Ubuntu Gutsy Tribe Alpha 3 has been released. "The Ubuntu developers are moving very quickly to bring you the absolute latest and greatest software the Open Source Community has to offer. Gutsy Gibbon Tribe 3 is the third alpha release of Ubuntu 7.10, and with this new alpha release comes a whole host of excellent new features."
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Member since:2006-01-28
Member since:2005-06-28
Member since:2005-11-14
because every release must include at least 2-3 new big features not found on other distros.
http://perkypants.org/blog/2007/07/12/qotd-paul-nowak/
Member since:2006-09-10
*points to the release notes for each tribe release*
http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/tribe1
http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/tribe2
http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/tribe3
I think they tend to incorporate more of the Ubuntu specific changes toward the end of the cycle though, once they've successfully integrated most of the upstream stuff.
Member since:2005-07-08
Well, Compiz by default is a new, visible feature. Maybe some of the other major desktop distributions will also have this in the fall timeframe, but it's still an impressive and compelling feature. Windows and Mac users will take Linux more seriously due to Compiz.
I don't think that Ubuntu, or any other Linux distro for that matter, has problems getting their installed base to move to new releases. They don't charge for updates, so there's no reason for users to stick on a back-level release. Steady, minimally-disruptive change is critical for retaining users.
I don't think that Ubuntu's target audience is committed distro junkies. They focus on being a final destination for recovering junkies and attracting Windows and Mac users to the Linux community. Ubuntu's selling points are its strong community, effective packaging, and relatively cutting-edge features.
The Linux desktop is relatively mature. KDE4 is probably the biggest change we will see for a long time afterward. We'll see more change in the way Linux is perceived and supported than change in the software itself. It's going to become more seamless, more comprehensive, and more socially acceptable.
Desktop Linux is becoming all grown up, and the free software community has instilled in it the values and competencies that will bring it great success.
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-07-06
A quick scan of the up and coming "visible new features" reveals several interesting (to me, as a "normal" user) changes:
- Forms support in Evince
- Ekiga 3.0
- Google Calendar backend for EDS
- Gedit moved to new GTKSourceView - much improved highlighting of combined files (html containing javascript etc)
- Proper Gnome Keyring PAM integration (at last - no double prompts from NetworkManager!)
- Improved battery statistics in Gnome Power Manager
- Combined Appearance Preferences windows
- Rhythmbox gapless playback, improved support for online stores
Agreed these aren't distro-specific, BUT, name a distro that does have 2-3 big features not found in other distros, that are user visible.
The point is, desktop linux is maturing to a state where there's some stability. This has led to feature cross-pollination across all distributions. It almost doesn't matter what distro you run these days; all of the big ones are on the ball and provide out of the box support for the best desktop technologies.
Member since:2005-11-05
Eugenia,
Powerusers like yourself might not care, but the restricted-manager was updated to fetch and install broadcomm wireless firmware. This alone got my friend convinced to try it out.
Besides that, the only real noteable features are probably compiz-fusion enabled by default and the Appearance applet. Also, Colin Walters mentioned on the ubuntu-devel mailinglist that some of the features of wubi (http://wubi-installer.org/) are being integrated into debian-installer (for Ubuntu).
That would lower the barrier to entry even further as a point and click installer would set up a working ubuntu system as a file on a windows system. Then the user could reboot, and the windows boot loader would boot them into Ubuntu. It is more fragile, but infinitely easier to install.
The focus is on ease of use and polish. For this, they win.
Member since:
2005-06-28
I am running the latest Gutsy, and except the normal updates of the package versions, I saw no new, visible, features. I hope they come up with until the release, because every release must include at least 2-3 new big features not found on other distros.