

Active Directory support in GNOME's user administration tool

Source: Matthias Clasen

The GNOME Project has released the third point update to GNOME 3.5, an unstable development snapshot for what will eventually become the stable GNOME 3.6 branch. GNOME 3.5.3 includes an updated version of the Empathy instant messaging application, which has a new user interface better matched to GNOME 3's design. In the latest pre-release version of GNOME 3.6, the Evolution Data Server (EDS) – used by a number of programs – gets a new API, and the developer version of GTK+ has new GtkSearchEntry and GtkMenuButton widgets.

Support for connecting to Facebook and Microsoft Exchange is now activated by default in GNOME Online Accounts. The GNOME Shell includes several changes related to the upcoming auto-update function for updating extensions installed from extensions.gnome.org. Baobab, a tool for analysing disk usage, has been almost completely rewritten. Early support for signing into Active Directory (AD) services has also been added to the User Accounts panel.

A detailed description of the changes in 3.5.3 can be found in the news files for core software and applications. The next beta version should be out in about two weeks, followed one week later by a gathering of GNOME developers in A Coruña in Spain for GUADEC (GNOME Users and Developers European Conference). The first beta version of GNOME 3.6 is set for release on 22 August; with the final version scheduled for 26 September.

(crve)