GNOME 40 takes a few bold steps to improve the desktop on February 3, 2021, 11:07 AM PST Jack Wallen takes GNOME 40 for a spin to discover that the subtle changes make a big difference in the effectiveness of this open source desktop. Image: Gnome GNOME is not everyone's cup of tea--it's different. Since the inception of GNOME Shell, this particular desktop tossed aside tradition to reinvent a wheel that had been turning smoothly for a very long time. For some, those changes were welcome, as the new desktop metaphor made great strides in getting out of the way of work. For others, the change was too great and seemed to be made simply because they could.