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==Fedora Desktop==
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This section details changes that affect Fedora graphical desktop users.
[[Category:Docs Project]]
 
[[Category:Draft documentation]]
=== Better Webcam support ===
[[Category:Documentation beats]]
 
Fedora 10 comes with much improved support for webcams.
 
Next to improvements to the UVC driver which was first introduced in Fedora 9 and supports any webcam with a vista compliant logo, Fedora 10 also features a brand new v4l2 version of gspca, an usb webcam driver framework with support for many different usb webcam bridges and sensors.
 
Userspace support for webcams has also been improved by adding libv4l and updating all webcam using applications to use libv4l, this makes these applications understand the often manufacturer specific and custom video formats emitted by many webcams, esp. by many of the webcams supported by gspca.
 
For a list of all webcams and applications with which Fedora-10's new webcam support has been tested see
the [https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/BetterWebcamSupport BetterWebcamSupport feature page], for a list of all cams supported by the original version of gspca see the [http://mxhaard.free.fr/spca5xx.html original gspca website]. The v4l2 version of gspca in Fedora-10 supports all these webcams and more.
 
=== Plymouth Graphical Boot ===
 
The graphical boot up system used in previous Fedora versions called rhgb is being replaced with a new system called Plymouth.  There are a few issues with Plymouth in the Beta:
 
* Adding <code>rhgb</code> on the command line directs Plymouth to load the appropriate plugin for your hardware.
 
* The graphical boot splash screen that comes with Plymouth requires [http://keithp.com/blogs/kernel-mode-drivers/ kernel mode setting drivers] to work best.  There are not kernel modesetting drivers available for all hardware yet.  To see the graphical splash before the drivers land, add <code>vga=0x318</code> to the kernel grub command line.  This uses <code>vesafb</code>, which does not necessarily give the native resolution for the flat panel, and may cause flickering or other weird interactions with X.  Without kernel modesetting drivers or <code>vga=0x318</code>, Plymouth uses a text-based plugin that is plain but functional.
 
* Currently, only Radeon R500 and higher users will get kernel modesetting by default.  There is work in progress to provide modesetting for R100 and R200.  Additionally, Intel kernel modesetting drivers are in development, but not turned on by default.
 
* The kernel modesetting drivers are still in active development. If you end up with nothing but a black screen during boot up, or a screen with nothing but random noise on it, then adding "nomodeset" to the kernel boot prompt in <code>grub</code> disables modesetting.
 
* Plymouth hides boot messages.  To view boot messages, press the '''[Esc]''' key during boot, or view them in <code>/var/log/boot.log</code> after boot up.  Alternatively, remove <code>rhgb</code> from the kernel command line and plymouth will display all boot messages. There is also a status icon on the login screen to view boot warnings.
 
=== Echo Icon Theme ===
 
Echo is an icon theme developed for Fedora by the volunteer art community. It inherits the isometric perspective from the classic Bluecurve theme while introducing a refreshing new look. It follows the freedesktop.org theme specification. Current version covers essential icons from the desktop menus and applications. Future revisions will bring more broader coverage. 
 
Currently, both GNOME and Xfce uses the Echo icon theme by default. KDE continues to use the Oxygen icon theme. The next release of Fedora will potentially introduce Echo by default for KDE as well for a consistent look and feel across different desktop environments.
 
=== Infrared remotes support ===
 
New to Fedora 10 is the gnome-lirc-properties package that allows you to configure LIRC for use with applications supporting the protocol.
 
LIRC is routinely used in multimedia applications to implement support for infrared remote controls, and using it in Rhythmbox and Totem should be as easy as plugging the remote receiver into your computer, and selecting '''[Auto-detect]''' in the "Infrared Remote Control" preferences. See the [https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/BetterLIRCSupport feature page] for more information.
 
=== GNOME ===
 
This release features [http://www.gnome.org/start/2.24/ GNOME] {{Template:DocsDict/GnomeVer}}.
 
==== Empathy Instant Messenger ====
 
Empathy instant messenger is the new default replacing Pidgin in this release. It has support for multiple protocols including IRC, XMPP(Jabber), Yahoo, MSN and others via plugins. It also supports video and voice in the XMPP protocol and support for other protocols is under active development. Empathy uses the telepathy framework that has a number of additional plugins:
 
* telepathy-gabble - Jabber/XMPP lugin
* telepathy-idle - IRC plugin
* telepathy-butterfly - MSN plugin
* telepathy-sofiasip - SIP plugin
* telepathy-haze - Libpurple(Pidgin) library connection manager provides support for other protocols such as Yahoo
 
Pidgin continues to be available in the Fedora software repository and will be retained as the default for users upgrading from previous releases of Fedora.
 
==== GNOME Display Manager ====
 
The GNOME Display Manager (<code>gdm</code>) has been updated to the latest upstream code, which is a complete rewrite driven by Fedora developers. PolicyKit can be used to control shutdown and reboot.  The configuration tool <code>gdmsetup</code> is missing currently, and set to be replaced. For configuration changes, refer
 
http://live.gnome.org/GDM/2.22/Configuration
 
=== KDE ===
 
This release features [http://kde.org/announcements/announce-4.1.2.php KDE] {{Template:DocsDict/KDEVer}}. As the <code>kdevelop</code> packages is not part of KDE 4.1 and <code>kdewebdev</code> is only partially available (no '''Quanta''') in KDE 4.1, the KDE 3.5.10 versions of those packages are shipped. A <code>kdegames3</code> package containing the games not yet ported to KDE 4 is also available.
 
[http://www.kde.org/announcements/4.1/ KDE 4.1] is the latest feature release of KDE 4. It features several new features and many usability improvements and bugfixes over [http://www.kde.org/announcements/4.0/ KDE 4.0], the first KDE 4 release series, including a folder view desktop applet (plasmoid), improvements to Dolphin and Konqueror and many new and improved applications. [http://kde.org/announcements/announce-4.1.2.php KDE 4.1.2] is a bugfix release from the KDE 4.1 release series.
 
Fedora 10 does '''not''' include the legacy KDE 3 Desktop. It does include a compatibility KDE 3 Development Platform, which can be used to build and run KDE 3 applications within KDE 4 or any other desktop environment. Refer to the ''Backwards Compatibility'' section for more details about what is included.
 
Fedora 10 includes a snapshot of <code>knetworkmanager</code> which works with the prerelease of '''NetworkManager''' 0.7 in Fedora 10. As it was not considered ready for production use, the KDE Live images use <code>nm-applet</code> from <code>NetworkManager-gnome</code> instead (as in Fedora 8 and 9). The <code>gnome-keyring-daemon</code> facility saves passwords for these encryption technologies. <code>knetworkmanager</code> can, however, be installed from the repository.
 
As the native '''KWin''' window manager now optionally supports compositing and desktop effects, the KDE Live images no longer include '''Compiz/Beryl''' (since Fedora 9). The '''KWin''' compositing/effects mode is disabled by default, but can be enabled in <code>systemsettings</code>. '''Compiz''' (with KDE 4 integration) is available from the repository by installing the <code>compiz-kde</code> package.
 
==== Enhancements ====
 
* '''Plasma''' is more mature and panel configuration has been extended. The new panel controller makes it easy to customize your panel providing direct visual feedback. The Plasma's Folderview applet provides a view of a directory and thus allows you to store files on desktop. It is replacement for well known icons on desktop.
 
==== Package and Application Changes ====
 
* Fedora 10 ships <code>kdepim</code> {{Template:DocsDict/KDEVer}} instead of 3.5.x.
* <code>libkipi</code>, <code>libkexiv2</code> and <code>libkdcraw</code> have been obsoleted by the KDE 4 versions in the <code>kdegraphics</code> package. Accordingly, <code>kipi-plugins</code>, <code>digikam</code> and <code>kphotoalbum</code> have been updated to KDE 4 versions.
* <code>kpackagekit</code>, a KDE frontend to PackageKit, is now available. (It may be made available as an update for Fedora 9 at a later time.)
 
In addition, the following changes made since the Fedora 9 release, which have been backported to Fedora 9 updates, are also part of Fedora 10:
* KDE has been upgraded from version 4.0.3 to {{Template:DocsDict/KDEVer}}.
* <code>qt</code> and <code>PyQt4</code> have been upgraded from 4.3 to 4.4.
* <code>kdewebdev</code>, <code>kdevelop</code>, <code>kdegames3</code> and the KDE 3 backwards-compatibility libraries have been upgraded from KDE 3.5.9 to 3.5.10.
* '''QtWebKit''' is now part of the <code>qt</code> package. The standalone <code>WebKit-qt</code> package has been obsoleted.
* The new package <code>qgtkstyle</code> contains a Qt 4 style using GTK+ for drawing, providing better integration of Qt 4 and KDE 4 applications into GNOME.
* <code>phonon</code>, which was part of <code>kdelibs</code> in Fedora 9, is now a separate package. An optional '''GStreamer''' backend (<code>phonon-backend-gstreamer</code>) is now available, but the '''xine-lib''' backend, which is now packaged as <code>phonon-backend-xine</code>, is still the recommended default backend and is now required by the <code>phonon</code> package.
* The <code>kdegames3</code> package no longer provides development support for the KDE 3 version of '''libkdegames''' because nothing in Fedora outside of <code>kdegames3</code> itself requires that library anymore.
* The package <code>okteta</code> is now part of <code>kdeutils</code>.
* The package <code>dragonplayer</code> is now part of <code>kdemultimedia</code>.
* <code>kaider</code> has been renamed to '''Lokalize''' and is now part of <code>kdesdk</code>.
* The package <code>ksirk</code> has been ported to KDE 4 and is now part of <code>kdegames</code>.
* The package <code>extragear-plasma</code> has been renamed to <code>kdeplasma-addons</code>.
 
=== Web Browsers ===
 
==== Enabling Flash Plugin ====
 
Fedora includes <code>swfdec</code> and <code>gnash</code>, which are free and open source implementations of Flash.  We encourage you to try either of them before seeking out Adobe's proprietary Flash Player plug-in software. The Adobe Flash Player plug-in uses a legacy sound framework that does not work correctly without additional support. Run the following command to enable this support:
 
<pre>
su -c "yum install libflashsupport"
</pre>
 
If you are using Flash 10, you do not need libflashsupport anymore as the usage of ALSA has been fixed in this version.
 
 
Users of Fedora x86_64 must install the <code>nspluginwrapper.i386</code> package to enable the 32-bit Adobe Flash Player plug-in in '''Firefox''', and the <code>libflashsupport.i386</code> package to enable sound from the plug-in.
 
* Install the <code>nspluginwrapper.i386</code>, <code>nspluginwrapper.x86_64</code>, and <code>libflashsupport.i386</code> packages:
<pre>su -c "yum install nspluginwrapper.{i386,x86_64} libflashsupport.i386"
</pre>
 
* Install <code>flash-plugin</code> as shown above after nspluginwrapper.i386 is installed.
 
* Run <code>mozilla-plugin-config</code> to register the flash plugin:
<pre>su -c "mozilla-plugin-config -i -g -v"
</pre>
 
* Close all '''Firefox''' windows, and then relaunch '''Firefox'''.
* Type <code>about:plugins</code> in the URL bar to ensure the plugin is loaded.
 
=== Disabling PC Speaker ===
 
PC speaker is enabled by default in Fedora.  If you do not prefer this, there are two ways to circumvent the sounds:
 
* Reduce its volume to a acceptable level or completely mute the PC speaker in <code>alsamixer</code> with the setting for ''PC Speak''.
 
* Disable the PC speaker system wide by running the following commands in a console.
 
<pre>
su -
modprobe -r pcspkr
echo "install pcspkr :" >> /etc/modprobe.conf
</pre>

Revision as of 21:21, 19 April 2016

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