DesktopLinux
Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Forum  |  Polls  |  Blogs  |  Videos  |  Resource Library

Keywords: Match:
All systems go for Ubuntu 7.10 Linux Desktop launch
Oct. 15, 2007

Canonical, Ubuntu Linux distribution’s commercial sponsor, has announced that the release version of Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop Edition will launch Oct. 18.

Ubuntu, the incredibly popular desktop Linux distribution that seeks to deliver the best of open-source software every six months, will be out in a few days. Gutsy Gibbon Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop Edition includes improvements in advanced plug-and-play printing, enhanced browsing and the option of a smooth new user interface built on top of the latest GNOME 2.20 desktop.

The latest version of Ubuntu includes numerous new features. In particular, its hardware support has been improved. Besides better plug-and-play configuration for printers, the new Ubuntu includes automatic firmware installation for Broadcom Wi-Fi cards.

Laptop users will also be pleased to see improved support for display systems. With Gutsy Gibbon, full external VGA (projector) support is available out of the box, with easy reconfiguration when hardware is switched. For power users, this release includes the ability to manage multiple monitors.

Canonical CEO and Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth said that Compiz Fusion is enabled by default and will bring 3-D desktop visual effects that improve the usability and visual appeal of the system. Ubuntu 7.10 automatically detects whether the hardware is capable of running compiz. If it’s not compiz-capable, it will fall back to normal desktop. Additional effects can be enabled in "System/Preferences/Appearance" under the "Visual Effects" tab. You can also disable the effects entirely. This is, Shuttleworth warned, cutting-edge video display technology, and it’s likely that some users will have trouble with it.

Another major addition is that Ubuntu 7.10 users get full read and write capability for all Windows partitions, including NTFS files. “We’ve found that many users dual-boot Linux and Windows,” said Shuttleworth, “and this makes life much easier for them.”

With full NTFS support, thanks to NTFS3G--an open-source, freely available read/write NTFS driver for Linux and other Unix like systems--Ubuntu users, according to Shuttleworth, will be able to read and write files from their Windows XP and Vista file systems. This will make it much easier for dual-boot Ubuntu users to have full access to their work even when a project was started on Windows.

Desktop search is also enabled by default. This gives users the ability to search their PC for files, folders, chat logs or photos. This capability includes the deskbar applet, a central location on users' desktops for all local and Web search operations.

In addition, Ubuntu 7.10 includes a new option in the Ubuntu application installer to help users select and automatically install several popular Firefox plug-ins. These extensions and plug-ins have been validated by Ubuntu for a richer, safer Web-browsing experience.

Jane Silber, Canonical’s COO said, "7.10 improves still further the user experience of a Linux operating system--it is now more fun to use with the option of 3-D desktop effects and more productive, with major improvements in external and additional monitor support. The desktop search tool gives significant productivity gains; improved printer functionality and wider wireless card support will make it appropriate for the new users that discover Ubuntu every day."

"While Linux on the desktop has met basic usability requirements for some time, recent advancements in everything from driver support to the user interface make it more viable by the day," said Stephen O'Grady, principal analyst at RedMonk, an open-source research house, in a statement. "By packaging these innovations and making them available in a single, easy-to-install distribution, Ubuntu is pushing hard to make Linux a more attractive option for ever wider audiences."

That may include computer systems from Dell. Shuttleworth declined to say if Dell will be offering this new version on its Ubuntu Linux-powered desktops and laptops. Sources close to Dell, however, indicated that it’s likely users will see Ubuntu 7.10 on Dell systems before the end of the year.

The release version of Ubuntu 7.10 will be available from the usual Ubuntu Web and BitTorrent download sites on Oct. 18. Users who want to upgrade from Ubuntu 7.04 to 7.10 should follow the instructions on the Ubuntu upgrade page.

Steven J. Vaughan Nichols



Do you have comments on this story?

Talkback here

NOTE: Please post your comments regarding our articles using the above link. Be sure to use this article's title as the "Subject" in your posts. Before you create a new thread, please check to see if a discussion thread is already running on the article you plan to comment on. Thanks!




Related Stories:


(Click here for further information)


Approaching the Linux Desktop
The purpose of this paper is to help organizations evaluate the Linux desktop against their own enterprise needs and discover what benefits the Linux desktop might bring to their organizations.

Migrating To Linux: Application Challenges and Solutions
Several solutions exist to help organizations migrate in an orderly fashion from Windows to Linux desktops. This paper establishes the characteristics of an ideal cross-platform solution and reviews these alternatives in light of this ideal standard. The paper takes a closer look at the pros and cons of various solutions and outlines the business benefits that can be achieved.

Linux Advantages: Publicly Available Information on Linux Software
This paper offers a brief summary of readily-available Linux information to help businesses sort out this widely misunderstood operating system.

Top 5 Strategies for Managing Linux
Despite continuous evolution in the manageability of Linux, a 2006 survey cited manageability concerns as a top reason why organizations are hesitating to adopt Linux. Levanta believes Linux can be as manageable, if not more so, than other operating systems by following key strategies. These strategic recommendations were developed from experiences in numerous customer environments, both large and small.

Why Choose Novell for Linux?
This paper outlines the benefits of switching to the Linux platform and choosing Novell as a high-performance, enterprise solution.

Enterprise Linux Selection Guide
Considering moving your enterprise to the Linux operating system? Since there are so many similar versions, choosing the right one can be tough. This paper offers a clear process to help you make an informed decision and get the features, support, and cost that are right for your business and technical needs.

Overcoming Challenges in Managing Linux
Levanta has created a new administration model with innovative technology that breaks down the barriers to making the most of Linux systems. This paper will provide an in-depth look at the workings of Levanta’s product, the first Linux appliance of its kind.

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 for Retail Businesses
Discover why major retailers have switched to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in the back office. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is a low-cost desktop that offers a complete set of productivity applications and interoperates seamlessly with the other Windows, Macintosh and UNIX desktops in your store.

Moving to a Linux Desktop
Migrating from Windows to Linux on the desktop can be a substantial undertaking because it has the potential for touching -- and perhaps disrupting -- every user in your organization. Unlike a data center (server and infrastructure) migration that is largely transparent to users, the cultural and administrative transitions and environment readiness required to support a Linux desktop migration are extensive.

Seven Good Reasons to Exchange Exchange
This paper describes seven compelling reasons why you should switch from Exchange to Scalix.

 



Got a HOT tip?   please tell us!

ADVERTISEMENT
(Advertise here)

Resource Library

• Unix, Linux Uptime and Reliability Increase: Patch Management Woes Plague Windows Yankee Group survey finds IBM AIX Unix is highest in ...
• Scalable, Fault-Tolerant NAS for Oracle - The Next Generation For several years NAS has been evolving as a storage ...
• Managing Software Intellectual Property in an Open Source World This whitepaper draws on the experiences of the Black Duck ...
• Open Source Security Myths Dispelled Is it risky to trust mission-critical infrastructure to open source ...
• Bringing IT Operations Management to Open Source & Beyond Download this IDC analyst report to learn how open source ...


Popular recent stories:
• Linux an equal Flash player
• Linux, netbooks threaten Microsoft's fat profits
• gOS 3.0 goes gold
• Browser swallows OS
• Lenovo denies ditching Linux
• Lightweight, Linux-compatible browser evolves
• GNOME 2.24 gains "Empathy" IM
• Review: Pardus Linux
• Ubuntu to fund Linux development
• Ubuntu "Intrepid Ibex" available

All-time Classics:
• Choosing a desktop Linux distro
• Banshee -- the next best thing to Linux iTunes
• Running World of Warcraft on Ubuntu
• A simple Linux backup method
• The Best Free Desktop Linux . . . and how to make it better
• Linux-powered Asus Eee PC mini-laptop arrives
• The well-tempered Debian desktop
• Lenovo launches a netbook
• What's the best Linux for beginners?
• Getting to know Puppy Linux
• Xandros 4: The best desktop Linux for Windows users
• VirtualBox: The best virtualization program you've never heard of

Linux-Watch headlines:
• Debian plans draw sharp warning from GNU guru
• OpenSource World announces keynote speakers
• Linux 2.6.30 gets new filesystems
• Intel to buy Wind River for $884 million
• Apple sued for squelching wiki chat
• Microsoft's TomTom patents posted for patent review
• Europe tops global open source survey
• Oracle buys Sun -- may jettison MySQL
• Sun virtualization technology adds VM exports
• Is Linux ready to go to FAT camp?


Join our Desktop Linux discussion forums:
•  Moving to Linux
•  Linux/Windows debate!
•  Linux Q&A
. . . and more
Visit the...


BREAKING NEWS

• Can FAT patch avoid Microsoft lawsuits?
• Debian plans draw sharp warning from GNU guru
• LiveUSB version of OLPC software targets netbooks
• Virtualization software goes multi-processor
• Open source show gears up with 200 sessions
• Office suite released in netbook version
• Scalix gains mobile device synchronization
• OpenSource World announces keynote speakers
• Ubuntu added to online preview site
• Linux 2.6.30 gets new filesystems
• Fedora 11 ships with new community portal
• More Linux distros tap Moblin for netbooks
• Media playback technology targets Linux netbooks
• Virtual Linux desktops tapped by UN
• Linux on tap in netbook, nettop



Linux Netbooks


Linux smartphones!


news feed

Or, follow us on Twitter...


Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Forum  |  Polls  |  About  |  Contact
 

Ziff Davis Enterprise Home | Contact Us | Advertise | Link to Us | Reprints | Magazine Subscriptions | Newsletters
Tech RSS Feeds | White Papers | ROI Calculators | Tech Podcasts | Tech Video | VARs | Channel News

Baseline | Careers | Channel Insider | CIO Insight | DesktopLinux | DeviceForge | DevSource | eSeminars |
eWEEK | Enterprise Network Security | LinuxDevices | Linux Watch | Microsoft Watch | Mid-market | Networking | PDF Zone |
Publish | Security IT Hub | Strategic Partner | Web Buyer's Guide | Windows for Devices

Developer Shed | Dev Shed | ASP Free | Dev Articles | Dev Hardware | SEO Chat | Tutorialized | Scripts |
Code Walkers | Web Hosters | Dev Mechanic | Dev Archives | igrep

Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2009 Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is prohibited. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.