Discover Canonical's bold move to replace traditional core utilities with Rust-based tools in Ubuntu. The discussion highlights the significant implications of this transition for performance and maintainability. Meanwhile, GNOME 48 is unveiled, showcasing its new features aimed at enhancing user experience, especially on older hardware. The conversation delves into the balance between innovative design and user-friendliness in the Linux environment, while also touching on exciting community interactions and tools like Ulauncher that enhance productivity.
Canonical plans to replace core utilities in Ubuntu with Rust implementations to improve performance and security starting from release 25.10.
The GNOME 48 release brings significant enhancements like smoother animations, better battery management, and digital well-being features for improved user experience.
Canonical emphasizes community engagement and transparency during the transition to Rust tools, aiming to maintain Ubuntu's innovative reputation and attract diverse contributors.
Deep dives
Canonical's Transition to Rust Built Tools
Canonical is considering replacing certain GNU core utilities with Rust implementations to modernize Ubuntu and enhance performance and security. Key utilities such as 'ls,' 'cp,' and 'mv' may be swapped in upcoming releases, starting with Ubuntu 25.10. This initiative aims to rejuvenate the development community around Ubuntu and attract new contributors interested in leveraging Rust’s safety features. The Rust core utilities are designed to maintain compatibility with existing GNU tools while offering improvements like faster execution and additional functionalities, such as interactive progress indicators.
Highlights of GNOME 48 Release
The GNOME 48 release introduces several significant improvements and features that enhance user experience across various devices. Enhancements include dynamic triple buffering for smoother animations on Intel graphics, improved notification stacking, and battery management features like charging limits to extend battery lifecycle. The update also emphasizes user well-being by adding screen time tracking and digital break reminders, helping users manage their computer usage more healthily. Additionally, performance tweaks enable faster loading times and more efficient file operations, providing a more responsive desktop environment.
The Importance of Modernization in Ubuntu
John Seeger, Canonical's VP of engineering, emphasizes the necessity of adapting Ubuntu for the next two decades by re-evaluating core utilities and adopting modern programming practices. This shift towards Rust is part of a broader strategy to maintain Ubuntu's innovative reputation while managing contributions from a diverse developer community. The transition is viewed not just as a technological upgrade, but as a cultural shift towards embracing new tools and workflows that resonate with contemporary software development practices. This commitment to modernization highlights Canonical's dedication to keeping Ubuntu competitive and relevant in the evolving landscape of Linux distributions.
Community Engagement and Feedback Mechanisms
Canonical's approach to the transition process involves closely collaborating with the community, ensuring that developers can voice their concerns or suggestions regarding the changes. This engagement is critical as the shift from GNU utilities could be met with skepticism from those who value the traditional GNU/Linux philosophy. By actively seeking feedback and encouraging transparency in decision-making, Canonical aims to foster a supportive environment for contributors who may be apprehensive about this change. The open communication philosophy reflects a commitment to not only innovate but also to nurture the community that forms the backbone of the Ubuntu project.
Exploring User Experience with GNOME 48
Users will find GNOME 48's revamped design and newly integrated features create a more intuitive and enjoyable computing experience. With a focus on usability, GNOME 48 has streamlined functionality, such as a simplified audio playback tool for quick access to audio files and improved text editing features. The interface refinements allow for responsiveness and ease of use, accommodating various user preferences and needs. Additionally, the solid performance updates, including better graphics handling and reduced resource consumption, enhance the overall efficiency and functionality of the desktop environment.
Canonical's VP of Engineering for Ubuntu reveals why they're swapping coreutils for Rust-built tools. Then we break down the GNOME 48 release, and why this one is special.
Engineering Ubuntu For The Next 20 Years — We should look deeply at the tools we ship with Ubuntu by default, selecting for tools that have resilience, performance and maintainability at their core.
Carefully But Purposefully Oxidising Ubuntu — Starting with Ubuntu 25.10, my goal is to adopt some of these modern implementations as the default. My immediate goal is to make uutils’ coreutils implementation the default in Ubuntu 25.10, and subsequently in our next Long Term Support (LTS) release, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, if the conditions are right.
GNOME 48 Release Notes — The GNOME project is excited to introduce GNOME 48, a fresh release shaped by six months of hard work from our amazing community. Named “Bengaluru”, this release pays tribute to the dedication of the GNOME Asia 2024 organizers.
