These are the Talking Points for the Fedora 19 release. For information on how these talking points were chosen, see Talking Points SOP. They are intended to help Ambassadors quickly present an overview of highlighted features when talking about the release.
The talking points are based in part on the features for this release. Any Fedora community member can introduce a feature, using our feature process.
Create and Develop
Would you like to play? Whether you're a developer, maker, or just getting started, we have the tools to help you get things done.
3D Printing Feature
3D printing is enabled through availability of a variety of tools, ranging from software for creation of 3D models, to tools for generation of G-code and delivery to a 3D printer. Software available includes: OpenSCAD, for creating solid 3D CAD objects, and the associated MCAD library, for design and mock-up of mechanical designs; Skeinforge and SFACT, toolchains for conversion of 3D models into instructions for RepRap; Printrun, a suite of G-code sender tools for RepRap, with both command-line and graphical interfaces, as well as a GUI tool to prepare printing plate from STL files for RepRap; and RepetierHost, an all-in-one tool for 3D printing, with the ability to model on a virtual print plate, slice models, and error-check and send G-code.
3D modeling and printing is enabled through a variety of tools in Fedora, including OpenSCAD, Skeinforge, SFACT, Printrun, and RepetierHost.
Developer's Assistant Feature
Perfect for new developers and developers not previously familiar with Linux, the Developer's Assistant provides an easy method for developers to start new projects via package sets by language (currently C, Java, and Python). A new project can take advantage of project templates and samples, based on language selection or framework, as well as having the appropriate toolchain installed to develop in that language. Additionally, the ability to directly upload to GitHub makes it easier than ever for developers to distribute their code the best way: to the wider open source community.
Get your development started with templates and samples, code with the appropriate toolchain, and package and distribute your creations.
Node.js Feature
The Node.js platform is a highly popular development and deployment ecosystem, designed for easily building fast, scalable network applications, and is suitable for developing real-time applications that run across distributed devices. In addition to the node.js runtime, the npm package manager is also included. End-users will also benefit from the ability to run Node.js apps such as etherpad lite and ethercalc in Fedora.
Easily build network applications and real-time, distributed applications with the node.js development and deployment ecosystem.
Ruby 2.0.0 Feature
Ruby 2.0.0 is the newest version of this popular language, released in February 2013. It includes a number of new features and increases in speed and reliability. An included custom Ruby loader provides the ability to easily switch interpreters while still keeping backwards compatibility with all the user's ruby scripts.
The newest version of Ruby, a popular development language, is available in Fedora 19.
Thermostat 1.0 Feature
Thermostat 1.0 is the first API-stable release of this tool for OpenJDK. Designed to monitor and service Java apps, Thermostat enables the ability to examine applications as they are running. The 1.0 release includes improvements in gathering information for monitored hosts and Java virtual machines, either on a single machine or in a network or cluster, and a stable API for plugin developers.
Thermostat is a monitoring, instrumentation and serviceability tool for OpenJDK which enables developers to examine applications as they run.
OpenShift Origin Feature
Enabling users to deploy their own Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) infrastructure environment, OpenShift Origin creates an application platform in the cloud where application developers and teams can build, test, deploy, and run their applications. It manages the infrastructure, middleware, and management of the PaaS, and allows the developer to focus on what they do best: designing and coding applications, using the wide variety of "cartridges" available to enable their preferred development toolchain.
Implement your own PaaS infrastructure with OpenShift Origin to easily enable developers to code and deploy applications in a cloud environment.
Scratch for Fedora
Scratch is a graphical, educational programming environment, created by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. Scratch makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, games, animations, music, and art.
Learn as you code, create stories and games, and more with the Scratch programming environment.
Deploy, Monitor, and Manage
Make your machines work for you -- not the other way around. If you have one, or if you have many machines, Fedora has the tools you need to boot and manage your systems, and enable you to be proactive with tools for diagnosis, monitoring, and logging.
Checkpoint and Restore Feature
The checkpoint/restore feature enables the ability to checkpoint processes, and restore them on another machine. Created by the CRIU project, the crtools software can be used for cases such as load balancing, fault tolerance, or system maintenance purposes. Taken in regular intervals, process checkpoints can be used to either restore a process (in case of failure) without significant data loss, or to move a process, process tree, or container to another machine for load balancing or system maintenance purposes, without disrupting service.
The Checkpoint/restore capability provides the ability to checkpoint and restore a process, and is useful for cases such as process failure, or moving a process to another machine for maintenance or load balancing.
High Availability Container Resources Feature
High Availability Container Resources Feature
Extend the HA stack beyond management of virtual guests, to containers inside the guests themselves, with High Availability Container Resources. Enabling the ability to manage both virtual guests and the resources that live within the guests, all from the host cluster node, this feature can be used without guests needing to run the cluster stack, and new containers can be defined and subsequently added to the HA cluster, which is built on pacemaker and corosync.
Define and add containers in your virtual guests through discovery enabled by High Availability Container Resources.
OpenLMI Feature
System Management with OpenLMI Feature
OpenLMI provides a common infrastructure for the management of Linux systems, making remote management of machines easier. Extending upon previously available capabilities, a storage API for remote storage management, providers for remote hardware inventory ad AD/Kerberos realm enrollment, and easier, more scriptable remote storage management are now in place.
Easier management of remote systems.
Virt Storage Migration Feature
Features/Virt_Storage_Migration
Virt storage migration delivers the ability to move a virtual machine *and* in-use storage, without requiring shared storage between the hosts. This extends upon the previously available ability to migrate a VM from one host to another, but in an environment where VM storage disks needed to be shared by the respective hosts, as well as mounted in the same location. New improvements in QEMU enable this technology, extending upon previous, less simple capabilities.
Migrate virtual machines, with or without shared storage between the hosts.
systemd Resource Control Feature
Resource Control with systemd Feature
systemd resource control enables administrators to dynamically modify c-groups based resource controls for services at runtime. Service settings such as MemoryLimit=, CPUShares= or BlockIOWeight= can now be changed at runtime, and have the changes take effect immediately. This brings easy management of system resources, without the need to reboot.
Modify your service settings without a reboot -- dynamically query and modify resource control parameters at runtime with systemd Resource Control.
Syslinux Boot Option Feature
This optional bootloader, which can be used in place of grub2, is focused on virtualized systems as a primary target. It is small, has minimal dependencies, is significantly easier to use than grub2, and is ideal for use in images in the cloud and other Fedora-based virt appliances.
Optional, simplified booting of Fedora, ideal for images used in cloud environments and virt appliances.
Desktop Environments and Spins
Spins are alternate versions of Fedora, tailored for various uses by community members.
Spins are alternate versions of Fedora. In addition to various desktop environments for Fedora, spins are also available as tailored environments for various types of users via hand-picked application sets or customizations.
Interest-specific Spins include the Design Suite Spin, the Robotics Spin, and the Security Spin, among others. Other available desktop environments, in addition to the GNOME 3.8 desktop which is shipped in the default version of Fedora 19, as well as those highlighted below, include XFCE, Sugar on a Stick, and LXDE.
To see all of the Official Fedora 19 Release Spins, see the Fedora 19 Release Spins link.
GNOME 3.8
GNOME 3.8 features a variety of upgrades, including new applications for note-taking and photos, and improvements to accessibility, ibus integration, and search capabilities. Additionally, support for more advanced networking feature, such as bridging, bonding, and VLANs, is enabled in the shell and network control panel. Fallback mode has been eliminated in GNOME 3.8, and a "Classic Mode" is now available to provide a user experience similar to GNOME 2. Finally, Owncloud support has been integrated as a way for users to access cloud storage capabilities.
GNOME 3.8 brings new applications and improvements to the desktop, and additionally provides the ability to enable a "classic mode" for those longing for the GNOME 2 user experience.
KDE Plasma Workspaces 4.10
KDE Plasma Workspaces 4.10 Desktop
Based on top of Qt 4.8, KDE Plasma Workspaces 4.10 brings in a new screen locking mechanism, animated wallpapers, and a new print manager. It also features improvements to several areas, including accessibility features, faster indexing of files, and better zooming capabilities in Okular.
A modern, stable desktop environment, KDE Plasma Workspaces 4.10 includes new features for printing and screenlocking, better indexing of files, and improved accessibility features.
MATE Desktop 1.6
With a large number of improvements, the MATE 1.6 desktop continues to deliver in its mission to bring a traditional, GNOME 2-like interface to your desktop. Improvements to dbus, the panel, control center, and themes have been implemented; other updates, such as support for GTK3 in most themes, a newer calculator, and improvements to the dbus interface are also included.
The MATE 1.6 Desktop brings a large number of improvements to this traditional, GNOME 2-like desktop interface.
Pre-Work / Suggestions on Changes to Talking Points
We have traditionally used categories along the lines of "User, Developer, Sysadmin," and of late have used additional categories for release announcements such as "cloud." I'd like to rethink that - the line is increasingly blurry for all of those groups, and I wonder if we might get more understanding by grouping some features along the lines of what they enable.
Suggested Categories
- User
- Sysadmin
- Developer
- Cloud
- (new) Develop and Distribute: Languages, compilers, and tools for developing software, and tools for packaging software.
- (new) Start and Recover: Enabling a variety of options for improving boot times, as well as quicker recovery from system or software failure.
- (new) Monitor and Manage: Systems and resource management, and tools for diagnosis, monitoring, and logging.
- Add your suggestion here!
How to use Categories
Feel free to give a feature multiple categories; if you come up with category suggestions of your own, add them to the suggested categories list and apply them in the list of features as you see fit and reasonable.
Brainstorming List
Features on this draft/brainstorming list have been accepted as features for Fedora 19. Extended descriptions of the features can be seen on the Feature List; it may be helpful to view that list in a separate window as you consider which features
| Feature | Category | Why should this be a talking point? |
|---|---|---|
| 3D Printing | Users, Developers, Develop & Distribute | This enables 3D printing technologies directly in Fedora, including creation of 3D models, generation of G-code for printers, and the ability to control 3D printers, such as RepRap. These capabilities are new to Fedora. |
| AnacondaNewUI Followup | ||
| Anaconda Realm Integration | ||
| BIND10 | ||
| CUPS 1.6 | ||
| Checkpoint/Restore | Sysadmin, Start & Recover | Enables process checkpoints, which can be used to either restore a process (in case of failure) without significant data loss, or to move a process, process tree, or container to another machine for load balancing or system maintenance purposes, without disrupting service. |
| Developers Assistant | Developers, Develop & Distribute | Provides an easy method for developers to start new projects via package sets by language (currently C, Java, and Python). A new project can take advantage of project templates and samples, based on language selection or framework, as well as having the appropriate toolchain installed to develop in that language. Additionally, the ability to directly upload to GitHub is HUUUUUGE and cool. |
| Dracut HostOnly | ||
| Erlang/OTP R16 | ||
| Fedora 19 Boost 1.53 Uplift | ||
| Federated VoIP | ||
| firewalld Lockdown | ||
| firewalld Rich Language | ||
| First-Class Cloud Images | ||
| FreeIPA Two Factor Authentication | ||
| GCC 4.8.x | ||
| GLIBC 2.17 | ||
| GNOME 3.8 | ||
| Guile2 | ||
| High Availability Container Resources | Sysadmin, Monitor & Manage | Extends the HA stack (pacemaker + corosync) beyond management of virtual guests to inside the guests themselves, enabling the ability to manage both virtual guests and the resources that live within the guests all from the host cluster node without requiring the guest nodes to run the cluster stack. New containers can be defined and subsequently added to the cluster. |
| FreeIPA v3 Trust Improvements | ||
| Features/JRuby 1.7 | ||
| Java 8 | ||
| KDE Plasma Workspaces 4.10 | ||
| KScreen | ||
| Less Brittle Kerberos | ||
| MATE Desktop 1.6 | ||
| MEMSTOMP | ||
| MinGW GCC 4.8 | ||
| More Mobile Broadband | ||
| NFStest | ||
| New firstboot | ||
| Node.js | Developers, Develop & Distribute | The Node.js platform is a highly popular development and deployment ecosystem, designed for easily building fast, scalable network applications, and suitable for developing real-time applications that run across distributed devices. In addition to the node.js runtime, the npm package manager is also included. End-users will also benefit from the ability to run Node.js apps such as etherpad lite and ethercalc in Fedora. |
| Ease Of Use: System Management with OpenLMI | Sysadmins, Monitor and Manage | |
| OpenShift Origin | ||
| OpenStack Grizzly | ||
| Feature Name: Performance Co-Pilot Feature Update | ||
| PHP 5.5 | ||
| Pillow | ||
| QXL/Spice KMS Driver | ||
| Update RPM to 4.11 | ||
| Realmd FreeIPA Support | ||
| Remove PyXML from Fedora | ||
| Replace MySQL with MariaDB | ||
| Ruby 2.0.0 | Developers, Develop & Distribute | Ruby 2.0.0 is the newest version of this popular language, released in February 2013. It includes a number of new features and increases in speed and reliability. An included custom Ruby loader provides the ability to easily switch interpreters while still keeping backwards compatibility with all the user's ruby scripts. |
| Ryu Network Operating System | ||
| SSSD improve AD integration | ||
| Scratch for Fedora | ||
| Shared System Certificates | ||
| Simplify Java/Maven Packaging using XMvn | Developers, Develop & Distribute | |
| Syslinux Option | Sysadmin, Cloud, Start & Recover | This optional bootloader, which can be used in place of grub2, is focused on virtualized systems as a primary target. It is small, has minimal dependencies, is significantly easier to use than grub2, and is ideal for use in images in the cloud and other Fedora-based virt appliances. |
| systemd Calendar Timers | ||
| systemd Lightweight Containers | ||
| systemd Message Catalog | ||
| systemd/udev Predictable Network Interface Names | ||
| systemd Resource Control | Sysadmins, Monitor & Manage | Enables administrators to dynamically modify c-groups based resource controls for services at runtime. Service settings such as MemoryLimit=, CPUShares= or BlockIOWeight= can now be changed at runtime, and have the changes take effect immediately. |
| Systemtap 2.2 | Sysadmins, Monitor & Manage | |
| Thermostat 1.0 | Sysadmins, Monitor & Manage | This monitoring and servicing tool for Java apps enables the ability to examine applications as they are running. The 1.0 release includes improvements in gathering information for monitored hosts and Java virtual machines, either on a single machine or in a network or cluster, and a stable API for plugin developers. |
| Trusted Network Connect (TNC) | ||
| Virt Storage Migration | Sysadmin, Monitor & Manage, possibly Start & Recover? | While the ability to migrate a virtual machine from one host to another has existed for a while, but VM storage disks previously needed to be shared by the respective hosts, as well as mounted in the same location. Virt storage migration enables the ability to move the VM *and* in-use storage, without having shared storage between the hosts. This ability comes directly from new improvements in QEMU, which previously had a storage migration feature, but was painful. |
| Virtio RNG | ||
| Add LVM Thin provisioning support to the yum-fs-snapshot plugin | ||
| Yum Groups as Objects | ||
| GSS Proxy | ||
| libkkc |