Fedora Core 5 Test 2 has been released. "The Fedora Project announces the second release of the Fedora Core 5 development cycle, available for the i386, x86_64, and PPC/PPC64 architectures." Release notes are here, downloads here. MadPenguin has a first look. Update: Screenshots.
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2005-07-06
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http://bittorent.fedoraproject.org
Official announcement at
https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-devel-list/2006-January/msg00...
Also a weekly report is available at
http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Projects/WeeklyReports/
Member since:
2005-11-10
Member since:2006-01-16
Here's a link to the torrents (which include DVD images): http://torrent.fedoraproject.org/
Member since:2005-07-06
DVD images are usually available in every release including the test ones. FC5test1 was an exception since the Anaconda changes to use a yum backend was in progress then and the support logic to detect DVD's was finished in time for the test 1 release. Test 2, Test 3 and GA release would have them
See one of the mirrors as an example
http://mirror.linux.duke.edu/pub/fedora/linux/core/test/4.91/i386/i...
I would recommend using the torrent at http://torrent.fedoraproject.org
Member since:
2005-12-18
Member since:2005-07-06
This is just a test release but it has been fairly robust in my box. The project does require more active testers to provide feedback to get a better GA release on a tight schedule
Schedule available at
http://fedora.redhat.com/About/schedule/
Member since:
2005-07-21
Member since:2005-11-12
According to mad penguin these packages are installed as a default:
Features (as of 2006/01/15)
* Linux kernel 2.6.15-1.1826_FC5
* gcc 4.1.0-0.12 / glibc 2.3.90-27
* X.org 7.0 RC4 X server
* Mono 1.1.13
* GNOME 2.13.4 desktop environment
* Mozilla Firefox 1.5 web browser
* OpenOffice.org 2.0.1 productivity suite
* Evolution 2.5.4 email/groupware client
* GIMP 2.2.10 image editor
* Gaim 1.5.0 instant messenger
* Beagle 0.1.4-3 desktop search tool
* F-Spot 0.1.5 photo manager
* GnomeMeeting 1.2.3 video conferencing
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2005-07-06
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Dan Williams from Red Hat has included this feature
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/networkmanager-list/2006-January/msg...
Network Manager is included in Fedora by default.
Member since:2006-01-02
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"He most likely meant that when you upgrade the kernel, it breaks any and all binary drivers for proprietary hardware."
Stop right there. Propreitary are borderline and might not be even legal. Developers have NO obligation to support those. See
http://lxr.linux.no/source/Documentation/stable_api_nonsense.txt
Member since:2005-07-07
Stop right there. Propreitary are borderline and might not be even legal. Developers have NO obligation to support those. See ...
Actualy, he is correct in what he says. In both, what and how he says it.
A lot of users use NVidia or Ati drivers. Both perfectly legal to install. Both break after kernel update if they were manualy installed.
Although problem has quite simple solution, it is still a thing that requires know-what-know-how. Guess what, JoeUser doesn't know neither.
FC Solution
Point your yum repositories to livna (contains a lot of other drivers too). As soon as kernel gets updated ati and nvidia will get too. I think it even refuses to install kernel if there is dependancy problem because there is no suitable module for them.
If you ask me, user typicaly prefers kernel update 2 days later and everything working much more than security update in a first minute and screwed system.
This is the reason why I suggest Ubuntu to any JoeUser over Fedora. Ubuntu has these packages in repositories by default. Simple one liner, and no problems if kernel is updated, drivers are updated accordingly.
Edited 2006-01-17 00:51
Member since:2005-12-18
"Actualy, he is correct in what he says. In both, what and how he says it. "
Nope. He is not. Arjan from Red Hat clearly described that
http://lwn.net/Articles/162686/
"
A lot of users use NVidia or Ati drivers. Both perfectly legal to install. Both break after kernel update if they were manualy installed"
Again not so from several developer's viewpoints,
Linus's view points
http://people.redhat.com/arjanv/COPYING.modules
"FC Solution
Point your yum repositories to livna (contains a lot of other drivers too). As soon as kernel gets updated ati and nvidia will get too. I think it even refuses to install kernel if there is dependancy problem because there is no suitable module for them"
You havent seen the new policy yet then
http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Extras/KernelModuleProposal
"Simple one liner, and no problems if kernel is updated, drivers are updated accordingly. "
very easy in Fedora too... Simple one liners
http://fedoraunity.org/post-install_solutions/yum_configuration.htm...
http://rpm.livna.org/configuration.html
Member since:2005-07-07
Correct, agreed. Except you pointed out mostly developer related reasons. I was pointing out JoeSixpack reasons.
Arjan from Red Hat clearly described that
Yeah, read that long ago and agree with this sarcastic story.
Linus's view points
As much as Linus is genius, he sometimes has strange views. He's always developer centric.
very easy in Fedora too... Simple one liners
Would be nice if simple XDialog (or something) would ask if proprietary driver installation is preffered after detection (and auto execute that one liner simply asking for root password). Ubuntu can have this, Fedora and ideology? I don't know, but after seeing mono land in fc5, everything is possible.
Problem is that these pages have:
First has just been introduced (for FC5, not before), but nice, clean and straightforward
Second is just as readable as drunken-martian-goose-left-stroked-hand-writing to ordinary JoeSixpack
p.s. I use and prefer FC, but I try to look from realistic viewpoint
/*Added*/
One clean example is vmware. Buy vmware, install. Update kernel. vmware doesn't work. Not even one JoeSixpack will read the message box saying to run vmware-config.pl
I don't have problems with kernel or drivers (hell, I worked on some modifications for my use long ago to make my soundcard start working), but I must say some of my friends (those categorized as JoeSixpack) have them. They can install distro, they don't know how to install nvidia. First reaction, go to nvidia.com. Binary driver there. What now?
Edited 2006-01-17 01:42
Member since:2005-12-18
"Correct, agreed. Except you pointed out mostly developer related reasons. I was pointing out JoeSixpack reasons. "
We are talking about legal issues. Applies as much to JoeSixpack as to the copyright holders.
"As much as Linus is genius, he sometimes has strange views. He's always developer centric"
ha ha. Linus is extremely user centric. you just need to pay more attention to his rationale.
"
Would be nice if simple XDialog (or something) would ask if proprietary driver installation is preffered after detection"
Search in fedora forums. someone already posted a neat script to do just this stuff. PyGTK. Looks totally cool IMO.
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Actually, I have done a bit of kernel hacking before. It was required for the POS to even recognize my processor as supporting PowerNow! so that it wouldn't kill my battery after 45 minutes.
In any case, you don't have to be a kernel dev to feel the pain of Linux. Anyone who's using binary drivers, and then upgrades the kernel, and then ... oops! Your drivers don't work!
Member since:2005-07-08
Actually, I have done a bit of kernel hacking before. It was required for the POS to even recognize my processor as supporting PowerNow! so that it wouldn't kill my battery after 45 minutes.
Sure, I buy that.
In any case, you don't have to be a kernel dev to feel the pain of Linux. Anyone who's using binary drivers, and then upgrades the kernel, and then ... oops! Your drivers don't work!
Of course, unless you do something extremely foolish like running a Desktop orientated distro on a machine you're using as a desktop.
Member since:2005-07-07
And why Linux needs to be fixed.
A bit wrong here. Correct on rest.
It doesn't need to be fixed. Just user should use distro that doesn't have that ideology which leads to bug like this.
For example Ubuntu updates proprietary drivers with kernel update. So, it is not Linux fault, you should better say distro fault, or even better ideology fault.
Fedora is a /*FREE FOREVER*/ and can't afford that luxury. Following ideology requires one to take some pain. For example, the /*FREE*/ moto is the reason why I like Fedora and prefer (with all the pain and troubles FREE can couse) over Ubuntu anyday.
Member since:2005-11-09
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2005-07-06
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2005-07-06
The blue background with bubbles is a usability disaster. The smallest bubbles are about the same size as the icons. If you place a files or a folders in the bubble area they will be hard to see.
From a usability point of view there is nothing wrong with having some kind of pattern on the desktop. It may actually help the user to remember where he put things. To be helpful, the patterns must be more toned down and the smallest detail must be bigger than the icons. That way icons will appear more clearly on the desktop.
Not that the desktop is a very good place to have icons in the first place, as it usually is covered by windows, but some users will continue to do so, and if they do, the defaults should provide good usability.
Graphics, that appear on the screen need not only be checked for beauty, it need to pass in the usability arena as well. Users can, and will put their own background images on their desktops, but the defaults available should take usability into account.
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"There there ... don't get all defensive just because he pointed out a negative aspect of your beloved Fedora Core.:"
You have a poor way to read stuff. If you have a complain why not post to the relevant place instead of ranting silly in a forum where none of the developers will read it?
You got a bug, file it in bugzilla. If you have anything to discuss, post to DEVELOPMENT list. Not here. Hug?
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2005-07-06
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2005-07-10
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2005-07-07
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2005-07-06
Fedora includes a package management tool called Yum. Think of it as being very similar to the way Debian's Apt works, dependency resolution and all. While Yum can be slow, and an all around pain in the ass at times, I have to say the wealth of software available is really amazing and it does work.
Learn the art of using: yum -C install <package>. By default with cache disabled, yum does more task equivalent to apt-get dist-update && apt-get install. Used with local repository, yum is relatively fast.
Member since:
2005-07-06
can't wait to try it out, looks great
kudos to the fedora team once again for producing these great releases
I notice from the screenshots that the new fedora logo is there as well
I hope that LVM during setup works better this time round as with FCR4 i had to manually choose ext2/3 as the file systems becuase every install crashed on first boot
some odd LVM bug i guess...
cheers
anyweb
Member since:
2005-11-12
I downloaded the ISO's and burned 5 CD's. I installed the update over Fedora 4 and elected to format my linux partitions excluding the Home directory. The install went smoothly and I logged into Gnome desktop. I opened up a shell and installed XFCE4 and logged into it. The first application I tried out was Beagle. I searched for open office files and it found them scattered all over the place quickly. I am so glad they finally inlcluded Mono it is working great! I tried out F-spot image viewer and it works well also. No major issues when I upgraded. The final version of Fedora 5 will be very sweet. I think I am going to have to start learning more C# so I can write my own Mono applications. Fedora is definately a bleeding edge distro. but it is extemely usable as is.
Edited 2006-01-17 15:00
Member since:
2005-08-19
Am I the only one to notice from the screenshots that the window decorations have changed to become glossy and the buttons rectangular like in Vista? This seems like the wrong direction to head in. I thought the same thing when MS released WMP 10 - the "glossy" gradients put the darkest part of the control right through the middle of the icons and text, making them more difficult to read. FC5 seems a little better in this respect, but it's still so unnecessary.
Member since:
2005-07-06
well i downloaded it very fast from a local mirror, installed it (very fast also) and now i'm using it connected via eth0 (which is a shame as i spent nearly an hour dabbling with two known working wireless cards in fedora core release 4).
First things that strike me are
* it's a bit blue, as in too light a shade of blue (when booting at the grub screen etc)
* standby works now (first time ever i've got standby to work on fedora and ive tried fcr1,2,3,4)
* the 'locked screen' password prompt dialog box is absolutely gorgeous ! I can't believe i'm saying that but it really is so dam nice. Wish that other dialogs were designed the same way
* wireless support is not agreeing with me (intel 2200bg and dell truemobile 1150). Yes i have the intel firmware update and yes i have intels latest driver from http://support.intel.com - it just isnt' doing what I expected, so back to the drawing board for me tomorrow on this one
* seems faster to boot, shutdown and start programs on exact same hardware as i run fcr4 on. nice.
* dvd install is a no brained, except where is the option to choose laptop/desktop/server etc, i didnt notice it, but i did notice the new 'application' installer section which was a little bit 'lacking in info' at first glance, but proved to be nice when you start clicking around
some screenies here http://www.linux-noob.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1996
more to come soon.
cheers
anyweb
Member since:
2006-01-01
I installed it last night, I did notice some serious problems with it and in some ways it feels like just a marginal improvement over FC4, but for the most part I did like what I saw. I just hope eventually there will be less hacking and configuring to get certain things to work.
http://www.mjmwired.net/linux/2006/01/18/fedora-core-5-test-2-revie...
