Ubuntu 8.04 Brings Power and Polish to the Linux Desktop
The latest version of Ubuntu Linux is hot off the press and ready for download. Ubuntu 8.04 brings number of important improvements to the popular Linux distribution. While none of the new features are necessarily glamorous on their own, together they make for a significantly more polished Linux desktop.
Ubuntu 8.04, nick-named "Hardy Heron," is the second Long Term Support (LTS) release from Canonical, Ubuntu’s parent company. LTS releases come with official support for three years on the desktop and five on the server, making Ubuntu 8.04 an important release for business customers. It also means that 8.04 focuses on evolutionary improvements that build on the strength of existing features rather than introducing revolutionary new toys.
Which isn’t to say that this release is lacking in the new feature department; there’s plenty to love in Ubuntu 8.04. In fact, if you’ve been considering making the switch to Linux, Hardy Heron is one of the easiest and best ways to jump on the Linux bandwagon.
The main distribution of Ubuntu, which uses the Gnome desktop, has been upgraded to use Gnome 2.22. Although the latest version of Gnome looks much like its predecessors, it adds some great new stuff under the hood.
The most interesting new feature for those looking to switch from Windows is Wubi, a single-click Ubuntu installer for Windows. Wubi neatly eliminates installation hassles like disk partitioning and other details and allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu (or any Linux variant) just like any other Windows application.
Perhaps most welcome is the inclusion of GVFS, which replaces the old GNOME-VFS system. It might look like acronym soup, but the new Virtual File System offers much better ways to manage your documents. With GVFS all your mounted volumes - whether it’s a Samba share, SSH connection or local disk - behave in a uniform manner. Also new is ability to pause and undo file operations in the Nautilus file browser.
Ubuntu 8.04 also features a new version of Xorg, which offers much better auto-configuration options for setting up your monitor. The new Screen Resolution utility also makes it easier to dynamically change your screen resolution and control a second or external monitor.
Other significant under-the-hood changes are aimed at improving security - like the new PolicyKit interface which makes it easy to allow or deny access to applications and even specific parts of applications. PolicyKit is a huge step forward for administrators looking to maintain tight control over their systems.
There’s also a new version of PulseAudio in this release. PulseAudio is the background sound system that applications hook into to provide audio playback. Ubuntu 8.04 improves on previous versions by offering PulseAudio support for almost all applications.
There’s also a host of new Gnome applications in Ubuntu 8.04, including the Brasero disc burning utility, which makes burning a CD or DVD a snap, as well as Transmission, a new BitTorrent client. Brasero is a much better program than its predecessor, but Transmission hasn’t impressed me. I enjoy Transmission on the Mac, but unfortunately the Linux version isn’t quite up to speed. Naturally you can always swap it out for the client of your choice.
Third party apps have been updated for this release as well, including Firefox 3, despite that fact that the browser is still in the beta stage. However, by including the beta version now, it will be much easier for Ubuntu users to upgrade to the final release when it’s available in June.
In my review of the beta version of Ubuntu 8.04 I noted that the planned new look for Ubuntu 8.04 had been pushed back until the next release. But while that’s true, as FOSSwire points out in their review, the new theme is included, it just isn’t the default. If you head into the Appearance panel you can enable the new look (or customize things however you’d like).
For those that prefer the KDE desktop, the new Kubuntu 8.04 has also been released and features KDE 4, with the Dolphin file manager and other KDE 4 goodness. If you’re not ready to make the leap, KDE 3 is still included and now has the Compiz desktop effects enabled by default. The latest versions of the Amarok music player and other popular KDE apps are included as well.
Also updated are the other Ubuntu variants, Xubuntu (Xfce desktop) and Edubuntu (aimed at the education market), as well as two new versions that join the Ubuntu fold - UbuntuStudio (multimedia edition) and Mythbuntu [Update: Mythbuntu remains a separate derivative maintained by the community, offering the DVR features of MythTV.].
Existing users can upgrade their systems using these instructions.
If you’d like to take the latest version of Ubuntu for a spin, you can grab a live CD or DVD from the Ubuntu download site. Other variations can be downloaded from their respective websites.
Linux still isn’t for everyone (and probably never will be), but if you’re unhappy with your current OS and looking for a change, Ubuntu 8.04 offers enough hand-holding and easy-to-use apps to make an excellent and comfortable introduction to Linux.
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