| Lucid Lynx beta boasts social networking features |
Mar. 22, 2010
 The Ubuntu project released its first beta of Ubuntu 10.04 ("Lucid Lynx"), offering two new themes, social-networking tools, cloud-related enhancements, faster boot-times, and an updated Firefox browser with Yahoo search as default. Meanwhile, an oddball icon placement in one theme has Ubuntu users up in arms.
The Canonical-backed Ubuntu project launched the first alpha of Lucid Lynx in December, and followed up with a second alpha in January. Since then, a third alpha has appeared, and now we have the beta, officially known as Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Long-Term Support).
The beta is available in Desktop, Server, and Netbook editions, as well as for Ubuntu variants, including Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Edubuntu, Ubuntu Studio, and Mythbuntu. The beta is still deemed sufficiently rough around the edges to recommend anything beyond experimental use, but users need only wait until April 29 for the final.
Boot-up in 14.8 seconds?
Recent Ubuntu releases, including the last one, Ubuntu 9.10 ("Karmic Koala") have worked on reducing boot times. This is especially crucial now that Windows finally offers fairly reasonable boot times.
The Ubuntu project does not list the new start-up time, but says the new release offers "improved startup times and a streamlined, smoother boot experience." According to the project, the Ubuntu Netbook Edition has also been upgraded with the same boot features.
In January, ChannelWeb's Edward Moltzen tested the second Desktop alpha, and found that it offered 15-second startups. In a brief review on the beta, also in ChannelWeb, Moltzen says the beta boots at 14.8 seconds on a system with 2GB of memory running on an Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 CPU clocked at 2.8GHz. In addition, Moltzen reports that it takes only nine minutes to do a "clean" installation on the same system.
New themes and social networking
Lucid Lynx's UI has been overhauled with two new themes, as well as a new notification area, icons, and wallpaper, says the project. In addition to the new, dark-purple Ambiance theme, there is a new, much lighter Radiance theme.
According to Moltzen on ChannelWeb, the new GUIs are "more Mac-like than Windows-like, with applications maximized, minimized, and closed in the upper left-hand corner." However, one peculiarity in the new widget placement appears to have upset quite a few users (see farther below).
Lucid Lynx's Gwibber social networking app
(Click to enlarge)
Ubuntu now offers built-in integration of social networking sites such as Twitter, identi.ca, and Facebook, on the "MeMenu" in the panel. The new feature is based on the Gwibber app, which supports a multi-column view for monitoring multiple social networking feeds simultaneously.
Improved nVidia support
Ubuntu 10.4 advances to Linux 2.6.32.9, and offers GCC 4.4.3, eglibc 2.11, and Python 2.6.5, says the project. The open source Nouveau video driver is now the default for nVidia hardware, and three proprietary drivers are also said to be available.
The Ubuntu desktop has been updated with the GNOME 2.30 or KDE SC 4.4 desktop environments, as well as the lightweight alternative, XFCE 4.6.1. Application updates are said to include OpenOffice.org 3.2.0 and X.Org server 1.7.5.
Ubuntu has also shed a few pounds, so to speak. The already depreciated HAL (hardware abstraction layer) is now gone, which is said to have helped improve boot times. In addition, a number of games have been removed.
As was widely reported when the alpha came out, the Gimp image editor is no longer the default. However, Ubuntu now offers the PiTiVi open source video editor.
Lucid Lynx's web browser defaults to Yahoo! search
(Click to enlarge)
Users may be less happy with another swap-out: Ubuntu's customization of the Firefox browser, with Yahoo as the default search engine instead of Google. The switcheroo was said to be the result of a new revenue sharing deal between Canonical and Yahoo. This is easily remedied, however. Finally, the "likewise-open" package, which provides Active Directory authentication and server support for Linux, has received a major update to version 5.4, says the project.
Server edition and cloud support
The Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Server Edition is updated with Apache 2.2, PostgreSQL 8.4, PHP 5.3.1, and LTSP 5.2, says the Ubuntu project. The new version adds AppArmor profiles for many key services, as well as kernel hardening, and "an easy-to-configure firewall," says the project.
The server edition is also said to provide better integration of the Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud (UEC), offering a new install-time cloud setup, says the project. The UEC installer now supports alternative installation topologies, and UEC components are now automatically discovered and registered, "even with complex topologies," says the project In addition, UEC is now said to be powered by Eucalyptus 1.6.2.
While UEC is aimed at the enterprise world, the Ubuntu One personal cloud service for Ubuntu users has also received some major enhancements, says the project. For example, users can now choose any folder in their home directories to sync, or select from millions of songs for purchase in the Ubuntu One Music store. Ubuntu One provides 2GB of hosted storage for free, or 50 GB for $10 per month.
According to Moltzen, Ubuntu One is the "one area where Microsoft, in particular, should be afraid" of how quickly Ubuntu is progressing. "While not as robust as some of Microsoft's Live offerings, including Office Live, or even Apple's MobileMe, Ubuntu One provides storage and synchronization with a number of Ubuntu clients on one account," writes Moltzen. Ubuntu One is also said to allow for file storage and sharing, stored notes, and contacts, he adds.
Don't touch that widget!
As noted, Ubuntu 10.04's new themes provide a Mac OS X-like placement of window border widgets to the left side of the window. According to Thom Holwerda in OSNews, the move was made to free up space on the right side of the window for a future feature.
Lucid Lynx's "controversial" Ambiance theme
(Click to enlarge)
In general, the changes have received the usual mix of cheers and brickbats among the users, primarily dependent on whether they were raised on Windows or the Mac. Yet, the position of the "close window" widget has created a bit of a stir on all sides. The widget button is now placed on the third button from the left instead of the upper left. "By any standard, this is just plain weird, and it seems a lot of people agree with that notion," writes Holwerda.
Holwerda points to a lengthy discussion attached to a bug report in Ubuntu's Launchpad, where there are numerous complaints about the placement of the widget. In particular, people are wondering "why such a massive change was made without their consent," writes Holwerda.
 In reply, Ubuntu founder (but no longer CEO) Mark Shuttleworth (pictured at right) wrote, "We all make Ubuntu, but we do not all make all of it. This is not a democracy. Good feedback, good data, are welcome. But we are not voting on design decisions."
The reply brought even more backlash, but Holwerda, who agrees with the content of the UI complaint, says that Shuttleworth is in the right here about the limits of consent in an open source project. "Apparently, people are surprised that Ubuntu is not a democracy," he writes, adding that not only isn't it a democracy, but that it shouldn't be. In typical open source projects, he concludes, "a relatively small group of people are the ones making the decisions, and that's a good thing."
Availability
The Ubuntu 10.04 beta announcement, with more details on variants including Kubuntu, Edubuntu, and Mythbuntu, may be found here, and an introduction to the release, with links to downloads, may be found here.
The ChannelWeb mini-review of the Lucid Lynx beta should be here.
The Ubuntu Launchpad forums on the new UI changes should be here, and the OSNews story on the controversy should be here.
-- Eric Brown
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