Ubuntu 9.10 released
The Ubuntu team has released the latest version of the popular Linux operating system one day ahead of schedule. Though I haven’t had a system running Linux for a while now, I’m quite keen to give this one a test run. Ubuntu 9.10 is provided with 18 months of support and the usual gamut of variants from Edubuntu to Mythbuntu is available and running on the new core OS.
The 9.10 release features a slicker desktop design and interface improvements, obviously inspired by the recent UI additions in Windows 7 and Snow Leopard. Empathy is a new instant messaging client that supports a wide variety of protocols, whilst an updated Evolution should be moving closer and closer to providing an Outlook experience that is not provided by Outlook proper.
Enhanced media support, playback and interactive features are provided in the new version of Rhythmbox, a standard application in the Ubuntu distribution. I prefer Amarok and, thanks to the redesigned Software Centre, finding additional or alternative programs is made simple.
F-Spot, the capable photo management application has been updated and provides better import functionality and the ability to perform basic photo manipulation. Not quite iPhoto or Aperture, but absolutely first-rate considering its open source heritage. The standard addition of the latest Firefox browser and OpenOffice releases rounds out Karmic Koala, as does the ability to use the online storage solution, Ubuntu One.
As I’m typing this, the download servers already seem to be under heavy load, so I’ll wait for a local mirror to be updated in the next few days to get my copy.
