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Applications Featured Article
April 25, 2008
Ubuntu 8.04 "Hardy Heron" Debuts
By Richard Grigonis Executive Editor, IP Communications Group
Ubuntu (News - Alert) is what’s known as a “distro.” Derived from the word “distribution,” a distro originally meant any “free software that was collected, packaged and distributed as a usable system,” according to Shane Geiger, IT director for the National Council on Economic Education. Now, however, distro has become associated with forms of open source Linux (making it a “distribution of Linux”). A distro is a bundle of 1) an operating system and 2) a collection of tested packages with 3) a way to manage the “dependencies” (software needed to make the packages work). Distros include the famous Redhat and Ubuntu as well as Debian, Fedora, Knoppix, Linux Mint, Mandriva, openSUSE, PCLinuxOS, Sabayon, SimplyMEPIS, Suse and Yoper.
Recently Ubuntu 8.04, codenamed “Hardy Heron” was released by Canonical, Ltd. “Hardy Heron” succeeded the previous version, “Gutsy Gibbon”. Ubuntu has made enormous strides in creating a form of free Linux that’s easier to install and use than many competing packages out there. Indeed, Ubuntu is released as a LTS (Long Term Support) package, so users will receive security updates for five years for the server version and three years for the desktop incarnation.
Ubuntu supports various email and webmail programs such as Gmail and Yahoo mail. In a business environment, you can use the fully-supported Evolution Mail program included with Ubuntu. “Evolution” is the name for the feature-laden email, calendar, task and contact sharing program that can integrate with your on-desktop clock so that you don’t miss important meetings.
The Evolution email functions include auto-fill from contact lists, back-up email and filter email.
Also included is Pidgin IM, an open source messaging tool. In addition to a standard set of functions, it can accept plug-ins. Pidgin even integrates with private IM channels so you can keep in contact with VIPs.
For alternate web browser aficionados such as Yours Truly, Ubuntu comes by default with the latest browser from Mozilla; Firefox 3 Beta 5. This version is specifically themed for the operating system, but uses familiar icons so as not to confuse Firefox fans.
Ubuntu’s fully supported music player is called Rhythmbox. It lets you connect your MP3 player, download and share music, access rights-free music stores, share albums across networks and stream live radio (Internet radio) by entering the URL of the streaming station.
Perhaps the most interesting part of Ubuntu 8.04 is that some clever additions have been made so that Windows users can install Ubuntu on the desktop and dabble in the world of Linux while leaving undisturbed their existing bread-and-butter Windows OS. Linux has been slowly making its way in the business world, and Ubuntu is at the forefront of this activity. Indeed, according to some industry observers, many naïve users confuse Ubuntu with Linux itself.
Ubuntu is a remarkable achievement, and will no doubt worry its competitors.
Richard Grigonis is Executive Editor of TMC’s (News - Alert) IP
Communications Group. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Recently Ubuntu 8.04, codenamed “Hardy Heron” was released by Canonical, Ltd. “Hardy Heron” succeeded the previous version, “Gutsy Gibbon”. Ubuntu has made enormous strides in creating a form of free Linux that’s easier to install and use than many competing packages out there. Indeed, Ubuntu is released as a LTS (Long Term Support) package, so users will receive security updates for five years for the server version and three years for the desktop incarnation.
Ubuntu supports various email and webmail programs such as Gmail and Yahoo mail. In a business environment, you can use the fully-supported Evolution Mail program included with Ubuntu. “Evolution” is the name for the feature-laden email, calendar, task and contact sharing program that can integrate with your on-desktop clock so that you don’t miss important meetings.
The Evolution email functions include auto-fill from contact lists, back-up email and filter email.
Also included is Pidgin IM, an open source messaging tool. In addition to a standard set of functions, it can accept plug-ins. Pidgin even integrates with private IM channels so you can keep in contact with VIPs.
For alternate web browser aficionados such as Yours Truly, Ubuntu comes by default with the latest browser from Mozilla; Firefox 3 Beta 5. This version is specifically themed for the operating system, but uses familiar icons so as not to confuse Firefox fans.
Ubuntu’s fully supported music player is called Rhythmbox. It lets you connect your MP3 player, download and share music, access rights-free music stores, share albums across networks and stream live radio (Internet radio) by entering the URL of the streaming station.
Perhaps the most interesting part of Ubuntu 8.04 is that some clever additions have been made so that Windows users can install Ubuntu on the desktop and dabble in the world of Linux while leaving undisturbed their existing bread-and-butter Windows OS. Linux has been slowly making its way in the business world, and Ubuntu is at the forefront of this activity. Indeed, according to some industry observers, many naïve users confuse Ubuntu with Linux itself.
Ubuntu is a remarkable achievement, and will no doubt worry its competitors.
Richard Grigonis is Executive Editor of TMC’s (News - Alert) IP
Communications Group. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
