not"
haddr 12y ago
Do you know if the Elementary OS Luna gets updated automatically to the new Freya version?
Scarbutt 12y ago
I wonder how sustainable is their development method, are the UI changes to apps accepted upstream?
- TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
  I'm guessing you're a Spanish speaker? In English it's "sustainable", not "sostenible". :)
  - Scarbutt 12y ago
    hah thanks ;) I do use both languages frequently, fixed.
- harsh1618 12y ago
  They write their own apps for elementary OS instead of making UI changes to other apps. This includes the music player, file explorer, calendar, terminal emulator and settings app among others. IIRC the browser, email app and photo viewer are written by third parties specifically for elementary.
wz1000 12y ago
Interesting fact: This version was supposed to be called Isis until, well you know... Isis is a nice name with interesting mythological significance. Sad that it has been ruined for the foreseeable future.
- hobarrera 12y ago
  ... Uhm, no, I've no idea what's wrong about it now. Care to inform us of what you're talking about?
  - wz1000 12y ago
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_L... Pretty surprising that you don't know about it since they have been dominating news coverage for more than a year now.
denniskane 12y ago
Free, online operating systems that "install" in less than 2 seconds and never ask for any payment are the wave of the future. Oh, and did I mention the integrated AI? My web-based implementation of Unix: https://www.urdesk.net https://www.urdesk.net To go straight to the AI: https://www.urdesk.net/desk?intro=bertie https://www.urdesk.net/desk?intro=bertie I am always looking for help!
- TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
  > This site only works with an up-to-date version of Chrome! Also, that's not really an operating system. It's a web-based desktop environment, like the late g.ho.st, but not an OS.
AdmiralAsshat 12y ago
For anyone who likes the look of it but doesn't want to go off their current Linux distro, you can just download the Pantheon desktop. https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pantheon https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pantheon
- tvon 12y ago
  Last I tried it didn't work very well in Arch, but that may have changed over the past month or so.
itsjareds 12y ago
How is the HiDPI support in this version? I'm afraid to go to the trouble of making a live usb if everything is small.
- hyperion_ 12y ago
  Since they list HiDPI support as a goal for version 0.4, I wouldn't expect much. https://blueprints.launchpad.net/elementaryos/+spec/hidpi-support https://blueprints.launchpad.net/elementaryos/+spec/hidpi-su...
- harsh1618 12y ago
  > We’re pretty close to being able to support HiDPI displays like Retina, but we’re not quite there yet. http://blog.elementary.io/post/113920029861/hey-guys-i-love-the-design-of-freya-but-does-it http://blog.elementary.io/post/113920029861/hey-guys-i-love-...
vishnuks 12y ago
Can I Upgrade Luna to Freya?
MadcapJake 12y ago
Freya Release Post: http://blog.elementary.io/post/116134677986/freya-is-here http://blog.elementary.io/post/116134677986/freya-is-here
hobarrera 12y ago
So between this and mint cinnamon, what's the best choice to install to parents and friends that have little knowledge of *nix, but need a PC to work, email and IM with?

54 points by forlorn 12y ago

harsh1618 12y ago

Official website: https://elementary.io https://elementary.io

higherpurpose 12y ago
As a new potential user I'd like to see more screenshots on the front page before I send them my money or download and install the OS. A video preview of 2-3 minutes would be even better.
- fugusaurus 12y ago
  Select 'Custom' under the payment options, enter 0.00 and download. Contribute later if you want to.
  - evook 12y ago
    Their official Download Mirror is sourceforge.
- donpdonp 12y ago
  There is a surprising lack of information on the website. Here are a couple links that help fill in the gaps. "elementary OS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu. It makes use of a desktop with its own shell named Pantheon,[2] and is deeply integrated with other elementary OS applications like Plank (a dock), Midori (the default web browser) and Scratch (a simple text editor). This distribution uses Gala as its window manager..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_OS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_OS "elementary OS Freya vs elementary OS Luna - What's new?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBS6RDLTNA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CBS6RDLTNA It looks intriguing. A host of application level services built on linux leads me to think of this as a KDE-like effort to remake the desktop.
  - xorcist 12y ago
    A browser that's not Firefox or Chrome scares me slightly, considering the amount of resources that go into securing them, yet they all fall at cansecwest. How vulnerable can I expect to be running Midori?
    - TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
      Midori is WebKit-based, so it's only as vulnerable as Safari.
      - setpatchaddress 12y ago
        WebKit isn't the only possible source of insecurity in an app that uses it. It may not even be in the top 10 versus things like image and font rendering libraries.
      - psgbg 12y ago
        That's not actually true. A browser is not as secure as it's engine. The thing is really more complex than that. There are configurations concern, certificates, security layer, apps/plugins/add-ons, bugs within the ui layer...
        TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
        Sure, but the bulk of the issues are in the renderering engine, and for that they are sorted.
        psgbg 12y ago
        I know, it's the exposed part after all, but still I wouldn't recommend it as "secure as safari".
- iKlsR 12y ago
  They did a hangout yesterday where they run through a few things here https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=wtxmBJKMrDI https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=wtxmBJKMrDI.
  - agumonkey 12y ago
    It's funny, it's like a bedroom version of an Apple conf. Similar progress pace, but small team and FOSS.
    - TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
      The eOS devs do seem to take a lot of cues from Apple.
      - agumonkey 12y ago
        Yes, it's not surprising and not limited to them either. But seeing all the similarities in a non fanatic context also makes Apple work a tad less amazing.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- linuxexchange 12y ago
  We've been doing boot process and default desktop screencasts for new Linux releases for a little while now at LQ. http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-screencasts-114/elementary-os-freya-screencast-4175539420/ http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-screencasts-11... for the elementary OS Freya one.

nubela 12y ago

Anyone use linux (via Virtualbox) on a MBP? I really miss Linux but I really do not wanna fuck around with hardware/drivers anymore. And eOS is just gorgeous.

sparaker 12y ago
I have done this in the past and had no problems with it, besides it felt a bit slow.
fit2rule 12y ago
I run my main Linux development system under VMWare on OSX (on an rMBP) and it is awesome. I love it. Sometimes I forget OSX is even there.
listic 12y ago
I'm sure you can run Linux without a virtual machine of any kind on a Mac. With the right hardware (which MBP of some generation just might be) there's no need to fuck around; everything just works (and, unlike Windows, you can count on pulling a hard drive from one machine and putting into another). I have installed Ubuntu 14.04 on a white 2008 MacBook and it just worked.
- hobarrera 12y ago
  Indeed. Macs are pretty popular for running Linux, since they have a very small variety of hardware that's mostly supported just fine, don't have locked bootloaders or any weird stuff like that (I'm looking at you, Sony), and offer pretty good hardware and price.
dkuntz2 12y ago
I've got an Arch image on my MBP, it's just as simple to setup as it sounds, just load the iso and follow the installation steps based on the distro. You may need to install some virtualbox drivers, but that's not difficult.

sparaker 12y ago

This is one of the linux flavors i actually like using. Great going guys.

acd 12y ago

Thinks this Linux distribution gets the desktop look right!

listic 12y ago
For those of us who equals 'right' with 'the way Apple does it'? Serious question; I am unfamiliar with this particular distro, and I've tried using a Mac and couldn't get used to it.
- reitanqild 12y ago
  I like eOS. Like you I don't use Mac because of a few things that totally breaks it for me. eOS looks kind of like Mac OS X but IMO does a few things a lot better. For example consider just the fact that you can get a nice desktop where you can apt-get all your[0] normal programs and they look nice. Or the fact that the menu follow the window in question instead of being locked to the top of your screen. [0]:yes I consider myself a linux user who sometimes have to use other OS, not the other way around.
  - listic 12y ago
    I guess I have to try it. I think they could have explained how they are different and what their point is, on their site. Their Human Interface Guidelines are 'coming soon' https://elementary.io/docs/human-interface-guidelines https://elementary.io/docs/human-interface-guidelines. Are they just a few guys?
    - dkuntz2 12y ago
      Yup, it's mainly just a few guys in their free time IIRC. The HIG has been coming soon for several years now though.
- TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
  For how long? Was it your main machine? Just trying it in a store you have no hope of getting to know it.

washadjeffmad 12y ago

Magnet link, amd64 iso: magnet:?xt=urn:btih:fc85dc999730a42de3924444aadbcfa183b5f388&dn=elementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso&tr=https%3A%2F%2Fashrise.com%3A443%2Fphoenix%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Fopen.demonii.com%3A1337%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.ccc.de%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.openbittorrent.com%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.publicbt.com%3A80%2Fannounce&ws=http%3A%2F%2Fsuberb-sea2.dl.sourceforge.net%2Fproject%2Felementaryos%2Fstable%2Felementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso&ws=http%3A%2F%2Fignum.dl.sourceforge.net%2Fproject%2Felementaryos%2Fstable%2Felementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso&ws=http%3A%2F%2Fheanet.dl.sourceforge.net%2Fproject%2Felementaryos%2Fstable%2Felementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso&ws=http%3A%2F%2Fcitylan.dl.sourceforge.net%2Fproject%2Felementaryos%2Fstable%2Felementaryos-freya-amd64.20150411.iso

Scarbutt 12y ago
You broke HN ;)
- agumonkey 12y ago
  I don't know which I prefer, overly large page width, or overly large overflowed scrollable div.
TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
Might want to prefix that link with two spaces so it shows up as code.

kennywinker 12y ago

I installed the previous release (luna) a while ago on an older pc I had laying around. I was really impressed. Though much of it is a ripoff of OS X design it's a pretty well done ripoff and coming from a Mac I think it's the most usable linux distro I've used so far. I'd love to see more adoption of this project, as it has a lot of potential to make linux more usable to non-technical types.

haddr 12y ago
This is a very well-polished distribution in terms of usability and user interface. I don't care actually if they ripoff some good design examples as long as it gives a good overall feel. And it certainly does. I remember it was one of the fastest growing linux distribution some time ago...
w4rh4wk5 12y ago
"copy what's good, improve what's not"

haddr 12y ago

Do you know if the Elementary OS Luna gets updated automatically to the new Freya version?

Scarbutt 12y ago

I wonder how sustainable is their development method, are the UI changes to apps accepted upstream?

TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
I'm guessing you're a Spanish speaker? In English it's "sustainable", not "sostenible". :)
- Scarbutt 12y ago
  hah thanks ;) I do use both languages frequently, fixed.
harsh1618 12y ago
They write their own apps for elementary OS instead of making UI changes to other apps. This includes the music player, file explorer, calendar, terminal emulator and settings app among others. IIRC the browser, email app and photo viewer are written by third parties specifically for elementary.

wz1000 12y ago

Interesting fact: This version was supposed to be called Isis until, well you know... Isis is a nice name with interesting mythological significance. Sad that it has been ruined for the foreseeable future.

hobarrera 12y ago
... Uhm, no, I've no idea what's wrong about it now. Care to inform us of what you're talking about?
- wz1000 12y ago
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_L... Pretty surprising that you don't know about it since they have been dominating news coverage for more than a year now.

denniskane 12y ago

Free, online operating systems that "install" in less than 2 seconds and never ask for any payment are the wave of the future. Oh, and did I mention the integrated AI? My web-based implementation of Unix: https://www.urdesk.net https://www.urdesk.net To go straight to the AI: https://www.urdesk.net/desk?intro=bertie https://www.urdesk.net/desk?intro=bertie I am always looking for help!

TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
> This site only works with an up-to-date version of Chrome! Also, that's not really an operating system. It's a web-based desktop environment, like the late g.ho.st, but not an OS.

AdmiralAsshat 12y ago

For anyone who likes the look of it but doesn't want to go off their current Linux distro, you can just download the Pantheon desktop. https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pantheon https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pantheon

tvon 12y ago
Last I tried it didn't work very well in Arch, but that may have changed over the past month or so.

itsjareds 12y ago

How is the HiDPI support in this version? I'm afraid to go to the trouble of making a live usb if everything is small.

hyperion_ 12y ago
Since they list HiDPI support as a goal for version 0.4, I wouldn't expect much. https://blueprints.launchpad.net/elementaryos/+spec/hidpi-support https://blueprints.launchpad.net/elementaryos/+spec/hidpi-su...
harsh1618 12y ago
> We’re pretty close to being able to support HiDPI displays like Retina, but we’re not quite there yet. http://blog.elementary.io/post/113920029861/hey-guys-i-love-the-design-of-freya-but-does-it http://blog.elementary.io/post/113920029861/hey-guys-i-love-...

vishnuks 12y ago

Can I Upgrade Luna to Freya?

MadcapJake 12y ago

Freya Release Post: http://blog.elementary.io/post/116134677986/freya-is-here http://blog.elementary.io/post/116134677986/freya-is-here

hobarrera 12y ago

So between this and mint cinnamon, what's the best choice to install to parents and friends that have little knowledge of *nix, but need a PC to work, email and IM with?