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GNOME 3.8
Summary
Update GNOME to the latest upstream release
Owner
- Name: Matthias Clasen
- Email: mclasen@redhat.com
Current status
- Targeted release: Fedora 19
- Last updated: 2013-01-23
- Percentage of completion: 30%
GNOME 3.7.4 is in rawhide.
Detailed Description
GNOME 3.8 continues development along the lines of 3.6:
- Building out the central features of GNOME 3: search, notifications, privacy, sharing
- Support for more online accounts
- Better accessibility
- Improved IBus integration
- New applications
- Fallback mode is going away in 3.8. Instead, there will be a set of supported extensions that is grouped together in a 'classic mode, which provides a more GNOME 2-like user experience
For detailed descriptions and designs of the features that are being worked on for GNOME 3.8, see the feature list.
Benefit to Fedora
Fedora stays in sync with upstream.
Scope
- Keep existing GNOME packages updated
- Follow upstream module changes
- gcalctool -> gnome-calculator 896449
- gnome-games -> many little game modules
- Package the extensions and session definition for classic mode (Done, part of the gnome-shell-extensions package)
- Package new applications and new dependencies of existing GNOME packages
How To Test
Generic 'desktop testing' is always appropriate for a major new desktop version.
Specific testing for new features:
Classic mode
- Test that choosing 'classic mode' in the gdm session chooser works as expected and is remembered
Search
- Test that nautilus, gnome-boxes, gnome-contacts, gnome-documents are listed in the search panel
- Test that turning off search altogether is reflected in the GNOME shell search
- Test that turning off individual search providers is respected in GNOME shell search
- Test that the order of search results in GNOME shell matches the order in the search panel
- Test that tracker indexes the directories that are listed in the search locations popup
- Test that clicking on applications in the GNOME shell search launches them
- Test that clicking on individual search results launches the right app with this item
- Test that clicking on the search provider icon launches the right app with the same search
Notifications
- Test that the notifications switch in the user menu prevents all notifications from popping up
- Test that the "show popup banners" switch in the notification does the same
- Test that the "show in lock screen" switch prevents all notifications from showing up while the screen is locked
- Test that the details setting for each listed application have the desired effect
- Test that an application that is not listed in the panel gets added to the list after it sents a notification
- Test that Super-M toggles the message tray up and down
Privacy
- Check that the lock screen settings work as expected; also check the interaction with screen-related power saving settings
- Check that visibility settings are respected
- Verify that cleaning recent files works
- Verify that purging trash and temporary files works, and that it respects file ownership in /tmp and /var/tmp
Sharing
- Check that Bluetooth settings are respected
- Check that Personal file sharing settings are respected
- Check that activating screen sharing starts and stops vino
- Check that other screen sharing settings are respected
- Check that media sharing works
- Check that remote login starts and stops sshd
- Check that not having vino, rygel or sshd installed causes the relevant settings to be disabled
Clocks
- Test that launching gnome-clocks from the GNOME shell calendar works
- Test that you can add and remove clocks for multiple locations
- Test that you alarms notify you at the right time, and that repetition works
- Test that the timer notifies you when the time is up
User Experience
Overall desktop experience should be largely unchanged from F18.
Noticeable changes in the details:
- Redesigned search results display in the GNOME shell overview
- New settings panels for search, notifications, privacy and sharing
- First time login experience will have an 'initial setup' wizard
- Support for OwnCloud in online-accounts
- Classic mode will be available as an alternative session
Dependencies
Contingency Plan
- If GNOME 3.8 does not happen in time for Fedora 19, ship a release candidate like 3.7.91
- Upstream will also look at dropping individual features if they are not ready in time
Documentation
- GNOME 3.8 planned features
- GNOME 3.8 schedule
- GNOME 3.8 release notes (not yet available)
Release Notes
Fedora 19 includes the latest version of the GNOME desktop, 3.8. For more information about what is new in this GNOME release, see the release notes.