Ubuntu 9.04's final test version released
The Ubuntu project has published a release candidate, or final testing version, for the upcoming 9.04 version of its popular Linux distribution.
"We consider this release candidate to be complete, stable and suitable for testing by any user," Ubuntu developer Steve Langasek said late Thursday in an e-mail.
When release candidates prove stable, they sometimes end up being final production versions, although Ubuntu 9.04 still has a small number of bugs to be fixed. The software, nicknamed Jaunty Jackalope, can be downloaded from Ubuntu's site.
For this release, the project has focused on faster boot speeds and a new desktop notification system. The server version of Ubuntu 9.04 has focused on integration with cloud computing (for example, integration with Amazon.com services) and a more integrated mail server stack based on the postfix and packages.
The 9.04 release of Ubuntu also integrates the Netbook Remix software, which makes Ubuntu easier to use on the popular low-powered laptops that have come to be known as Netbooks. Ubuntu 9.04 is known to work on Asus' Eee PC 900, Acer's Aspire One, and Dell's Mini 9 devices.
Ubuntu 9.04 is scheduled to be released on April 23 and will be supported for 18 months.
Renai LeMay of ZDNet Australia reported from Sydney.
I've run 8.04 on a laptop and there were times when waking the computer from sleep was impossible without restarting it the "hard" way. I also got into the graphics card (via the GUI) settings and changed resolution slightly. The result was a mess - horizontal refresh rate ended up skewing the video to the point of making in impossible to use or correct the issue since the desktop was hopelessly distorted. Without knowledge of Xorg (which I hear they're moving away from), I'd have been lost and probably reinstalled from scratch. Getting wireless working is almost always a hit-and-miss affair (with more miss than hit if you check online forums) and getting sound to work isn't much a guarantee either (again, check the forums - they'll back me up).
On the bright side, it's free, legal, full-featured, complete (on just one CD!) and might *some day* give Microsoft concern on the home desktop. It's getting there - a little closer with each release - and I'll be downloading 9.04 when it is finally released this month. I like to keep a couple of live CD distros in my backpack and glove compartment for those times I need to rescue someone's Windows computer from the owner's neglect and/or ingorance.
According to my own experiences, Ubuntu is more stable than Windows. Getting wireless to work took a simple update through a wired network (something you only experience in Windows if you install it yourself instead of recieving it via OEM). Since I use it with my desktop, I don't worry so much about putting it to sleep but I can acknowledge its ability to run flawlessly for months on end.
Again, these have been my own experiences.
What you don't patch your system?!?!?
Most of the patches require a restart. Yes I am using Ubuntu 8 as well as opensuse and the patches are more frequent and voluminous than MS.
Now you understand why people defend M$ and their evil creation called winblows. Cue up the evil empire music from Star Wars ...
All in all I do love my Ubuntu. ^_^
Why not Ubuntu versus Fedora?
hopefully the latest release solves the problem.
"Can You Trust Your Computer?"
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html
Or search "treacherous computing." Google has the right page at the top.
As with the other commenter, I've pulled out a lot of hair after making the mistakes of a newcomer to a new OS. I implore the developer community to develop something similar to System Restore and the ability to start up with the last good configuration. I've had to reinstall several times, some of which I would have been saved from if I, as a newcomer, could have easily returned the system to an earlier state. How many people have just walked away from free software after the first such disaster?
We need to understand the importance of free software in saving us from the rapidly growing power of the state, in combination with corporations, to control the information we can access, which is another way to say the power of the corporate state to control US. Read the commentary by Stallman, and you'll understand what's at stake.
I think 9.04 will be regarded as one of the best ever Ubuntu releases, except possibly for the new notifications which are not so well-liked.
this is my store and I am standing by it.
- by ian russell April 23, 2009 10:52 PM PDT
- I've been using ubuntu for about 12 months now because windows kept frezzing , bugging, just all around a pain. I love ubuntu and 9.04 smooth look, themes, and effects are better than my mac, the 64 bit effects are things i use to dream about because i thought i had to be a geek that wrote computer code. Although the stability is not as amazing as mac software, yet. If ubuntu continues to do what i have seen in this past year it will be a house hold name like windows or mac. I highly advise any one who has never used linux based software to download the live cd and explore, it is so easy a 8 year old could use it.
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