Published Dec 16, 2022, 2:15 PM EST
David is a freelance writer based in the Pacific Northwest, but originally hailing from the Bay Area. A journalist by training who has been writing professionally since 2009, he discovered the power of Unix-like operating systems and the command-line interface while learning how to edit video on macOS. It also helped that he'd originally cut his computing teeth on MS-DOS in the '90s.
He has been using Linux regularly in some form since 2006. David has been able to combine his passion for computing and writing in his career as a freelance writer. His writing has appeared in Techopedia, TMCnet, and Walyou, among others.
David holds a B.A. in communication from California State University, East Bay. A dedicated lifelong learner, he's been using Linux-based CAS tools like SymPy and Sage on Linux to make sure he remembers what he learned in his math classes and maybe even pick up a few new concepts along the way. Linux and open source have allowed him to explore advanced topics like calculus and linear algebra more easily than he could with pencil and paper.
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The Xfce development team has announced the latest release of the Xfce desktop environment, version 4.18. The new version comes with some tweaks to make the desktop more usable but leaves the overall experience mostly the same as previous versions.
Xfce's Two-Year Effort Bears Fruit With 4.18
The Xfce developers worked for nearly two years to come out with 4.18, the last major release being 4.16 in December 2020. The developers seem to have been taking their time in polishing new features.
"Our team added multiple nice new features, did a gazillion of bug fixes and did various minor improvements. Finally, all that is going to be released for your pleasure," Xfce's announcement page said.
What's New in Xfce 4.18?
Despite the developer's promises of an overhaul, the Xfce interface remains the same at first glance as the previous version. There are still some subtle tweaks. The settings menu and panel have been modified. Users now have a choice of analog, binary, "fuzzy," LCD, and digital clocks on the panel. They can also change the date format more easily.
The Thunar file manager has a new "highlight" feature that lets users change the color of a filename to make it stand out in the listings. Thunar can also now undo and redo file operations.
Other tweaks have been added to bring Xfce in line with other modern desktops. Thunar can also now preview images in a side panel, similar to how other file managers can on Linux, Windows, and macOS can.
What's Next for Xfce 4.18?
Very few users will likely break down doors to get a chance to change the clock format or highlight files, but Xfce 4.18 is still an important update. The desktop is geared to use fewer resources than more intensive desktops like GNOME or KDE, so lightweight distributions like Xubuntu often select Xfce as a default. While it will take a while for some distros to package the new version, some, like the rolling-release Arch Linux, already have it available for download.
With the supply chain for PCs still constrained and rising interest rates making putting new computers on credit cards more expensive, it's possible that more people will turn to these distros to get more use out of their existing machines. Xfce developers seem to believe that slow and steady wins the desktop race.
Xfce Remains Competitive Lightweight Linux Desktop With 4.18
With version 4.18, Xfce remains one of the major options for those looking for a lightweight Linux desktop environment, but it's not the only one. Changing to a new Linux desktop is easy, and users can also opt for environments like LXDE and MATE. The choices can seem intimidating, but as with everything else, it's a matter of which features are most important to the user.