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Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Canonical

Millions of Karmic Koalas descend on the 'net as Ubuntu 9.10 downloads go live

Linuxby Lee Mathews Oct 29th 2009


We've been looking at Ubuntu 9.10 for a while now in anticipation of the big day. It's finally here, and the full release of Karmic Koala is now available for download.

As usual, there are plenty of ways to get your hands on the new OS. Unlike Windows 7, that includes certified, honest to goodness torrents straight from Canonical. They're already fairly well seeded, so P2P downloads should be nice and speedy.

To save you sifting through the massive list of links, here are the three big ones:
There's also a new release of WUBI [direct download] for those of you who want to do a hands-free Ubuntu 9.10 install from the comfort of your current Windows desktop.

Tags: karmic, karmic koala, karmic-koala, KarmicKoala, ubuntu, ubuntu-9.10

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Canonical

Canonical to limit free Ubuntu CD distribution program

Linuxby Brad Linder Oct 26th 2009

Ubuntu Shipit
On Thursday the folks at Canonical will release Ubuntu 9.10, the latest version of the popular Linux distribution. But as the operating system grows more and more popular, there's one service that Canonical has been offering for years that gets more and more expensive. Up until now, if you wanted to install Ubuntu, you could either download a disc image and burn it to a CD or DVD or sign up to have Canonical send you a free CD.

But the thing about free CDs is that somebody has to pay for them. And in this case, it's Canonical that's footing the bill. And the more people request the free CDs, the higher that bill gets. So Canonical has decided to place a few limits on the ShipIt program for distributing those CDs.

The discs will still be made available to Local Community team members and Ubuntu contributors. And new Ubuntu users will be able to request a CD. But you need to create an account and sign in to request that CD. In other words, Canonical will be tracking you and will only send you a free CD the first time you ask for one. After that, you'll be expected to either upgrade to the next version of Ubuntu by downloading software updates or by purchasing a disc from the Ubuntu Store.

[via PC Pro]

Tags: shipit, ubuntu

Filed under: Developer, Linux, Canonical

Frustrated EEEUbuntu dev says "Ubuntu sucks."

Linuxby Lee Mathews Oct 16th 2009

Ubuntu certainly has its fans - perhaps more than any other Linux distro. One person you can rest assured isn't part of that group: EEEUbuntu developer Andrew Wyatt. In case you aren't familiar with the project, EEEUbuntu is a customized Linux distro tailored to Asus' line of netbooks.

It was a SourceForge community choice award winner this year - for best new project. Now, however, it looks as though the distribution's future may be in jeopardy. On his personal blog, Wyatt expresses his frustration at receiving blame for problems actually caused by things like wonky Intel video drivers and kernel bugs.

Things which he feels are the result of carelessness of Ubuntu developers. "...They missed something as stupid as the ntel tiling kernel bug which caused every Intel card out there to crawl during any OpenGL function. There is no excuse for their release of alpha grade drivers and less than alpha grade kernel code into their release distribution," Wyatt writes.

He also hits on an issue that has given me grief in the past on multiple laptops - knowing what to do when you shut the lid. "Who needs suspend anyway, not like its a useful feature and all on an ultraportable." If it bothers me, I can certainly see how it would vex someone who develops a Ubuntu-based OS.

In closing his post, Wyatt gets in one last parting shot: "Maybe I should buy a copy of Windows 7, I hear that it actually works. How can we expect non-techical users to use this pile of garbage that is 'Linux'?"

Ouch.

[via ITWire]

Tags: canonical, eee, eeeubuntu, linux, ubuntu

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Filed under: Games, Linux, Open Source

Off the Clock: djl is a must-have app for Linux gamers

Linuxby Lee Mathews Oct 10th 2009


Now that I've managed to pick up a spare laptop on the cheap, I finally have a dedicated Linux machine to experiment with. Priority number one since I'm Off the Clock for the weekend: get some games installed that are more fun than the ones Ubuntu ships (sorry Nibbles and Gnometris).

Enter djl. Think of it as a kind of FOSS version of Steam. Except, of course, that all the games are totally free. Currently, djl's repositories warehouse about 120 games -- all of which can be installed with just a few painless clicks. New games are submitted frequently, and you can read about them on the app's news tab.

Just about every popular game you can think of is available: Battle Tanks, Cube, Hedgewars, Numptyphysics, OpenArena, Urban Terror, Warsow, and many more. If it runs on Linux, you can probably install it with djl. Games you download are added to the -- you guessed it -- games tab. Uninstalling and updating is also a breeze, making djl an awesome way to manage your collection.

There's even a built-in chat where you can talk to other djl users: find out what they're playing, or maybe find yourself an opponent for some head-to-head combat.

[via Unixmen]

Tags: djl, downloader, games, gaming, installer, linux, manager, off the clock, off-the-clock, OffTheClock, ubuntu

Filed under: Linux, Canonical, Beta

Canonical bumps Ubuntu One paid accounts to 50GB, pulling even with Dropbox

Linuxby Lee Mathews Oct 3rd 2009


Canonical has decided -- in response to user requests -- to give paid users of its Ubuntu One online sync and storage tool a big, fat boost in drive space. One recently made its way into Karmic Koala -- which has just reached beta.

When beta testing began in May, it looked as though free accounts would get 2GB (the same as Dropbox) and premium users would receive 10GB. That may have been a tough sell, since the same $10 per month scores 50GB from Dropbox.

In response to beta tester feedback, however, Canonical has decided to pony up. Paid users of the service will now get 50GB.

I'll still give the edge to Dropbox since it's also available on Windows, Mac, and now the iPhone as well. On top of that, there's also the option of a 100GB account if you need extra elbow room. If you're only using Linux, can make do with 50GB, and want to support Canonical, however, Ubuntu One is a solid choice.

[via Works With U]

Tags: canonical, online storage, OnlineStorage, sync, ubuntu, ubuntu-one

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Open Source, Canonical

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala Beta now available

Linuxby Paul O'Brien Oct 2nd 2009


The Beta release of Canonical's new baby, Ubuntu 9.10 'Karmic Koala', is now available for download.

As well as the usual host of version updates to each of the components (including Firefox finally getting an official update to 3.5), changes in 9.10 include a visual refresh, a boot sequence improved in both appearance and performance, inclusion of the new 'Ubuntu Software Center' (which replaces 'Add/Remove' in the applications menu), Gnome 2.28 (which sees the Pidgin IM client replaced with Empathy), rapid application development with Quickly, Ubuntu One file sharing, Linux kernel 2.6.31, Intel's new UXA video driver architecture for improved performance on Intel hardware, ext4 as the default filesystem (replacing ext3), GRUB2 as the default bootloader, improved iSCSI support, updated and improved AppArmor and Uncomplicated Firewall - you can read the full list on the Beta page.

Ubuntu 9.10 is available for download in both ISO format (directly and via Bittorrent) and for the first time in Cloud image format for use with Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud (UEC) and Amazon's EC2.

Only one Beta version of Karmic Koala will be available - the release candidate arrives October 22nd (the release date for Windows 7!) before the final release lands on October 29th.

Gallery: Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala


Tags: canonical, karmic koala, KarmicKoala, ubuntu

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Canonical

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala icon theme available for download

Linuxby Brad Linder Oct 1st 2009

Humanity Icons
Canonical is launching a new icon set called Humanity for Ubuntu 9.10. The new operating system should be available to download in a couple of weeks, but if you can't wait that long and don't want to download a pre-release alpha version of Ubuntu 9.10 you can download the Humanity icon set and use it on earlier versions of Ubuntu.

You can also install the icon set by opening a terminal and typing (without quotes): "sudo apt-get install humanity-icon-theme".

The new set includes icons for actions, animations, applications, devices, categories, and a whole slew of other areas.

The entire icon set weighs in at 1.4MB and each icon is saved in Scalable Vector format which means the icons should look good in a variety of resolutions. You can read more about the new icons at the Ubuntu Wiki.

[via Ubuntu Mini]

Tags: humanity, icons, ubuntu, ubuntu-9.10, ubuntu-9.10-karmic-koala

Filed under: Fun, Features, Linux, Lists

10 easy ways to play with Linux without leaving Windows

Linuxby Lee Mathews Sep 28th 2009

While I haven't made the switch to Linux full time, I find myself spending more and more time experimenting of late. In particular, I'm enjoying projects like Moblin and the Ubuntu Netbook Remix.

If you're still using Windows for your primary OS there are tons of ways to get your feet wet like a true penguin without making any serious commitments. Here are ten ways to play with Linux painlessly -- if you have another to share, please post it in the comments!

Virtualization

Moba LiveCD
Moba uses QEMU to boot LiveCD and LiveUSB images right from your Windows desktop. It works as a portable app and also offers context menu integration so you can right-click to launch fresh images.

Portable Ubuntu
Using Colinux, Pulseaudio for Windows, and the Xming X server, this package allows you to boot a fully-working Ubuntu environment inside Windows right from your usb flash drive. The bigger the better, obviously. I'd recommend an 8GB or 16GB if you plan on using it regularly.

Read more →

Tags: beginner, fedora, kde, linux, livecd, LiveUSB, moba, ubuntu, virtualbox, virtualization, vmware, windows, wubi

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Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Canonical

Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx coming next year

Linuxby Brad Linder Sep 21st 2009

The folks at Canonical are putting the final touches on Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala which should be available next month. But in one of the first steps toward looking even further ahead, Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth has announced the alliterative codename for Ubuntu 10.04 which will be released in April: Lucid Lynx.

Ubuntu comes out on a six month schedule, which means that you get a major update every April and October. Lucid Lynx will be a LTS or Long Time Service release, which means users and organizations that don't want to feel the need to upgrade every six months can install the operating system and expect 2 years of support from Canonical. The last LTS release was Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron.

Ubuntu 10.04 will use the GNOME 2.0 desktop (the following version will move on to GNOME 3.0). There'll be a push for more cloud computing features. More details should emerge in the coming months.

[via OStatic]

Tags: lucid-lynx, ubuntu, ubuntu-10.04, ubuntu-10.04-lucid-lynx

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Open Source, Canonical

Give Ubuntu a facelift with new community themes and icon sets

Linuxby Lee Mathews Sep 17th 2009

A lot of new Ubuntu users are put off by the default color scheme. "Brown and orange? Those are colors a non-winning football franchise would pick." (you know I love you, Browns!) Well, it's really not all that hard to tweak your interface to something more "you" in Ubuntu -- and soon there will be some more default options available.

Four new community-developed themes are now available, and they're all well done and visually appealing. While there are still plenty of mocha tones, I think each one is a nice alternative to Ubuntu's out-of-the-box look.

Check the screens and get download links after the break!

[via Ubuntu Manual]

Read more →

Tags: emerald, gtk, icons, linux, skins, themes, theming, ubuntu

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Filed under: Linux, Canonical

Ubuntu 9.10 alpha 5 available for download, gears up for October release

Linuxby Lee Mathews Sep 4th 2009

With the final version of Karmic Koala due in less than two months, things are looking good for Ubuntu 9.10. Alpha 5 has been officially released and is now available for download from the usual channels.

The new alpha brings with it kernel 2.6.31-9.29, Gnome 2.27.91, GCC 4.4, and a lengthy list of additional updated packages. KUbuntu has been bumped to KDE 4.3.1 and its first Netbook Remix has also been released this time around.

Karmic's installer now sports a series of panels that showcase apps like FSpot, OpenOffice, and Rhythmbox. It's a nice touch -- if only as a reassurance to new users that yes, you can do these things on Linux. Though it's still touted as Ubuntu's default IM application during the install process (see the slides after the break), Pidgin has now been replaced by Empathy. Canonical's Ubuntu One cloud sync app is now included by default.

The usual alpha software caveats apply here: it's not recommended for use on critical systems and may contain bugs that could be hazardous to your computing health.

Now that that's out of the way...The alpha builds have been a lot of fun to play with so far, so check them out. Share your thoughts with us in the comments if you've given 9.10 a shot already!

Read more →

Tags: alpha, karmic-koala, linux, ubuntu

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Linux, Freeware, Open Source

uSBuntu Live Creator makes portable Ubuntu installs a breeze

WindowsLinuxby Lee Mathews Jul 21st 2009

LiveCDs are a great way to experiment with Linux without making any changes to your system, but they're so dang wasteful. I never remember to sleeve my discs and they end up with more scratches than a guy juggling feral cats.

USB flash drives are great, because they're a lot more rugged and they can be reused again and again. They're also totally silent, something I can't say the same for the tiny blender of an optical drive inside my Toshiba laptop.

On to the good stuff! Blogger Kishan Bagaria shared an interesting utility called uSBuntu Live Creator which goes a step beyond apps like the Fedora LiveUSB Creator and UnetBootIn to provide a simple way to install Ubuntu in combination with portable VirtualBox.

The app also allows you create persistent storage on your flash drive. It's compatible with Ubuntu/Xubuntu/Kubuntu 8.10 and 9.04 as well as Linux Mint 6 Main and #! 8.10.02 Standard.

For a hassle-free way to cart around some of the most popular Linux distros in your pocket, this app is undeniably handy. It's a free download and runs on Windows.

Tags: linux, portable, ubuntu, usb-flash-drive

Filed under: Linux, Google, Open Source, Beta, Browsers

Flash working in Chromium on Linux, Linux geek productivity falls sharply

Linuxby Lee Mathews Jul 17th 2009


Though you can now enable Flash on Google Chrome for Mac, the Linux still doesn't have support. However, if you're willing to run Chromium instead of the official Google build, you're in luck.

Using a current version of Chromium from Launchpad, adding Flash to the speedy browser is a breeze. As detailed here, a couple minutes in terminal is all it takes. Follow the steps, and at long last you'll be able to blow your day in Chromium on Linux browsing pointless YouTube videos and racking up high scores in your favorite Time Wasters!

Personally, the inability to run Flash video and games in Chromium wasn't a major concern. Not being able to utilize Flash-based controls on certain websites, however, was a giant pain in the ass - and it's nice to have that sorted out.

Tags: chromium, flash, google-chrome, linux, ubuntu

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux

CrunchBang Linux 9.04.1 released in 32-bit, 64-bit flavors

Linuxby Brad Linder Jul 9th 2009


CrunchBang Linux is a lightweight operating system based on Ubuntu Linux. Yesterday CrunchBang 9.04.1 was released. The latest version is based on Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope and it's the first version of CrunchBang to come in both 32-bit and 64-bit builds.

CrunchBang 9.04.1 also includes faster bootup times, support for the Ext4 filesystem, and better suport for wireless cards. The latest version also includes a new panel/taskbar application, additional themes, and built-in support for most Intel Atom powered netbooks, which means that CrunchEee, an Eee PC-specific build that had been available previously has been phased out.

There is still a "Lite Edition" of CrunchBang that ships with fewer applications preinstalled and is designed to take up significantly less hard drive space.

[via EeeUser Forum

Tags: crunchbang-9.04.1, crunchbang-linux, ubuntu

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Linux, Windows x64

StatCounter data shows Windows 7 pre-release use closing in on Linux

WindowsLinuxby Lee Mathews Jul 3rd 2009


With the release of Ubuntu 9.04 and developments like Moblin and HP's MIE creating quite stir, plenty of people were saying that 2009 would be 'the year of Linux on the desktop.' Not that the statement hasn't been made before, but there appeared to be some real momentum this time around.

Enter the Windows 7 RC. A quick look at StatCounter's most recent data shows Linux use at .71% and Microsoft's soon-to-be released OS right behind at .68%. StatCounter's chart only shows the top 5 OSes, so you'll need to take a look at the raw CSV data to get the numbers.

Things certainly look good for Windows 7, but let's keep in mind that it's still competitive with Linux on price at this point (read: free). Once people have to shell out their hard-earned money for the new OS, will things change or will Linux still struggle to make gains on Windows?

What are your thoughts?

Tags: market-share, moblin, operating-systems, statcounter, statistics, ubuntu, windows 7, windows-vs-linux, Windows7

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