elementary OS 8.0 Review – Blog

This article is a translation of the following my article:

* Translated automatically by Google.
* Please note that some links or referenced content in this article may be in Japanese.
* Comments in the code are basically in Japanese.

by bokumin

elementary OS 8.0 Review

Introduction

Elementary OS 8.0 was released on November 26, 2024 (local time).
https://blog.elementary.io/os-8-available-now/
It is a distribution that I have been interested in for a while because it is based on Ubuntu and has its own desktop environment like Mac OS.
I have never used MacOS, but I would like to review how it feels to use it.

Elementary electon

Elementary OS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu.
Elementary OS is the flagship Linux distribution to popularize the Pantheon desktop environment, similar to the approach Linux Mint took to popularize the Cinnamon desktop environment [3], with deep integration with elementary OS applications such as Plank (a Dock), Midori (the default web browser), and Scratch (a simple text editor). This distribution uses Gala, a Mutter-based[3] window manager.[4] (From Wikipedia)

In summary, it seems to be popular with people who are not familiar with Linux or who are looking for a desktop environment with a macOS-like design.

Changes in 8.0

I tried looking for release notes, but I couldn’t find anything like that…I referred to the release announcement.
https://blog.elementary.io/os-8-available-now/

Enhanced security and privacy

Introducing new “Secure Session”
Strictly manage app permissions
Added a mechanism that requires explicit consent from the user

Improved app management

Add Flathub by default
Access a wider range of apps
AppCenter enhancements

Inclusive design

Improved keyboard navigation
Enhanced screen reading function
Improved usability of system settings

In summary, it seems that they have made it easier to use than ever while strengthening security.

Download ISO file

Downloaded from the following page. Previous versions are not officially released, and only the latest version can be downloaded.
https://elementary.io

Although it says “Purchase”, you can download it for free by customizing it for $0.
The capacity is about 3GB, which is relatively lightweight among recent distributions.

Installation process

The recommended requirements for elementary OS 8.0 are as follows.

A recent Intel Core i3 or equivalent dual-core 64-bit processor
4 GB of system memory (RAM)
SSD with at least 32 GB free space
Internet access
Built-in or wired mouse/touchpad and keyboard
Display with minimum resolution 1024×768
Citation: https://elementary.io/ja/docs/installation#choose-operating-system

I downloaded the ISO file from the previous page and installed it on a USB memory.
When starting a live image from a USB memory, the language and keyboard layout are set first.
*Audio will be played when selecting the language. You might want to be careful about the volume

You will then be asked to confirm your network connection. Even if you select Skip here, you will be asked again the next time you start up, so I don’t think there is any problem.

Once the image installation is complete, you will be asked the same question again, and then you will be taken to the account creation screen.
On my PC, the bottom part was cut off and I couldn’t press next, but I was able to create it by pressing the Enter key.

This is the login screen. The default wallpaper is refreshing.

After that, some settings are available at startup.
The theme can be selected from the default (normal theme) and dark theme, and settings such as automatic deletion of temporary files and unnecessary files were also possible.
It is also possible to link other SNS accounts.

Personally, I was happy that Mozc was installed by default, and Hiragana input was enabled from the time of startup.
It was easy to not have to configure everything myself. I was able to use AlmaLinux from the time of setup, but is everything like this these days?
*I thought I had selected the default using the keyboard, but it turned out to be Dvorak, which made it too difficult to use. Important test input

Check for updates

I would like to briefly check the updated parts.

cat /etc/os-release

cat /etc/os-release

Since Elementary OS 8.0 is based on Ubuntu, it also showed that it inherits some of the underlying Ubuntu components and versions.

As mentioned in the update, you can now set access rights for each app from the settings screen. Furthermore, if you install Flathub, you can make detailed settings.

Try it out

As for the experience of using Pantheon, I have never used a Mac so I cannot compare it with a Mac, but I personally found it similar to Gnome and easy to use. If you are a Linux user and regularly use Gnome, I think you will be able to use it without any hesitation.
As for operation, I once had Ubuntu installed on the same PC, but Pantheon was lighter and ran faster than that.

In the case of Gnome, many things are always running in the background, but I think Pantheon has a design that makes it easy to control it from the settings screen, so it is easy to make it lightweight.

Regarding the startup time, it was an old PC with only an HDD, so I waited a few minutes. However, this is a problem with the PC itself, and I don’t think it’s a problem if you have an SSD or a PC with decent specs.
As for the initial settings, the setup guide allows you to customize most of the settings, so I think even Linux beginners can use it. As for the software, it can be installed on the desktop environment using the AppCenter app store and Flatpak, and since it is based on Ubuntu, it is possible to install packages using the apt-get command on the terminal.

Personally, I thought it was a good OS. The GUI seems to be somewhere between Ubuntu and Mint, and I have the impression that it will be easy to migrate from Windows or Mac users.

However, since changes to the design are restricted, it seems to have less freedom than Gnome or other GUIs.
One thing I’m curious about is Pantheon’s performance. It’s certainly lightweight and performs well, but our brief trial didn’t give us a complete idea of how stable it is over long periods of use, or how it behaves with more demanding tasks. Well, I think it’s pretty good just by installing it on an old PC and using it…

My current impression is that elementary OS 8.0 is a good idea for people who are considering migrating from Windows or macOS, or those who are interested in Linux but feel it is difficult.

End