After a hectic 6 month cycle complete with controversy, last minute bugs and exciting new features, the latest Ubuntu release, 10.04 Long Term Support “Lucid Lynx” has been unleashed into the wild.
But what’s new?
Boot speed
Noticeably quicker on almost any machine and super-fast on SSD-based machines such as netbooks, which means users can speed straight to the browser for fast web access.
Social from the start
The new ‘Me Menu’ in Ubuntu 10.04 LTS consolidates the process of accessing and updating social networks including Facebook, Digg, Twitter and Identi.ca. The Me Menu also integrates chat channels so users can talk with friends or colleagues on Google Talk, MSN, IRC and nearly every network.
Ubuntu One
Enhanced desktop integration for the online service means files and folders can be shared and saved on the cloud more easily. Bookmark and contacts sharing has been added, speeding the move from personal computer to personal computing.
Ubuntu One Music Store
Music from the world’s largest labels and greatest bands available direct to Ubuntu users through the default music player. Purchase tracks, store in Ubuntu One and share DRM-free music from one location across multiple computers and devices.
Ubuntu Software Centre 2.0
An easy way to find new software, and keep track of it once it’s installed in a new, sleeker interface. Users can also single out software provided by Ubuntu, by Canonical partners or by developers who use Canonical’s Launchpad Personal Package Archive (PPA) hosting service.
Ubuntu 10.04 Netbook Edition (UNE)
As well as benefiting from the improvements in the Desktop Edition, netbook users will see even faster boot speeds on SSD-based devices, faster suspend/resume that will extend battery life – and the industry-leading interface for these smaller screens.
Getting Ubuntu 10.04 LTE
To download Ubuntu 10.04, or order a CD, visit: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu
To have a look at the feature overview, check out: http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/1004features
We recommend that all users read the release notes, which document caveats and workarounds for known issues. They are available at: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/1004
While Ubuntu is downloading, have a read of the Ubuntu 10.04 install survival guide, check out our list of 10 things to do after installing or perhaps flick through a fresh copy of Getting Started with Ubuntu 10.04, the manual for Ubuntu 10.04 produced by The Ubuntu Manual team.
Enjoy!