Analysis Ubuntu 8.10
Analysis of Ubuntu 8.10
Canonical has just released a few days ago the new version of its popular Ubuntu operating system on two fronts, server and desktop.
We get in Ubuntu 8.10 version only 6 months after we delight in the 8.04.1.
You can download the Ubuntu 8.10 analysis pdf
There are few list of changes that come with the new arrival for the user but not too visible.
This time we want to try the desktop version to be the most known and used and the most profitable for our homes and / or companies.
I leave a list of the most significant changes that can be found in the new version over the previous one.
After Tod-team os.es make a small analysis of it to share with you our views and with a minor problem we have encountered.
New features in Ubuntu 8.10
Ubuntu 8.10 ships with respect to the previous version:
Gnome 2.24: with tons of bug fixes and new features such as:
Nautilus file manager now supports tabs and buttons to "expel" removable media in the sidebar.
File Roller: Compressed file manager now supports ALZ format, RZIP, CAB, TAR.7Z
More information on the project website www.gnome.org
Xorg 7.4
This latest version offers better support for devices "hot" as tablets, keyboards, etc.. At the same time allowing most users to work without a configuration file (xorg.conf). A new graphical in Safe Mode, help solve problems with the graphical server.
Kernel 2.6.27
The appearance of this latest kernel gives us a substantial improvement in the hardware detection and correction of numerous errors. You can find details of all changes in www.kernel.org
"Encrypted private directory" or encrypted private directory:
Ecryptfs-utils package has been introduced in Ubuntu "main" allowing us to have an encrypted folder in your personal directory.
Guest session and guest session:
Button fast user switching now provides us with an extra entry called "guest" or guest. This function creates a temporary account with no password and no privileges. This account can not access any personal space of others, nor permanently store information. Ie it is a volatile note perfect to let someone use your computer temporarily.
Network Manager or Manager of networks:
In version 0.7 we can find a list of changes that were expected for some time, management of multiple devices simultaneously, device management and 3G connections, managing network paths, etc..
DKMS:
This technology will allow us to when we install a new kernel image, the reconstruction is not necessary drivers that they are also avoiding outdated.
Samba 3.2:
It includes a lot of improvements such as IPv6 support, better integration with the latest client / server version of Windows, etc..
Totem BBC plugin:
Totem media player now includes a plugin to play all kinds of free content hosted by the BBC.
UFW:
The configurator firewall (iptables) now recognizes the name of certain applications related to network configuration, so that we can refer to them when to allow or deny its operation, for example: ufw allow <service>
In addition to these improvements we can find many changes facing Ubuntu virtualization with Xen, JeOS, etc, especially in the server version. In this new version of Ubuntu, Canonical has included an application that will allow us to dump an iso image of a USB system can install from a usb.
You can find more information about changes in the Ubuntu website: www.ubuntu.com
INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING
When installing the new Ubuntu will notice little change compared to previous ones, except for a couple of details such as graphical display hard disk layout you want to configure for installation.
And a tab that has been included in the user creation screen to allow automatic entry of the user in question:
As mentioned the rest of the system has hardly changed.
For people who do not know can say that is one of the simpler, with fewer questions to the user faster and considering that in a fairly modern pc in 20, 25 or 30 minutes we installed a complete operating system with applications that will allow us to perform many of the most common tasks like browsing, using email, listening to music, burn cds / dvds, photo editing, video conferencing, using removable media, performing any office, handling all types of archives and many more.
While it is true that to enjoy our films we install the necessary codecs and flash plugin for firefox, a task that I can guarantee is made with a few clicks and in about 3 minutes, thus leaving a system ready to work . In general we can say that the installation and commissioning of the Ubuntu 8.10 remains unchanged with respect to just above that already is excellent. We might see in upcoming releases the opportunity to work very easily with LVMS and RAID configurations, including both encryption provided.
FIRST START SYSTEM AND GENERAL USABILITY
We also found no excess in this area changes from the previous version. It provides a different wallpaper for Gdm entry scheme (session manager) as well as desktop background. The menus are the same as we used to see in Gnome and Ubuntu 8.04.1.
Speaking a bit of news, we can find a new program under the Admin menu that lets you create an installable image on a USB stick from an image "iso":
As shown allow us to reserve a space to store data permanently in the flash drive if we want to use it as a LiveCD.
Other new features for the user can see them on the network connection manager. The new manager brings many changes, on the other side needed, as in the previous version did not allow us excessive configurations, now we find is stopped by ethernet, wifi, mobile broadband, vpn and dsl:
Editing the ethernet device allows much greater control than before, including a module for encryption (802.1x) certainly interesting:
For all other connections have plenty of options available to us even a wizard to configure our wireless connectivity devices. No doubt the network manager was a very necessary and Canonical apparently has hit the nail, hopefully working as expected since in our setup we had to enter the data again and again in both interfaces (eth0 and eth1) as there values were maintained after the closure of the operator, preventing us from achieving network communication. Right now it's running smoothly, do not know why that detail could be produced initially.
I find it interesting also the inclusion of a configuration for VPNs, making it clear that Ubuntu is not only concerned but the usability of the system security. In future articles of this distribution, and once you have tasted the editors, we discuss the reliability and convenience of the transmission system in general and specifically with respect to VPNs.
Canonical indicates that there is possibility to use an encrypted directory on the new version of Ubuntu, but if we want this functionality to install the package ecryptfs-utils which are simply the tools necessary to manage an implementation of encryption that is found in the kernels from the version 2.6.19.
After you install this program (from synaptic by the way) execute the command ecryptfs-setup-private that we ask in the first instance our system password, and then we prompt for a password for encryption.
Finally we run mount.ecryptfs_private and theoretically get a directory named. Private (note the initial point hiding it) that things will supposedly encrypted.
Anyway the package ecryptfs is more likely since it consists of several tools if we want to change something the functionality that you have provided Ubuntu.
Another interesting new point is to create a guest account or "guest". From the user picker applet by clicking on "guest" will open another session identical to the graph we are using, without asking any data password or older. This new session will create a temporary user in our system (all automatically) will make graphical login session already open and you can use unprivileged, with the possibility to store data temporarily, until the completion of this session, time when the account is deleted, and all files and changes the user may have made will be lost forever. A perfect score for your computer temporarily pay someone to do a quick or casual work.
Are more changes in the pipeline but improvements are treated internally, nothing we can observe with 3 clicks 
GENERAL SUMMARY AND PERSONAL OPINION
It is clear that Canonical is and has been making considerable efforts to provide the finest product possible, we note many small details that make the experience of using Ubuntu is different from other distributions offer take much longer in the picture computer.
How can you explain but has superseded, in terms of number of users, so well known distributions and developed as Mandriva, OpenSUSE, Fedora, directly competitive per user type in such a short time?
From my point of view this result is precisely the result of having to get the small details that we can put very little fault with the overall functionality and stability of Ubuntu, and in many cases small details that just silly and annoying by not allowing the user to perform with confidence and common operations as simple as using certain USB devices, use options such as suspension or hibernation, or simply to share folders on your network with a few mouse clicks.
Ubuntu now is focused on users who want to stop using Windows not be crazy to go back to users who want to have two systems for walking fingering or knowing more, and I dare say that for users who do not want to deal with the configurations anything to have a fully functional system within 30 minutes, after all how comfortable we all love. I think if Canonical is in this line, listening to users, arranging small roughness that can have the system and providing solutions to what the user demand for standard desktop has enough future ahead. Decisions will like some and dislike others, but it comes to evaluating the product as a whole, as a whole.
My personal experience is now about 2 months working almost daily with version 8.04.1 on a Dell Inspiron 6400 and about 3 months with the same version in about 50 desktop PC's with varying hardware. With regard to the laptop would only ask that the LED's wifi when connected to a wireless network and when the lower energy saving lighting lcd, to restore this back to the stop light in exactly the same intensity as it now is a little darker than it was. As you can see we are talking about things that affect virtually nothing to the usability and stability.
The rest have gone all natural way: card reader, wifi, laptop external buttons, touchpad with their "scrolls" sleep function, etc..
I find it fascinating to install in 19 minutes (the time it took me install the system since it started the cd until you restart your pc at the end of the process) operating system with all the added software that allows us to make 99% of the work common with all the hardware properly configured and ready for use without being also almost every free man, free and therefore legal to finish.
I have not thoroughly analyzed the system yet, although I've done a few tests to look for and troubleshoot tickling usability, and the result is really impressive. Things just worked. Obviously Ubuntu is not a panacea, there are things that need to be polished, airbrushed, or simply changed, but I think a system with more features than initially appears (the policy editor I refer to the session server options Gdm, etc ...) I do not particularly convinced many that suffer certain applications including functionality leaving usability take in some areas. Anyway package repositories are quite large, allowing us to mitigate any specific need that is not covered with the installation.
Speaking a little more now than the new version:
There has been an interesting list of changes, perhaps not much for the user but in the background. People who have problems with a particular device may find the new kernel 2.6.27 the solution to their problems. He also spoke of users who have had problems with the management of wireless networks (not in my case) the inclusion of the new version of Networkmanager could give them a way out. In general terms I find little difference in using Ubunu 8.10 and the previous one.
I have not quantified stopwatch in hand, but it feels that the new version starts up faster, even applications like Firefox or Gimp also seem to take less to run. However, the latest version (remember that it is not LTS) I have not worked as successfully as its predecessor. I have found in "clean" installations with frosted windows, a fact almost unprecedented for me in 8.04.1, access and download repository with very slow (we assume for the load), any problems installing proprietary drivers for video, and other details . Overall experience with version 8.10 has not been as satisfactory as with 8.04.1, even when upgrading to the new system, I found some things broken, as the manager applet network configuration, the bottom of screen and other details which, while not unduly affecting usability, left no sense at all satisfactory.
There will be users who have found comfort, stability or friendly product on Ubuntu, and being particularly diehard Gentoo user, Ubuntu has satisfied me pleasantly, by its very rapid installation with no difficulty, for general usability is achieved with the default installation , because things just work (at least to me), because it shows that many details have been careful, and that user-level stability is notorious. Finally I would like to provide a list of pros and cons that I find the system. A priori only recommend upgrading to the new version if we need it because of problems with some type of hardware, or who want to have certain specific versions of software installed. For those who have a fully operational 8.04.1 (with its hit or not) I think it's best to wait until the next LTS version which I will bring a degree of finesse that I have not found in the Intrepid Ibex.
I leave you a summary of pros and cons that are interesting in their personal capacity:
PROS:
- In general the installation of both versions is very fast and without any complications.
- The system once installed we have configured all the hardware probably fine, without having to do anything.
- The system provides software tools for general and more than enough for a standard desktop user.
- The user will find a lot of software available in the repositories.
Most want to do operations are simplified to the maximum, from recording a DVD, to create a user to share a folder with Samba will be a matter of few clicks.
The ability to perform the updates automatically and silently is appreciated.
Effortless installation of video drivers for Nvidia and AMD-ATI can bring some power to the desktop and other applications.
The theme (theme) provided by Canonical for Gnome gives a nice look while providing an appearance of solidity.
They also thought more advanced users who want to use client tools such as "terminal server", publisher policy, enable remote access to graphical server, using Evolution in an Exchange environment, the encryption key ring, etc..
We can find almost perfectly translated the entire system for people whom English is a barrier to them.
They provide much help files, also translated.
For a distribution of "automatic" use of resources is curiously content, although the response and power are not the protagonists, even with Compiz enabled and heavy applications open with 512 megs of ram should not have too much problem.
The fact that updates every 6 months leave "new" aspect gives continuity of concern for the developers and seriousness to Canonical, also maintains the illusion of users.
We have lot of information online, if we have problems we refer to the help guides, wikis or pages of third parties sure we will do any good.
The fact that it is distributed primarily in a cd image of it that can be installed on many machines.
Now we can also install from a USB stick.
Canonical makes every effort to provide its product to the majority of possible platforms, with versions for desktop, server versions, mini versions for dumb terminals, etc..
The versions of almost all the software you want to use are fairly current.
Soon we will not have extensions and associated programs will be easy and work with compressed files, images, pdf documents or music in various formats.
The installation of accessories such as video codec, audio and plugins for the browser are a matter of few clicks and even fewer minutes.
CONS:
During installation I have not seen an option that would allow me to install the distribution in space is already installed before, always suggests changes to the partitions or use the manual partitioning.
During installation it might be a good idea t he user could interact more.
Select packets that do not want to install or vice versa, any chance of working with LVMS, RAIDS, partition encryption, etc..
I do not understand why, or that the advantages of not having a root password when you have to perform various management operations instead of typing "sudo" before each command, in addition to having to be getting the password user over and over again in different tasks that require it.
The general line performance does not feel to be nothing higher, especially the answer, but the resource consumption is moderate.
It gives me the impression that the software of choice is the best that could be incorporated as a KDE user until recently I can not propose alternatives you know, but some software like F-spot or Rythmbox, to name some I think not even remotely comply with the mandate to be expected, I find that is simply useless.
There is another software that lacks much functionality as Totem and Brasero, though the work they have to play it well.
It is strange that l was not included in version 3.0 of Openoffice at 8.10, as not being LTS if there are problems with the office suite could be arranged for the next version of Ubuntu or by corresponding patch.
Maybe it would also be necessary to find more tools to the user and improve existing ones.
The fact that internal change is fine if they bear the distribution better, but sometimes these improvements are invisible to users.
To conclude that surely we can all make this list of pros and cons largest independently to me what is clear is that Ubuntu has been unmarked so brutal in a very short time, it is much room for improvement as always, but by day Today I think the best desktop alternative for those who want to live with Linux every day, a breath of fresh air that we see in recent years and that for some reason has not reached our desks so clearly.
Greetings to all readers of Tod-OS .
Tira Ecol
Translator
