elementary OS 5.1 Hera - The better version of Juno

elementary OS 5.1 Hera is upon us. it's a "minor" release in the sense that it's not based on a new Ubuntu LTS version, but since 5.0 juno, a lot has changed. All these new features and tweaks have been consolidated into a single ISO, which you'll be able to buy, or download for free from the elementary OS website. Hera is still based on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, but includes the hardware enablement stack, which brings better driver support for a lot of devices to the older Ubuntu base. Whether you've been using Juno and have received these updates bit by bit, or you're just interested in how the distro has evolved in the past year, here is a video rundown of elementay OS 5.1 Hera.

(USE OFFER CODE LINUXEXP19)

Install the HWE on Juno: sudo apt install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-18.04 xserver-xorg-hwe-18.04

First is the new greeter, the login screen. It's been changed radically, and now shows a dark grey background (the same that is used in the multitasking view), and a preview of each user's wallpaper, behind their profile picture.

On first run, for each user, the new Onboarding app will start, and it will present the user with a few settings to tweak, such as location services, night light, housekeeping features, and introducing the app center and a few helpful links.

On the actual desktop side, few things have changed, apart from the indicators: the date and time now shows a full calendar, and your various appointments for the selected date, which is super handy. The system indicator now shows keyboard shortcuts for more actions, and the sound indicator has received a bunch of tweaks, to make it easier to mute a microphone, change its input volume, or simply change the system's audio volume by scrolling. FInally, the bluetooth indicator has been revamped and now shows connection status for each connected device

The AppCenter as been one of the main focuses of the elementary team this time around. They made it a lot faster, up to 10x faster as a matter of fact, and have fully integrated flatpak support in it. By default, no flatpak remotes are configured, but if you download a flatpakref file, the new "sideload" app will open it, and allow you to install the flatpak itself. If that app comes with a remote, it will automatically be added to the system, and you'll be able to update that application directly from AppCenter, and download other applications from that remote.

Compared to its initial instalment in Juno, the Calendar has changed quite a bit. First, it now looks a lot better, and makes use of the elementary OS color palette. It can also be browsed using keyboard navigation, and the vent dialog has been redesigned and improved to be more legible and make events easier to create.

The Music app has picked up an orange accent color, improved sorting for various display modes, and keyboard navigation as well. It also handles HiDPI displays a lot better, and can play S3M files.

The File manager has been much improved as well: first, it can make use of the CloudProvider API, so storage providers, like Nextcloud, can, if they implement this API, be integrated directly into the file manager.

The search box now sports an icon and placeholder text to make it more discoverable. The results dropdown is a little nicer to use. The color tags taht appear in the right click menu are now easier to click. Transparent images now show a checkered background in their thumbnails to make them more legible.

To finish this rundown, Code, the text editor / IDE has new keyboard shortcuts, a line wrap feature, and a lot of performance and stability improvements. The Photos app has more usable dialogs, the Camera app should now work more reliably with more hardware, especially on Dell machines, and the Terminal now supports the Menu key to open a context menu.

The sound settings have a new layout to make all your output devices discoverable. It doesn't seem to accurately remember which audio device I choose, though, since I have to re-set it to my speakers instead of the audio jack of the microphone on each reboot.
These settings now allow you to enable long-press secondary click, press control to reveal the pointer, tweak the double-click speed, and control the pointer using the keypad. YOu can also, finally, choose to disable the touchpad when a mouse is connected to your laptop.

The display settings now allow you to set a 2X scaling factor, although fractional scaling is not supported yet, and you can select a refresh rate per display in the little cogwheel menu.

Bluetooth settings will now display a pairing code for devices that require it, which means elementary OS should now be more widely compatible with a lot of bluetooth devices.

[Arcadn]

Elementary OS is still my all time favorite distro, but I just loved the old login screen so much. I always had my password required even though I don't bring my laptop with me very often so I could see that screen more often. The new one looks... unfinished, the animation is choppy, and overall it just seems like they 'fixed' something that was not only not broken, but already close to perfection.

[naseef_au]

I wish it showed a blurred version of currently selected user's wallpaper on the login screen instead of the plain grey background.

[askhowiknow]

I wish it had a theme that made it look like old Mac OS X with the transparency and spacey stuff

[AioriaPoderoso]

Elementary now its amazing im loving it

[navidaslam]

its most beautiful distro....
recommend.

[MAGDaddyRaegen]

I am a simple man. I see elementary OS, I click on video

[rafi_]

The last time I try elementry is Juno. Now I using Peppermint. But this video makes me wanna try Hera.

[riseabove]

You're videos are great. I would like to see an open terminal and run 'free -h' for ram usage before anything else.

[PHDWhom]

Visual updates to the calendar are irrelevant when it is still a non trivial task just to add Apple or Google calendar syncing.

[rybeenali]

I have tried my Linux distributions but Elementary os was the best, and there is one issue that is the minimizing bottom, it would be more practical if they add one.

[prathamgoyal]

Can someone tell me what this flathub is. It's been talked about a lot after elementary os update. Yet i seem to have no knowledge about it.

[sinosabesnotemetas]

Hi, how did you make calendar work with gmail account? Is there any option to set on gmail to grant access? Thank you for the good video review

[maidpretty]

Can elementary OS handle two 4K monitors with different (but high) DPI and orientation well?

[billgross]

Can you do a video on Flat Paks? You seem to prefer them. I don't understand what they are. Thank you!

[keyboard_g]

Fractional scaling would require a newer Ubuntu base, right?

[d-nemo]

Helloo..
Please make a comparison video on zorin or and elementary os....
I am very confuse... That which should i make my main OS.

[καλαμ]

Hey, I'm really not sure what distribution to install. I use my PC for programming, Netflix and some gaming. Got any suggestions?

[ericmelo]

You should make a tutorial on changing the greeter

[federico.v.mastellone]

Hi Nick! Your channel is great! I'm currently using Hera, but it seems to me that there a poor integration of emojis in the notification bubbles. When I get a notification of a message which contains an emoji, the latter will be somehow darkened and not correctly showed. I made sure I've the noto fonts emoji package so I'm unaware of what the problem could be! Did you experience the same?

[driger_]

Am not able to copy paste in my elementary os hera... Pls help am stuck