The splash screen in Ubuntu 9.10

Ubuntu 9.10, codenamed Karmic Koala, Was released in late October and has brought with it some exciting changes. an improved interface, standard EXT4 file system by default, and more variety of system themes out of the box just to name a few. In this review, I’ll touch on some of the main differences.

Ubuntu's installation wizard.

Installation

The new version offers a user experience that is better than its predecessors, but there is still room to streamline the process. The Ubiquity slideshow during install is a nice touch; very professionally done with nice artwork; almost reminiscent of a Windows install (where Microsoft takes the opportunity to tell you how lucky you are for using Windows). The standard install takes about the usual amount of time; I was able to install it in Virtual box in about 12 minutes. Overall, the install process is simple, easy to use, and shouldn’t cause many problems for Linux users new and old.

Interface

Version 9.10 ships with version 2.28 of the GNOME desktop environment; bringing with it an improved framework for Bluetooth.  Something that is a welcome sight for yours truly, Bluetooth support has always been a rough patch for me with Linux, and it appears to be much smoother in this release.

Ubuntu One Service

One of the most notable features introduced in this release is the Ubuntu one feature. Allowing users to connect to Canonical’s web storage and file sync service; which of course requires a Launchpad user ID and password.

Easy installation of software packages is a snap.

Software Center

And now for my favorite upgrade! I have always touted package managers as the one thing that has a huge benefit over installing Windows programs, though mind you I am a Slackware user and I usually “enjoy” the extremely entertaining experience of compiling all my programs from source code. But for those who actually have a personal life, you will find that Ubuntu has put a nifty little GUI called the software center that makes browsing Synaptic much easier than before.

The Bad

A lot of the debate over 9.10’s quality and the quality of Linux overall may have to do with the recent release of Windows 7 raising the bar for what people expect when they using an operating system. Ubuntu still has some progress to make up in the area of audio hardware compatibility and other general hardware issues. Anyone who has ever tried to use a Sound Blaster X-FI card in Ubuntu or any distro will know what I mean. I also noticed that the system has a tendency to freeze up every so often while adjusting Pulse Audio settings.

Conclusion

Ubuntu enjoys a spot at the top of the Linux food chain overall, and during its 11 release lifespan has even been an option in Dell’s open source computers. Though as always there are bugs as there were in previous versions, which isn’t surprising given the number of new innovations packaged in this release. Linux as a whole still has a long way to go to be accepted by the masses as a viable desktop alternative to Windows, but for the newcomer to the Linux world that isn’t afraid to try new things, Ubuntu remains the easy-to-use distro for everyone.

Monty Dine :