Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx)

Like previous releases, Ubuntu 10.04 comes with the Wubi installer, which makes it easy for Windows users to test or switch to Ubuntu. You are given the option to try the Ubuntu operating system without any changes to your current setup, by booting your computer from the Ubuntu CD. Or you can install Ubuntu inside MS Windows, which does not require repartitioning of your hard drive. You can also install Ubuntu as dual boot or as the only operating system, which will provide optimum performance. Intallation takes about 15 minutes on a standard PC.

Release 10.04, code named Lucid Lynx, brings a number of significant changes in the user experience of the default Ubuntu desktop environment. Previous releases were all characterized by the brown color scheme. The default wall paper color of Lucid Lynx is purple. The graphics and the font of the Ubuntu logo has been redesigned. Start-up and wake-up times have been further reduced by replacing HAL with DeviceKit. The arrival of emails, instant messages, tweets, Facebook posts, etc. are brought to the user's attention through notifications at the upper right corner of the screen. The program Gwibbler combines various feeds, including those from Twitter, Facebook, Digg, and Flickr. Pre-installed applications, such as Firefox, OpenOffice, and the email client Evolution are presented with a common interface.

The Ubuntu Software Centre provides access to thousands of free and safe software packages. You can find software for pretty much anything you are looking for and don't need to worry about licensing, registration codes, or viruses. Or you can simply explore and discover new applications and games. After installing the software Wine, which provides a compatibility layer between Linux and Microsoft Windows, you can install and run many popular Microsoft Windows applications as well.

Lucid Lynx provides access to the Ubuntu One music store which offers over four million DRM free titles of major and independent labels. It has expanded support for Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud (UEC), and new themes "Ambiance" and "Radiance".

Of course, further progress has been made in terms of compatibility and robustness. You should have little or now problems with detecting network printers, Exchange servers, multiple screens, etc.

Ubuntu 10.04 is available in the desktop, netbook, and server versions for both 32 and 64 bit architectures. Then there are the Ubuntu 10.04 based variants Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Edubuntu, Mythbuntu, and Ubuntu Studio.

The cornerstones of this version are the Kernel 2.6.32, glibc 2.11, X.org 7.5, Gnome 2.30 beta, Firefox 3.6, and OpenOffice 3.2. Version 10.04 is one of the Long Term Support (LTS) releases, which means Canonical guarantees updates for three years for the desktop variant and five years for the server variant.

For more information and download links consult the official Ubuntu web site.