Apps
Ubuntu Linux Reveals Its Yearly Spring Awakening
Latest Release of Free OS Is Available Now
By Gary Krakow
Flowers bloom every spring. So does the newest version of the Ubuntu Linux operating system.
Twice a year this free software gets free upgrade. But, each spring Ubuntu releases a major overhaul for their terrific OS.
Linux is a modern-day re-write of the Unix operating system from the 1960's. It's named after Linus Torvalds, the man who helped the software make the leap into the 21st Century – along with thousands of programmers who give their time/effort/knowledge to constantly improve the system.
Linux is free – with the major stipulation that if you change/improve any part of the software you “open” your changes to the entire Linux community. That's why it's known as “open software”.
Just so you know, another operating system that is based on Unix is Apple's OS X. It is not open software. Much of what Apple has added is proprietary.
More than 20-million people, worldwide call Canonical's brand of Ubuntu Linux (there are people making other brands) their personal operating system. That number is barely a blip compared to the approximately hundreds of million who use Microsoft Windows or Apple OS X.
This new Ubuntu is version 12.04 LTS (that stands for Long Term Support). It includes thousands of improvements. Among the best of the new:
The Heads-Up Display. A semi-transparent pop-up menu which gives you an alternate way of telling your computer what you want it to do. Start typing and the new HUD (as seen in the illustration above) will offer you possible options.
The Video Lens: One, easy to use location to find a video that you want to watch.
Ubuntu Software Centre: The improved app store for Ubuntu users offering thousands of “open software” apps.
This new version of Ubuntu is designed to take advantage of the newest/latest/greatest laptops and desktop hardware you can find. It also works well on many older computers (the older the computer, though, the slower it may work).
From personal experience, if your (Intel-based) PC is more than a few years old – and you feel that Windows XP is getting a somewwhat long-in-the-tooth - you should give Ubuntu a try.
Who knows? You might find it's better than anything else you've ever used. And, the price is right.