The Fedora team has released the first alpha build of Fedora 18 Spherical Cow. The latest version of the popular Linux-based operating system is available for download from the project website, and comes with a choice of GNOME, KDE, Xfce, or LXDE desktop environments.

Fedora 18 includes a number of changes including:
- NetworkManager Hostpots feature for turning a PC into a network hot spot
- Support for the MATE Desktop environment
- Preview of the next-generaiton Yum package manager
- Inclusion of Eucalyptus cloud computing software
This will also be the first version of Fedora to support Secure Boot on computers with UEFI firmware instead of a BIOS. This will allow users to install Fedora 18 on computers that ship with Windows 8.
You can find a more complete list of features in (or coming to) Fedora 18 at the project wiki.
via LWN
We, too found the new Fedora 18 unsettling. Download the pre-installed VirtualBox VM Free and experience the system yourself
Fedora 18 x86_84 Desktop Virtual Appliance
https://virtualboximages.com/Fedora+18+x86_84+Desktop+VirtualBox+Virtual+Appliance
-James
I just installed F18 Alpha as a VirtualBox VM. Hate the new Anaconda installer (very CAPITALISED, disables root account by default, manual partition has no “fill available free space” for a partion and did I miss a way to pick packages/package groups individually?!). Gnome 3 on Fedora 18 Alpha does have Windows/App buttons, but maybe VirtualBox took a dislike to that desktop because it was flaky as hell for me.
I hate that GNOME 3 desktop on F18A with a passion – took me an age to work out how to get to see all the ludicrously oversized icons in the Applications section (no indicator onscreen what to do – e.g. clickable arrows – and it ignored arrow keys for nav too, which is plain stupid) – turns out the only way seems to be the scroll wheel.
No idea how to start a terminal in GNOME 3 either – I didn’t see a terminal icon because apparently, that’s not an Application.
BTW, the installer never mentions the MATE Desktop at all – it could be the technical workstation option I guess, but the word MATE was never mentioned.
“available fordownload from the KDE website” ?. BTW, the screenshot is not from Fedora F18, because GNOME 3.6 doesn’t have the Windows and Application buttons.