Today we have a very special release for you guys, Freespire 8.0 with the GNOME desktop. A freespire build with the GNOME desktop has been the most requested build that we have ever received. We do not like to release anything unless we think its functional, beautiful and ready. We released Freespire 8.0 last week to much fan fare. It was our most successful release to date. We have been working on the GNOME release for months and a testing issue kept us from releasing it with the XFCE build. This GNOME release is identical to the GNOME desktop release of Linspire.
The GNOME release does not mean we will stop making an XFCE build. We will be doing both parallel with one another. Our GNOME release is based on GNOME 3.36.8. With Freespire 10 we will be moving to GNOME 4. Our GNOME desktop features a single panel with app launchers and "show applications" button which brings you to the App drawers.
For flexibility, users can switch back to the traditional GNOME desktop through the tweaks application. Aside from the desktop and a more recent kernel build the Freespire GNOME release is identical to the XFCE build. and focuses on web centric applications though traditional desktop applications are available through the software center.
Freespire GNOME features
Linux kernel 5.11
GNOME 3.36.8
Dash 2 Panel GNOME extension
Rhythmbox
Totem
Google Chrome 96
Ice SSB
Gmail
Google Docs
Google News
Google Keep
Google Calendar
Google Meet
Google Translate
Solitaire
Dreamchess
as with our traditional Freespire releases aside from Google Chrome there are no proprietary codecs or drivers included although they are available through the software center.
To install Freespire GNOME is very simple click on the "Show Applications" button on the taskbar and when the drawers open click on the Install icon and setup is very simple and straightforward.
You can download the GNOME release from here
https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/freespire/8/freespire-8G.iso
https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/freespire/8/freespire-8G.iso.md5
https://distro.ibiblio.org/blacklab/freespire/8/freespire-8G.iso.sha256
If you wish to donate to the freespire project you can do that here as well
If you have bandwidth caps or would like to recieve a copy of Freespire 8 GNOME or XFCE on a USB key you can purchase that here as well
