Ubuntu Linux 14.04 LTS Trusty Tahr Released 179
An anonymous reader writes with this announcement: "Ubuntu Linux version 14.04 LTS (code named "Trusty Tahr") has been released and available for download. This updated version includes the Linux kernel v3.13.0-24.46, Python 3.4, Xen 4.4, Libreoffice 4.2.3, MySQL 5.6/MariaDB 5.5, Apache 2.4, PHP 5.5, improvements to AppArmor allow more fine-grained control over application, and more. The latest release of Ubuntu Server is heavily focused on supporting cloud and scale-out computing platforms such as OpenStack, Docker, and more. As part of the wider Ubuntu 14.04 release efforts the Ubuntu Touch team is proud to make the latest and greatest touch experience available to our enthusiast users and developers. You can install Ubuntu on Nexus 4 Phone (mako), Nexus 7 (2013) Tablet (flo), and Nexus 10 Tablet (manta) by following these instructions. On a hardware front, ARM multiplatform support has been added, enabling you to build a single ARM kernel image that can boot across multiple hardware platforms. Additionally, the ARM64 and Power architectures are now fully supported. See detailed release notes for more information. A quick upgrade to a newer version of Ubuntu is possible over the network."
*Yawn* I'll Wait for the Mint Edition (Score:1, Interesting)
The only reason I care about Ubuntu updates is that they are followed by Mint updates. I really don't see why anyone would still want to use Ubuntu when there is an equally good (if not better) Debian/Ubuntu-based distro, especially given Shuttleworth's complete and utter contempt for the open source community.
Re:*Yawn* I'll Wait for the Mint Edition (Score:3, Interesting)
Shuttleworth's complete and utter contempt for the open source community.
I'll concede that some initial releases were done way before they were polished, but half the griping isn't even about flawed features.
In light of some of the changes that have caused some huge controversies (having the window buttons on the right vs left is straight out of Gulliver's), maybe you mean "ignoring the very vocal minority who reject innovation, either from a need to feel elite or fear of change".
Re:*Yawn* I'll Wait for the Mint Edition (Score:5, Interesting)
The only reason I care about Ubuntu updates is that they are followed by Mint updates. I really don't see why anyone would still want to use Ubuntu when there is an equally good (if not better) Debian/Ubuntu-based distro, especially given Shuttleworth's complete and utter contempt for the open source community.
Probably because ideology isn't really important to most people, who just want stuff that works. They don't care if they're running X or Wayland/Weston or Mir. And Shuttleworth definitely does not have contempt for the open source community in general...just the developers who don't follow his lead. Which definitely isn't cool, of course, but those developers don't represent everybody.
After my old laptop with a highly-customized Arch Linux setup died, I went back to Ubuntu (which I've used since Warty Warthog!) because I didn't feel like spending the time to mess with stuff anymore. My personal laptop is currently sitting on 12.04 LTS. I might upgrade once 14.04.1 is released in August, depending on how reviews are. It looks like they didn't choose as many cutting-edge packages, so it may not be as big of a problem as the first releases of previous LTS editions were (remember the time they shipped an LTS release with a beta version of Firefox?).
I'm using Mint 16 Cinnamon at work, so I could be convinced to switch, but my wife and kids are used to Unity by now. I have a terminal shortcut pinned near the top of the sidebar, so I get around easily enough.
Re:*Yawn* I'll Wait for the Mint Edition (Score:4, Interesting)
What happened to Ubuntu was they decided to "differentiate" themselves more, dreaming of monetization and profits. I'm not sure it is working out the way they thought it would.
I like Mint - the version that tracks debian (Linux Mint Debian edition). They do a ~3 month rolling upgrade from debian testing. So I get something a little more current than debian stable on Mint's nice Cinnamon UI. It's ideal except for one little thing - no LVM install by default. For that you need to jump through some hoops but it can be done. Well maybe I'll grab the latest and see if that separation has gone away.
Re:Quick question (Score:4, Interesting)
It's true. I hated Unity with a fiery passion around 12.04. I still dislike it (largely because of poor discoverability), but it's a great deal more bearable now.
Re:Single ARM kernel? (Score:5, Interesting)
It really does make sense to have a single ARM kernel source with a device tree. This is not a single binary for all, but a single source tree. When you compile, it is not like you are getting all the bloat of a hundred different board packages. You use a different make script that pulls in the appropriate files. What it does give us is great templates to use when porting to similar sources.
If you ever take a look at board manufacturers' kernel source, each distribution is often very different from another. It takes a while to reconcile it with mainline kernel source. And it is even more of a pain to upgrade to a new kernel when a board maker had some whacky code placed in there. By at least placing it in the device tree, it gives them the incentive to use a template of code that already exists. Then hopefully some of us have an easier time porting when we want to upgrade Kernels and such.
I know it does not seem like it makes a lot of sense to some, but there really are good reasons for the change.
P.S. The unified Kernel is a Linux issue as a whole, not just an Ubuntu thing.
Re:Spyware status (Score:3, Interesting)
This is the dumbest post I've seen.
Slashdot allows users to post, which requires a keyboard. Does that make Slashdot a keylogger/trojan?
Re:*Yawn* I'll Wait for the Mint Edition (Score:5, Interesting)
To be honest, I think the issue is lack of resources within Mint. When I installed LMDE, there was an XFCE edition (which I installed). This has been dropped. Fair enough, if the 'market wasn't there, no point in using resources unnecessarily.
Which leads us back to Ubuntu. This has been successful because Mark Shuttleworth has been using his personal fortune to keep things going. I sense a need for Canonical to get (at least) to a break-even point so it can continue even after Shuttleworth's fortune is no longer available (I doubt his pocket is bottomless!).
That either means relying on donations (like Mint) or getting some commercial success. Canonical have decided on the latter, and are have adopted their behaviour accordingly. I do not begrudge them this, and wish them well.
I will try the Unity (and Gnome) editions in VirtualBox (XFCE 12.04 LTE is on the laptop). I will then make an independent judgement as to what I think of them. For my next desktop build, I might revert to one of the Ubuntus (or if I'm feeling masochistic, I might even try Arch!)
And to compare - I recently bought a retail version of Windows 8.1 and installed it in VirtualBox. To be honest I don't think it's as bad an Operating System as has been made out - but the privacy issues are horrendous (I paraphrase, but one default install option seems to be to "send all browsing history to Microsoft to help Microsoft 'improve' the user experience etc."), and the default location for documents is Sky Drive. Microsoft also dream of "monetization and profits"! Now Ubuntu might be as bad (although I doubt it), but at least I don't have to pay to install it!
Canonical is an Organisation. It needs to keep going and thrive, and I (for one) hope they do. There is worse out there!