The use of fingerprints on devices became popular, but not started, with Apple's iPhone 5s in 2013. These readers had been around for a long time, but their use was not widespread nor did they offer reliability. More than a decade later, they are already found on many computers, and for that reason they will include a related new feature in Linux Mint 22.2. So has advanced Clem in his monthly newsletter, where he also reminded us that Linux Mint 20.x has reached the end of its life cycle.
For users of Mint 20.x, two options: the first and recommended is update to version 22.1, the most recent, but doing a clean install. The other option is to upgrade to whatever is available until you reach something supported, with the final step, also recommended, being 22.1. In other words, at least from 20.x to 21.x and from there to 22.1.
Fingwit, the Linux Mint fingerprint reader app
We return to the fingerprint app that we see in the header screenshot. Its name will be "Fingwit«, and although they have not mentioned where the name comes from, it is known that part of it includes the word «finger» (fing-), although to be more correct we have to say that this prefix is also found in «Fingerprint», fingerprint in English.
Fingwit will be coming to Linux Mint 22.2, and will detect if your computer has a fingerprint reader and allow you to save your fingerprints. You can use them to unlock the home screen or login, the screensaver, sudo commands, and administrator applications (pkexec).
The application uses fprintd, but provides a smarter PAM module than pam_fprint.so:
«For example, if you try to log in but your home directory is encrypted, fingerprint authentication would allow you access, but your session would be closed because ecryptfs requires your password. Fingwit detects these types of situations and offers you fingerprint authentication whenever possible, avoiding those issues.. "
Fingwit is an XApp — a Linux Mint app — so it will run on Mint systems and any other systems.
Improvements in XViewer, libAdwaita and libAdapta
Among other new features, the option that caused XViewer to apply the EDID color correction filter to images has been disabled by default, making them appear more realistic from the start. Additionally, starting with Mint 22.2, libAdwaita will receive a patch to allow it to work with themes. Finally, libAdwaita now has a fork called libAdapta, which is libAdwaita with theme support. It also provides a compatibility header that makes it easier to move from libAdwaita to libAdapta.
Linux Mint 22.2 will arrive in mid-2022 with these and other new features that will be introduced in the coming weeks.