Ubuntu team has released their next iteration of Ubuntu OS, Ubuntu 9.10, code named Karmic Koala. I have already covered extensively the new features in Ubuntu 9.10 during the alpha, beta and RC cycles. Here is a short list of new features in Ubuntu 9.10.
- Empathy has replaced Pidgin as the default instant messaging client, introducing the Telepathy framework.
- Ubuntu includes Mozilla Firefox 3.5 for browsing
- Faster boot with Upstart
- Ubuntu 9.10 includes the Ubuntu Software Center. It’s supposed to be a replacement for multiple software installation options currently available in Ubuntu.
- Includes the latest GNOME 2.28 desktop.
- Ext4 and GRUB 2 by default for new installations.
- Improvements to AppArmor and Uncomplicated Firewall.
- The gdm 2.27.91 login manager is a complete rewrite compared to the version in earlier Ubuntu releases.
- Ubuntu 9.10 includes alpha images for the Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud (UEC) and Amazon’s EC2.
- Underlying technology for power management, laptop Hotkeys, and handling storage devices and cameras maps was moved from “hal” (which is going to be deprecated soon) to “DeviceKit-power”, “DeviceKit-disks” and “udev”.
- Karmic uses GCC-4.4 as the default compiler.
- Ubuntu One gives 2 GB of online storage to sync and backup your files.
- Evince, the GNOME document viewer, now ships with an enforcing AppArmor profile. This greatly increases security by protecting you against flaws in the historically problematic PDF and image libraries.
- Ubuntu 9.10 includes the 2.6.31-14.48 kernel based on 2.6.31.1.
- The Intel video driver has switched from the “EXA” acceleration method to the new “UXA”, solving major performance problems of Ubuntu 9.04.
For known issues with Ubuntu 9.10, click here. You can download Ubuntu from here.
Kubuntu team has released Kubuntu 9.10. Here are the new features in Kubuntu 9.10:
- KDE 4.3
- Kubuntu Netbook Edition for 9.10 is optimised for netbook systems.
- This release has an emphasis on connecting you to your online social networks.
- OpenOffice KDE integration
- KDE & Gnome desktop now share an official FreeDesktop standard for desktop notifications. The notification bubbles generated by KDE or Gnome applications now appear natively on the other desktop.
- New installer
- Amarok 2.2
- Kubuntu 9.10 includes the latest release of KPackageKit.
- K3b, the popular CD and DVD burning application has now been ported to KDE 4.
- User management tool from the KDE 3 days has been resurrected for Kubuntu 9.10.
- The Network Manager applet offers a more robust networking experience than it did in Kubuntu 9.04.
- GTK+ integration
- Installing this popular web browser will be a piece of cake in Kubuntu 9.10.
- For those who prefer the old KDE 3 desktop a Kubuntu KDE 3 Remix is available.
Here are the known issues in Kubuntu:
- The KPackageKit package manager used in Kubuntu 9.10 does not notify users if the packages they are installing come from repositories that are not secured with PGP. Users that wish to be informed of any packages installed from unsigned sources should use the apt-get command line tool as a workaround. (Launchpad bug)
- KNetworkManager cannot connect to a wireless network with a hidden SSID. Install network-manager-gnome via a wired connection as a workaround. (Launchpad bug)
- The “Hardware Drivers” package in Kubuntu (jockey-kde) requires a local package cache to function properly. Immediately after a new installation, this might not exist. If running jockey-kde after installing Kubuntu, first ensure there is a local package cache by running KPackageKit (K-Menu -> System Settings -> Add and Remove Software) and clicking on software updates or in a Konsole shell doing “sudo apt-get update” before running jockey-kde. (Launchpad bug)
- For Kubuntu Netbook Edition, users who wish to run Wubi from a USB disk that has persistent storage enabled will need to run it with the –force-wubi option from the Windows command line. (Launchpad bug)
- When using the OEM installation option on Kubuntu Netbook Edition, no “prepare for shipping” icon is placed on the desktop. Users who are doing OEM installations with Kubuntu Netbook Edition can access this feature under by choosing System->Prepare for shipping … from the main bar. (Launchpad Bug)
You can download Kubuntu from here.
