Fedora 13 Released With Automatic Printing, Open 3D Drivers

All platforms: The Fedora Desktop Project rolled out its lucky number 13 release, adding a few nifty features to the Linux system. Plug-and-go printer support, open drivers for Intel, ATI, and NVidia hardware, and a crafty new desktop shell to try out.

The automatic printing and experimental GNOME Shell support are neat in themselves, but what about “open” 3D drivers? If you’ve ever had to download Nvidia’s proprietary drivers for a Linux system, you’ve felt the compromise — your hardware is recognised and utilised, but your operating system doesn’t have real control over it. Setting up things like dual monitors is a true headache with proprietary drivers, so the more natively supported video hardware available for Linux, the better its chances at becoming a really usable workspace.

Fedora 13 is a free download, and should work on most Intel and PowerPC-based systems. Read the release notes for an overview of the new stuff, and Fedora fans (and newcomers) are encouraged to share tips and favourite features in the comments.

Fedora Project