Lightweight Linux Desktop Xfce 4.18 Released After Two Years With … – MUO – MakeUseOf

Xfce seems to believe that slow and steady wins the Linux desktop race. The new version adds some new features but keeps things largely the same.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
David is a freelance writer based in the Pacific Northwest, but originally hailing from the Bay Area. A journalist by training, he discovered the power of Unix-like operating systems and the command-line interface while learning how to edit video on macOS. 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 the Motley Fool blog network. David holds a B.A. in communication from California State University, East Bay.

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