London - 26th October 2006 - Canonical Ltd, the commercial sponsor of Ubuntu, the world’s fastest growing Linux distribution, today announced its latest desktop and server version. Following months of development and user feedback, Ubuntu 6.10 offers a cleaner, sharper design, together with new and enhanced desktop applications and advances in security. Significantly faster boot up times and the best in leading edge free software technologies make the latest Ubuntu the first choice for many new and existing Linux users.
The fundamental freedoms of Ubuntu allow everyone, from home to enterprise users, to deploy Ubuntu without restriction. Ubuntu 6.10 is freely available and will be maintained for 18 months, with free security updates for all users. For deployments which require additional service guarantees, full telephone and online support on commercial terms is available globally from the professional support team at Canonical Ltd and service partners.
The desktop version introduces a host of new features, an improved interface and a wide variety of new applications and desktop tools making Ubuntu 6.10 flexible and user-friendly. Enhancements include:
* Tomboy, an easy-to-use and efficient note-taking tool
* F-Spot, a photo management tool that enables tagging, photo editing and automatic uploading to on-line web management sites such as Flickr
* GNOME 2.16, which in addition to new features such as enhanced power management, makes the GNOME desktop more secure, faster and more stable
* Upstart, a replacement start-up manager offering a cleaner design, eye-catching effects and a substantially faster boot time
* The latest Firefox web browser, which offers inline spell check support in web forms, easy recovery of crashed sessions, built-in phishing detectors, enhanced search engine management with built in OpenSearch support, and better support for previewing and subscribing to web feeds
* Proactive security features, preventing many common security vulnerabilities even before they are discovered
* Evolution 2.8.0, which brings new features such as vertical message panes
"With Ubuntu 6.10, we've made improvements across the board, both on the desktop where they're a visible part of the user experience, and in the underlying infrastructure where they improve performance and reliability for servers and desktops. The result is a system which is easier to use, faster, and more robust than ever. A great release in its own right, it will also be a solid base on which to build the next generation of Ubuntu features," said Matt Zimmerman, Ubuntu CTO.
The Ubuntu server edition builds on the functionality from the previous release simplifying common Linux server deployment processes. It also includes a pre-release of the upcoming LTSP-5 (Linux Terminal Server Project). LTSP-5 offers clients a lower TCO (total cost of ownership), simpler installation and easier maintenance than typical IT deployments. With all data stored on the server, administrators have substantially eliminated the cost of updating individual workstations to ensure their security. Enhancements to LTSP-5 include:
* Automatic network configuration with DHCP service for servers with two or more network cards attached – available with the alternate CD installer
* Language and session selection from the LTSP log in manager – allowing a user to choose from any of the languages and desktop sessions installed on the server
* Support for locally attached devices on thin clients – allowing users to access cameras, ipods or USB sticks on the thin client
* Printing support - enabling printing on a local printer from the thin client
* Full support for Etherboot
"LTSP-5 is the culmination of over one and a half years of collaboration between the LTSP project, the Ubuntu project, and the open source community to define the next generation of Linux thin client technology. This partnership between the thin client expertise of LTSP and the desktop technology of Ubuntu has enabled a richer thin client experience for users than ever before, while allowing both projects to benefit from each other's achievements," said Oliver Grawert, LTSP Project Manager at Ubuntu.
New versions of Kubuntu and Edubuntu are also being released. Kubuntu is a derivative of Ubuntu which includes the KDE desktop environment. Kubuntu 6.10 includes KDE 3.5.5 which brings speed improvements, updates to the instant messenger and improved translations. Edubuntu is a derivative of Ubuntu focused on the education market. Edubuntu 6.10 includes the LTSP enhancements described above, as well as an enhanced student control panel.
