Like all Linux distributions, Ubuntu is built on open source software, which means anybody can examine and modify the software used in the operating system, right down to the kernel. But in order for Ubuntu to take full advantage of your computer's hardware, there's a good chance you're going to want to use some restricted/proprietary drivers for your WiFi or graphics card or other PC components.

But if you're a die-hard open source enthusiast, you can install Ubuntu without any restricted components by hitting F6 at the boot menu when installing Ubuntu. This will let you install free software only, although you'll still have access to the restricted repositories.

Or if you want to be really hard core about it, you can install gNewSense 2.0, which is basically Hardy Heron without any restricted drivers -- or even easy access to them. That means there's a decent chance that your WiFi and video cards won't be supported right out of the box. But you can also be certain that you're using 100% free software which means you or anyone else can examine or modify every last line of code on your system.

In the past, Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has released Gobuntu, which is basically an official version of Ubuntu with free software only. But according to the Gobuntu wiki, the community that had been supporting the free software version of Ubuntu hasn't gotten around to creating a version for Hardy Heron, the latest Ubuntu distro.

For the most part gNewSense feels like Ubuntu. But it has about 100 packages missing, including some proprietary drivers, graphics, and even Firefox. The operating system uses Ephinany as its web browser instead.

[via Linux.com and Slashdot]

You can practically set your watch by Canonical's release schedule for the Ubuntu Linux operating system. Every six months, the organization releases a major upgrade. While open source developers are constantly tweaking and improving Ubuntu, these major releases typically include better hardware support, new software, and the latest kernel and desktop environment updates.

Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth says the team is now going a bit further. Not only will Ubuntu 8.10, 9.04, 9.10, and 10.04 be released at regular intervals, but Canonical will be releasing point upgrades for Ubuntu 8.04 every three months. Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron gets this special treatment because it's an LTS or Long Term Support release. That means Ubuntu 10.04, which will be released in April, 2010, will get the same kind of support.

Shuttleworth does suggest that he'd be willing to throw out the release schedule (or at least amend it a teensy weensy bit) if another major Linux distributor like Red Hat, Novel, or Debian were willing to collaborate on a coordinated release.

For our part, we'd like to see Apple and Microsoft enter into that agreement. If there was a new version of Windows, OS X, and Ubuntu out every 6 months, or even every 2 years, consumers would always have the option of picking among the latest, and most up to date operating systems, whether free and open source or commercial and closed source. Not that this will ever happen, but sometimes it's nice to dream.

Hey, did you hear that there's a new version of Ubuntu out today? Yeah, we know, we're shocked too. But seriously, Canonical comes out with a new version of its popular Linux distribution every six months, so we're starting to feel like the product launch isn't particularly big news. And of course, we've been installing and trying test builds for the last few months. The truth is, we imagine that many Download Squad readers have been running Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron for at least a few weeks if not months already.

That said, Hardy Heron is a pretty significant release, because it's considered an LTS or Long Term Support release. That means Canonical will offer 5 years of support instead of its usual 18 months, making Hardy Heron a good choice for enterprise users.

Here are a handful of things that set Hardy Heron apart from Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon, which is so last week:

• Firefox 3 beta is the default web browser
• Install Ubuntu from within Windows using Wubi
• Updated Linux kernel and new versions of Gnome and KDE desktops, with the option of using KDE 3.5 or KDE 4 as the default desktop for Kubuntu
• New BitTorrent Client
• New VNC client
• Virtualization software built into the kernel

f you've never tried Linux before, Ubuntu comes as a LiveCD. That means you can check out the operating system without harming your current OS and file system by burning the disc image to a DVD and booting your computer from the disc. It's a perfect try before you buy sales pitch, except there's nothing to buy. If you like what you see you can install it for free.

Are you running Hardy Heron yet? What do you think so far? What did Canonical get right, and what still needs some work?

Been so busy trying to decide whether or not to drop out of the presidential race that you haven't had time to keep up on the week's technology news? Worry not dear reader, we've got you covered. Here are some of our favorite articles from the past week.

Download Squad does April Fools

In case you didn't notice, we had a few articles on April 1st that were a bit... factually challenged. We had a great time writing these stories and we hope you enjoyed them. For the record, here's a roundup of the stories that weren't entirely true. But we're holding out hope that some of them could still happen one day:

• ICANN has Cheezburger: .lol domains available by 2009
• Something Rotten With Apple
• AOL acquires new properties
• Microsoft unveils new Developer Fitness program
• Download Squad moving to Planet of Internet

Working through out SXSW interview backlog

SXSW may have been last month, but we managed to catch up with so many awesome folks that we're still working through our backlog of interview videos. Here are some of the latest:

• Download Squad talks Data Portability at SXSW
• Being "radool" with Gary Vaynerchuk
• SXSWi 2008: Freshbooks

Ubuntu has become so popular, so quickly, that it is almost synonymous with the word "Linux". Common wisdom holds that it is the easiest to use, simplest, and most stable Linux based OS out there, and that it is the best hope for "Linux on the Desktop". This reputation is a well earned one, but after trying out the latest beta of Ubuntu Hardy, due out this April, I can't help but wonder if they are getting a little careless. More on this after the jump.

With just over a month to go until launch day, Canonical has released the first public beta version of Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron. To be honest, most of the features in the beta first made their appearance in early alpha releases. But there are a few relatively minor improvements, and a ton of tweaks that set Hardy Heron apart from Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon.

• Firefox 3 beta 4 is the default web browser
• PulseAudio is enabled by default
• New PolicyKit manager for advanced permission controls
• Gnome 2.22 is the default desktop environment. You can also install Kubuntu 8.04 which comes with KDE 3.5 or KDE 4, depending on which version you prefer

There's also a new disc burning application, BitTorrent client, and VNC client. Virtualization software is built into the kernel. And you can install Ubuntu from Windows using Wubi.
Keep in mind, this is still beta software, and it's not recommended for installation on production machines. The full version of Ubuntu 8.04 is due out on April 24th.

Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron is marching closer to its scheduled April launch. Canonical has released the 5th Alpha of the next generation of the popular Linux distribution. Among other things, Alpha 5 comes with a new installation option: Users can either run and install Ubuntu 8.04 Alpha 5 using a LiveCD, or they can use Wubi to install Ubuntu to a partition from within Windows. No reboot necessary.

Here are a few more updates in the latest Alpha release:

• Firefox 3 beta 3 is the default web browser
• Xorg 7.3 is included
• Uses Linux kernel 2.6.24
• PulseAudio is used by default
• Transmission BitTorrent client replaces Gnome BitTorrent
• Vinagre VNC client replaces xvnc4viewer
• Brasero CD/DVD burning application, replaces the Serpentine CD burning utility
• The World Clock applet can now display the time and weather in multiple locations

Ubuntu 8.04 Alpha 5 is available for download now. But since this is still pre-release software, we wouldn't recommend installing it on your primary machine. You know, unless you like using undercooked software on your primary machine and potentially losing data.

The wacky developers behind the popular Ubuntu linux distribution have chosen a code name for Ubuntu 8.10, or the version that will be released after the next version. Following the longstanding tradition of giving each new version a two word name with an adjective followed by an animal, Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth has announced that Ubuntu 8.10 will be known as Intrepid Ibex. No, really.

We admit, it's not easy to come up with good animal names starting with the letter I. But if you take a look at the list of proposed code names, we're pretty sure you could come up with a better name than that by throwing darts at your computer screen. Now, it's possible that the whole point of choosing a difficult to remember/pronounce name is to wean us off the habit of referring to Ubuntu distributions by their code names instead of their release numbers. Or maybe this is just some sort of cruel joke.

Anyway, Intrepid Ibex is scheduled for an October release, about 6 months after Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron's scheduled April launch.

[via Digg]

Oh Canonical, it seems like just yesterday that you pushed out Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon. And now the first alpha version of Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron is already available for download? They grow up so quickly.

Of course, this is an early alpha release, meaning the final version of Hardy Heron could look quite different. But the beauty of open source software is that the developers don't hold things close to the vest. Good luck getting your hands on prerelease code or software from Microsoft or Apple. But the more people there are who are willing to help test open source software, the better the final product will be.

For the most part, this build of Ubuntu 8.04 looks a lot like the recently released Ubuntu 7.10. But there are two notable differences. First up is Xorg 7.3, which should mean better automatic hardware configuration. There are also a slew of updated software packages and some new applications. Most of these are coming from the larger Debian Linux community.

We wouldn't recommend replacing your current operating system with Ubuntu 8.04 just yet. As an early test release, you can expect plenty of bugs. But if you're interested in seeing where Ubuntu is going or helping to bug test the operating system, have at it.

[via Ars Technica]