This month has been an exciting time for Newt OS. One of the most relieving things is that the main build of Newt OS is finally on a regular release schedule, rather than a "release-whenever-it-doesn't-crash" schedule. The other cool thing is that the LXDE version of Newt OS has come a long way from its slow beginnings. I have to admit, the teen years have been difficult, but with some counselling, we've made it through, and I'm proud of where it's at today.
That said, there are still many exciting developments in store. These include a finalized release of Newt OS LXDE by the end of the month, the release of the 3.1.2 update, and a change in the Newt OS logo. The current logo is nice, but it was a very small resolution (128x148) which wasn't fun to work with. The new logo is based off of the current one, but will be a higher resolution and feature a more personalized font. I won't say any more to keep it a surprise.
As for new releases, the 3.1.2 update will be released in early August, probably around the 2nd or 3rd. The finalized release of Newt OS LXDE will come sooner, hopefully by July 25th. Both releases will include Adobe Flash Player pre-installed, as well as Audacity, a popular audio recording program. Newt OS LXDE includes Firefox as the web browser, and 3.1.2 will reintroduce Firefox to Newt OS. This is to keep consistency across the different versions of Newt OS.
Another change in the works is a change in the naming scheme. The appliance titled "Newt OS 3" is going to be renamed to just Newt OS, as the version number will change, but I hope to continue development on the same appliance. Additionally, Newt OS 2 LXDE will be renamed to just Newt OS LXDE for the same reason.
The final change I should mention is one that I'm still undecided on. As you already know, there are two versions of Newt OS, one with the Gnome desktop, and one with LXDE. Developing both separately isn't all too difficult, but it is impractical, and it keeps me from devoting time solely to making Newt OS better. To solve this, I would like to have just one version, with either Gnome or LXDE, but I cannot choose between the two. Both have their pros and cons. So, I'd like your opinions. Leave your thoughts in the comments below, or on the download pages.
~Newt
That said, there are still many exciting developments in store. These include a finalized release of Newt OS LXDE by the end of the month, the release of the 3.1.2 update, and a change in the Newt OS logo. The current logo is nice, but it was a very small resolution (128x148) which wasn't fun to work with. The new logo is based off of the current one, but will be a higher resolution and feature a more personalized font. I won't say any more to keep it a surprise.
As for new releases, the 3.1.2 update will be released in early August, probably around the 2nd or 3rd. The finalized release of Newt OS LXDE will come sooner, hopefully by July 25th. Both releases will include Adobe Flash Player pre-installed, as well as Audacity, a popular audio recording program. Newt OS LXDE includes Firefox as the web browser, and 3.1.2 will reintroduce Firefox to Newt OS. This is to keep consistency across the different versions of Newt OS.
Another change in the works is a change in the naming scheme. The appliance titled "Newt OS 3" is going to be renamed to just Newt OS, as the version number will change, but I hope to continue development on the same appliance. Additionally, Newt OS 2 LXDE will be renamed to just Newt OS LXDE for the same reason.
The final change I should mention is one that I'm still undecided on. As you already know, there are two versions of Newt OS, one with the Gnome desktop, and one with LXDE. Developing both separately isn't all too difficult, but it is impractical, and it keeps me from devoting time solely to making Newt OS better. To solve this, I would like to have just one version, with either Gnome or LXDE, but I cannot choose between the two. Both have their pros and cons. So, I'd like your opinions. Leave your thoughts in the comments below, or on the download pages.
~Newt