The installation of Ubuntu always takes me by surprise. Each time I upgrade or install Ubuntu on a new machine I see improvements in user interface, hardware detection, and speed. This release was even more impressive.

The most recent release of the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution has been available for a few months. You may not use Ubuntu, or perhaps you know little about Linux, so why should you care? The answer is because it offers a number of improved features, the best 10 of which I list here.

Ubuntu developers recently announced their intention to fix a number of minor but noticeable usability bugs, which they've termed "Paper Cuts," in time for the release of Ubuntu 9.10 next October.  This is a huge step in the right direction for Ubuntu, and reflects the kind of usability-oriented thinking that is central to making it a success.

The development of the next version of Ubuntu continues with the third alpha release of Karmic Koala. According to the announcement, this alpha contains software updates which "are now ready for large scale testing". Alpha 3 is one of a number of milestones which the Ubuntu developers release as they progress towards the final October release of Ubuntu 9.10.

The Ubuntu development community has announced that the fifth Ubuntu 8.04 prerelease is now available for testing. Ubuntu 8.04 alpha 5 adds additional polish and reliability as well as a few intriguing new features. The official release of Ubuntu 8.04, codenamed Hardy Heron, is scheduled for late April and feature freeze is already in effect.

We’re just a few days away from the Ubuntu 8.10 launch on the 30th, but it doesn’t look that impressive at first glance. Of course, it’s a mature operating system and changes are usually incremental – but was there more that could be done? In this article we’re going through 7 most requested Ubuntu features that didn’t make the cut in this release.

Almost eighteen months ago, on the 18th of October 2007, Canonical announced the release of Ubuntu 7.10, codename Gutsy Gibbon. Many important features and updates made Ubuntu fans all over the world extremely happy and eager to upgrade. The default desktop environment for Ubuntu (GNOME) reached then a very important milestone: 2.20, bringing a huge list of changes. [...]

If all goes according to plan, the first alpha release for Ubuntu 9.04 (the Jaunty Jackalope) will be released tomorrow. It's not even been one month since the release of Ubuntu 8.10, but this first alpha release will show early signs of what we can expect to see in this next Canonical-sponsored release -- albeit many of the features are still in planning

Every six months you're guaranteed at least one entertaining post on the Ubuntu mailing list: Mark Shuttleworth's announcement of the next Ubuntu release. I don't know how he does it, but each announcement manages to relate the planned features of the next release to specific characteristics of the chosen mascot. This year, though, something is different.