The Ubuntu 14.04 “Trusty Tahr” release is now available for download, giving users a Linux desktop that will be supported for the next five years.
The new Linux distribution comes at a very opportune time, given Microsoft’s recent end of life for support on Windows XP.
Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions in use today and is commercially backed by Canonical. The new Ubuntu 14.04 release is what is known as a Long Term Support (LTS) release and provides users with five years of support. In contrast, the Ubuntu 13.10 release was a non-LTS update and only carried nine months of support. Canonical issues new LTS releases every two years.
“The most important features for people upgrading from 12.04 LTS is that full disk encryption is now offered as part of the default installation and that AppArmor has much improved mediation of various forms of inter-process communication,” Spencer said. AppArmor, which was first included by Canonical in the Ubuntu 7.10 “Gutsy Gibbon” release in October 2007, is a mandatory access control (MAC) open-source security technology that is integrated with Ubuntu.
Unlike Microsoft’s Windows operating system, where there is typically only one desktop user interface, with Linux there are multiple choices. For Ubuntu 14.04, Spencer expects the vast majority of users will be running the Unity 7 desktop that comes with it.
“Unity 7 is mature, fast and highly usable for all types of users,” Spencer said.
The new Unity desktop in Ubuntu 14.04 provides a number user-facing improvements. The Unity application launcher now has improved sizing capabilities, and application windows are now making use of anti-aliased graphics to provide a more fluid look. Users now also have the option to have application menus shown within an application window’s own title bar.
Canonical is no stranger to trying to attract Windows users to the Ubuntu Linux platform. Back in 2008 with the Ubuntu 8.04 “Hardy Herron” LTS, Canonical introduced a technology called “Wubi,” which is a Windows-based installer for Ubuntu.
With the end of life for Windows XP support, Canonical does not have any new specific, targeted programs to help Windows users move to Ubuntu.
“We believe that Ubuntu has been a great alternative to Windows for years, so our focus is on making certain that Ubuntu 14.04 LTS runs on the latest hardware, including touch screens and high DPI [dot-per-inch] displays, while still supporting legacy hardware that users might have,” Spencer said. “Ubuntu 14.04 LTS is certainly a great alternative for anyone looking to replace Windows XP.”
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Originally published on eWeek.
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Many of my associates and workmates are very familiar with the benefits and the cost effectiveness of Linux and Ubuntu. The sad part is that many in Society are just not that tech savy enough to try other things and will just stay with the old status quo because of fear that many programs won't run at all unless it's made by Microsoft. Ubuntun is always improving and many (like my Father) are sadly just missing out.
Yes Registernuke Lots of people don't know how good Ubuntu is & many don't know about it at all.
However, like LibreOffice Ubuntu is growing in awareness & popularity.
This latest version of Ubuntu is just fantastic. Not only is Trusty Tahr (Ubuntu 14.04) smooth, polished & faster, its subtle changes make it a must upgrade.
Glad I upgraded from 13.10 to 14.04 right away.
The best version so far aptly named Trusty Tahr, this beauty will scale dizzying high peaks of success!
Have to agree. Has been excellent using 14. I only had xp on an old laptop and this has transformed it. Dunno why I persisted with xp really, considering I already used Ubuntu on a couple of desktops. Go me.
I've created a bootable USB pendrive with Trusty Tahr and checking it out. I'm happy to wait until the first point release in July as some issues still need to be sorted out, IMHO.
Regarding LibreOffice, it still has a long way to go. For example, it bloats the size of my resume by 150% in terms of number of pages. Needless to point out, that messes up the carefully laid out formatting of the document, with 1 or 2 lines orphaned on the next page!
For that reason, even though Ubuntu machines are my workhorses, I have to borrow Windows laptops from my family members to edit in MS Word.