Ubuntu 8.04

No updates in a while due to work commitments.  Just a quick post before bed to comment on the latest release of Ubuntu Linux.  I have been tinkering with Ubuntu for a couple of years after brief forays into Mandrake, Peanut, and SUSE.  I have had a few problems with driver and general compatibility issues between Linux and the rest of the world using MS Windows and stuck to XP.  I tried out Ubuntu as it was the first distribution that moved away from supplying the user with 6 CDs containing a myriad of applications all doing the same thing, installing from a single 700mb CD with everything you needed.  My course here at Manchester provided an Acer Travelmate 4230 laptop which we have been using for general report writing and more recently mathematical modelling with Mathematica and Copasi.  I had a play with various versions of Ubuntu 6 and 7 but could never get it to recognise all the integrated hardware and ended up back with XP again.

Earlier this month I downloaded the latest Ubuntu 8.04 and gave their new Wubuntu windows installer a go as I could have a quick play and delete it without having to re-partition my hard disk.  Ubuntu installed alongside XP with a smooth bootloader and ISO image instead of dual boot.  I was stunned to find the operating system happily detecting all the integrated intel hardware on the laptop, the widescreen resolution, and even the integrated 3D graphics accelerator to provide the full bells and whistles Compiz Fusion desktop.  A week later and I haven’t booted back into XP!  The OS migrated all my user accounts automatically from XP and mapped the old partition as a drive within Ubuntu. I downloaded a couple of extra packages like Amorak and Thunderbird and I’m seriously considering waving goodbye to Microsoft for my future work.  The speed gained from the Linux filesystem is considerable and the integrated synaptics package manager makes downloading additional software and updates simple.

I feel version 8.04 is a significant step forward for the Ubuntu community and a serious contended as a mainstream desktop operating system. I would seriously recommend anybody who is considering an expensive upgrade to Vista or Apple give it a try before shelling out.

The revolution is here