Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition Released {on Thur 24 April}

[eppur_se_muova]

LONDON, April 21, 2008 – Canonical Ltd. announced the upcoming availability of Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition for free download on Thursday 24 April. In related news, Canonical also announced the simultaneous release of Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Server Edition.

Ubuntu 8.04 Long Term Support (LTS) provides a stable platform for software and hardware vendors, developers and users. With three years of support and maintenance on the desktop, 8.04 LTS is a great choice for large-scale deployment. A substantial and growing ecosystem of free and commercial software built for Ubuntu provides a rich set of choices for desktop users. This is the eighth desktop release of Ubuntu. Ubuntu's track record in delivering - on a precise schedule every six months - a commercial operating system that is free, stable, secure and fully supported, remains unique.

“Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition is a very significant release as it will take Ubuntu squarely into the business environment," said Jane Silber, COO of Canonical Ltd. "Our business and home users have told us that they want a longer support cycle to make Ubuntu a better deployment option. We have responded to that and added a commitment to much broader software and hardware support that we and our partners are excited to deliver. With enhanced commercial support through Landscape, combined with our always excellent community support, expect to see 8.04 LTS drive Ubuntu into new arenas."

"Ubuntu's polished, user focused version of the Linux desktop has built itself a wide enough following to compel significant ISV interest and support,” said Stephen O'Grady, principal analyst at Redmonk. "By coupling a very capable desktop offering with long term support options, Ubuntu is becoming an increasingly viable option for enterprises as well as consumers."
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more: http://www.ubuntu.com/news/ubuntu-8.04-lts-desktop

download release candidate: http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/804rc


Ubuntu 'reaping Linux dividend' (BBC)
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The version has also been designed to make installation simpler and give users the chance to try the OS without making radical alterations to their current computer set-up.

"This is the first version that you can install under Windows.

"Instead of re-partitioning your hard drive and taking some fairly risky steps, effectively you can now install under Windows without modifying your system."

Ubuntu can be installed on PC and Mac machines and is one of a number of versions of Linux.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7358483.stm

[Kutjara]

1. I've been running the alpha/beta releases for a couple of months.

It's been excellent. Fast, stable, nice features, desktop eyecandy that blows Windows and OS X off the map; it's pretty much got it all.

The perennial bugbear, getting wireless networking set up, is much improved (but there's still room for more - which will be coming in the next release in October).

I've pretty much moved over to Linux for all my computing, and much prefer the freedom and flexibility it gives me. Not to mention the better protection from malware and other online nastiness. And, of course, the wonderful sense of liberation from the clutches of Redmond.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Me Too - Experience Not As Good

Often crashes when screen effects are turned on, and when switching between users.

Pretty good, but not rock-solid.

[Kutjara]

5. There's still work to do with graphics.

ATi graphics are still problematic. nVidia are much better (nVidia even supply native Linux drivers for some of their cards), but there can still be problems on some setups. Intel integrated graphics work much better than before. The Compiz-Fusion 3D desktop effects are causing some people problems, but these usually go away if you return to the standard 2D metacity compositor.

My current major problem is getting WPA security to work with my Broadcom wireless card. Everything else works fine, but the card just doesn't want to do this last little thing. Whenever I get really frustrated with this, I just spin my desktop cube until I settle down again. :)

[MannyGoldstein]

6. I Had An Intel Graphics Chip

Hardy was crashing like crazy. Switched to an nVidia card - still crashed until I turned off Compiz effects.

But, overall, this is the first Linux release that I've seen that competes with Windows on the desktop (IMO).

[Kutjara]

7. Did you try the Envy drivers with your nVidia card?

A lot of people are reporting excellent results and there are a goodly number of HOWTOs on Ubuntu Forums.

I know the Intel 950/960/965 chipsets were previously blacklisted for desktop effects because they were screwing-up badly, but that's apparently been fixed recently. My laptop has the 965 (X3100) and works with Compiz beautifully. I'm just enjoying my good fortune and not prying too deeply into why it works, at the moment, in case I break something.

[mike_c]

2. ubuntu is debian, one of the best distros evah, IMO....

Just my $0.02. I run the original first Ubuntu distro on my music server at home. It's a bit overkill for that app, I know-- I even run Gnome so I have a nice interface over the LAN, LOL-- but it was easy to install and it's been rock solid since the day I installed it. Anyway, despite my dated copy, I've always been a Debian fan and now I'm a Ubuntu fan too!

[Mojambo]

4. I've been wanting to try Ubuntu for a while now

Looks like a good time to jump on.

So it'll install under Windows and you can see if it fits your needs and then can you jettison Windows from your machine? How easy/complicated would that be?