Ubuntu 9.04 Release

Version 9.04 of Ubuntu Linux is finally here! I've been using Ubuntu for years, and it seems to get better with each release. A few years ago, I started playing with it on a PII-450 rig that would have otherwise ended up in the garbage, and now I'm using it on a daily basis on my Latitude D400.

With each new release, Ubuntu brings something new to the table, and 9.04 is no exeption. There is an impressive list of new features this time around, including new versions of the X server (1.6) and the Gnome desktop environment (2.26) which itself includes improved multi-monitor support and the Brasero disc burning utility. You also get version 2.6.28 of the Linux kernel, which is typically updated automatically as new versions are released. The new Ext4 file system is supported, though Ext3 is still used by default in the automatic partitioning utility. Booting speed is reportedly greatly improved, especially when the system is installed on an Ext4 partition. Wacom tablets now have hot-plug support, which eliminates the need for screwing with xorg.conf to get them working.

A lot of fuss has been made over the new notification system, which has turned out to be somewhat controversial. The original intention of the re-design was to create a simple, universal notification system, but many developers are disappointed with the lack of functionality. I think it looks really slick, but time will tell how well it works, and its success hinges somewhat on whether the development community embraces or rejects it.

Also new to this version is the ability to deploy a "turn-key" mail server by installing a single package. They also mention cloud computing, which everyone has been talking about nonstop, but nobody has really come up with a good explanation of what it is.

If you're interested in trying Linux, Ubuntu is a great place to start. It has a very good "Live CD" which will let you try it without changing anything on your computer. If you do decide to make the switch it's easy to install, easy to use, and it has an excellent support community. Best of all, it's free! What are you waiting for? Go download it and give it a try!

For those of you who want to give something back, use Bittorrent to download the .iso here. You can have your Ubuntu, and help others get their copy too!


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Follow me to the future's distant shore
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