Linux Mint dropped the October 2019 issue of their monthly newsletter today, and, as usual, it was chockful of tidbits sure to tantalize Linux Mint users eagerly awaiting news of their newest release, Linux Mint 19.3.
Quick-Hit Features and Changes
The newsletter featured “quick-hits” concerning features and changes coming to the Linux Mint distro 19.3 release.
Date Format
The latest release fixes the date format in the Cinnamon and MATE flavors of Linux Mint. According to the newsletter, the date format will adequately follow the locale set by LC_TIME (configurable in the Language Settings).
XAppStatusIcon
The XAppStatusIcon API efforts are complete. These efforts include new applets to the Xfce, Cinnamon, and MATE desktop environments. Additionally, all environments will enjoy crisp icons, HiDPI compatibility, and no rendering issues with supported symbolic icons. Along with these XAppStatusIcon changes, LibAppIndicator was patched, too.
Linux Mint 19.3 ETA & Codename
The dev team revealed that Linux Mint 19.3’s codename is “Tricia.” Also promised, flavors of 32-bit and 64-bits of “Tricia” Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce flavors will be available “just before Christmas.”
New Logo
In a change to branding, the new release includes new splash screens for both Grub and Plymouth.
Grub Splash Screen
Celluloid 0.17
VLC and Xplayer are now ghosts of Christmases past, as they are both now replaced by the mpv-based player, Celluloid 0.17. With proper integration with the OS, developers expect much better performance.
Celluloid 0.17 Player
Gnote 3.34
Gone also is the desktop note-taking application Tomboy. Gnote 3.34 will be its replacement, providing users an application built on modern technology while providing the same functionality, minus the tray icon.
Xfce 4.14
The new release upgrades Xfce Desktop Environment to version 4.14, based on GTK3. The updated Xfce DE includes initial HIDPI support.
Xfce 4.14 Desktop Environment
HWE Stack
Linux Mint 19.3 will ship with Xorg 1.20 and kernel 5.0 to boost compatibility with modern hardware.
GNOME Patent Troll
The lion’s share of the newsletter, however, focused not only changes and new features coming in the 19.3 release, but a call to arms for Linux Mint users who can help battle the patent troll that hit GNOME. It’s on developing the Shotwell image management application brought against GNOME by Rothschild Patent Imaging, LLC.
The newsletter reminded users of the significance GNOME has and contributions made to Linux Mint throughout the years, including the significance of GNOME Shell, had in the development of the Cinnamon Desktop Environment, the Xapp project, and GTK and its many libraries, among many others.
Conclusion
The October newsletter provides Linux Mint users assurance that “Tricia” is on pace for official release before Christmas 2019, as promised.
We at FOSSLinux will remain on the lookout for the beta release, which should be sometime next month if Linux Mint follows their past pattern (v19.2 Beta released earlier in mid-July of this year, with the follow up official release of Linux Mint 19.2 “Tina” in early August).
FOSSLinux will keep our readers abreast of the latest “Tricia” news.
