With the arrival of every new Ubuntu Release comes the anticipation. What will change? Are there any new features? Well here is what you can expect from Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 10.04.
Look Forward to..
Stability
Every two years, the Ubuntu team releases what they call an LTS release, or Long Term Support release. LTS releases are meant to be more focused on stability then on new features. For example, there is less focus on new features and the cutting edge, and more on hardware compatibility, enterprise use, testing, and making better existing features and code. The last LTS release was Hardy Heron, 8.04. That means that, you’ve guessed it, Lucid Lynx is an LTS release! You can expect Lucid Lynx to be a very stable release.
Boot Time
One of the main goals for the release of Lucid Lynx is to obtain a 10 second boot time on an average computer (Dell Mini 9 netbook). That’s a very aggressive goal, but they have certainly attained it. Believe it or not, one ubuntu user got his computer to boot in 4.46 seconds!
Installation Time
Installation time for Ubuntu has been shortened as well. This is accomplished by downloading and installing at the same time, rather than downloading first and then installing second. While talking about installing things, one feature that was planned for 9.10 but never made it is the ability to install updates during shutdown. Although it didn’t make it into 9.10, it will be in 10.04.
iPhone Support
Are you currently dual booting or running a virtual Windows machine for iPod Touch or iPhone support? You are about to be a happy person. Lucid Lynx is confirmed to recognize and sync with the iPhone and iPod Touch out of the box. This is a huge milestone for Ubuntu and Linux in general, as iPhone users will no longer need to depend on Windows or Mac.
No More Brown
Many users will be excited to hear that the Ubuntu team has finally decided to throw out the brown theme. Now it is a more subtle black and grey or light grey color scheme (there are two defualt themes). The background image is purple, and the boot logo has a nice look as well. The new theme can be seen here.
Me Menu
Ubuntu is jumping on the Social Networking boom. In 10.04, a new menu named “Me Menu” will be added. From the Me Menu you will be able to set statuses, set available/away/busy, and with the addition of gwibber, have a feed from all of your social networking sites all in one place.
Gwibber
What to watch out for..
Window Controls Moved
The Ubuntu team decided, with very little input from their user base, that the window controls (close, minimize, maximize) should be moved to the left side. This leaves for lots of open space on the right side, and not only that, but they are in an odd order (as you can see in the first image). Not very many users agree with this change, but luckily you have the ability to move them back with a simple google search.
More Dependence on Ubuntu Software Center
One of the nicest new features in 9.10 was the Ubuntu Software Center. Not only was it nice looking, but it was much easier to use than synaptic. For 10.04 their are big changes in for the application installer. First and foremost, it will become the only installer. No more synaptic, no more updater, just USC. Also, it will allow for PPA, which means that anybody can put their software onto USC for others to download! It all sounds great, but the only thing I worry about is losing control over certain things that synaptic allowed for.
Empathy Chosen over Pidgin
Some people may be a little bit upset over the replacement of Pidgin by Empathy. The main reason for this is Empathy’s support for video conferencing.
No More GIMP
Well, you can still install it from the USC, but it is not included in the default install. Although GIMP may be a little bit too advanced for some users, it still shows the power of open source by matching up with photo shop. Hopefully it will be on the front page of the Ubuntu Software Center for everyone to see!
Conclusion
I’m very excited for the release of Lucid Lynx. It will bring a new modern look with many new features and, most importantly, stability. It’s going to be hard for Window’s users to watch a video of Lucid Lynx on youtube and not be jealous if you ask me!
If you know of anything I missed, please let me know and I’d be happy to add it!
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