14 DAY TRIAL // GNOME Shell, a user interface that provides functions for the GNOME desktop environment, has reached the Beta stage for the 3.14 development branch.
The developers have been working hard to improve GNOME Shell since the 3.12 release and users will definitely notice some changes when they start the new Shell version for the first time.
According to the changelog, the use of GLSL has been made optional, the on-screen-keyboard position on monitor changes has been updated, the window manager animations have been improved, "New Window" action is no longer being shown for single-window apps, and the overview is no longer exceeding the screen size when many apps are installed.
Also, Software has been added to the default favorites, a special background to use for performance testing has been added, support has been added for the default disabled search providers, the default calendar application is now being used, and the location menu is only shown when the geolocation is in use.
Unfortunately, the only way to test the new GNOME Shell is to compile your own version or to use a PPA, which is not official.
A changelog featuring a complete list of updates and improvements can be found in the official announcement. You can download GNOME Shell 3.14 Beta 1 source right now from Softpedia.
Remember that this is a development version and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended for testing purposes only.