So our latest and greatest Endless OS is out with the new 3.0 version series!
The shiny new things include the use of Flatpak to manage the applications; a new app center (GNOME Software); a new icon set; a new Windows installer that gives you the possibility of installing Endless OS in dual-boot; and many bug fixes.
Apps, apps, apps!
One of the big changes is the replacement of our old (and in-house) App Store by GNOME Software — the GNOME app center. Most of my time the past months has been spent in adapting this project to our needs. GNOME Software is surely a complex beast but I have been getting the invaluable help of its maintainer — Richard Hughes — who I now owe many Weißbiere.
Last week I gave a talk at the first edition of the Libre Application Summit in Portland about the work we’re doing regarding the applications story in the Endless OS: the evolution of the applications in the OS, the motivation behind some decisions, the changes we did to GNOME Sofware, etc. A video and slides should be up on the internetz soon if you want to know about that in more detail.
Join the future
The changes in this new 3.0 version may not seem such a big deal on the surface but everybody had to work really hard to make it happen and they open a lot of possibilities for our users and developers. We’re betting big on Flatpak and we want to see it succeed as not only Endless would benefit from it but pretty much every user of a Linux desktop. So if you’re an app developer, check it out and talk to the community if you need some help. We’re also still hiring, in case you are looking for new challenges.
Be sure to try the Endless OS and drop your thoughts or questions in our Community Forum.
On my last visit to the website I see an inconsistency about what is Endless.
I mean that on the main page there is an information that says “No hidden costs, etc …” but on the download page appears “Looking for more video format support ?, […] To unlock additional formats, you must purchase and install the Audio/Video […], etc.
mm?
Hi Bastián,
Thank you for your concern and contact. In my opinion that’s not really a hidden cost. Endless OS is available for free meaning that the user does not have to pay for it, the apps it brings, or to perform system upgrades. The codecs case is different in my opinion: they do not belong to Endless so the company would have to pay a license for distributing the operating system with them. The short-term solution that was found was to provide the option to purchase the codecs online for a small price.
I understand however that it might not be easily understandable by everyone so I will contact my colleagues to check if the message needs to be clearer.
I hope you are still able to use Endless OS, Bastián. Any other questions do let me know!
Thanks for the great work you and your team are doing! Are the Endless “Apps” available in flatpak format for install on other Linux systems?
Hi “rik-shaw”. The Endless Apps should be usable in other systems that have Flatpak, however we’re not making too much noise about that yet while we’re still refining some details about the apps so stay tuned for more news on that subject.