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Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex beta available: Don't install it on your laptop yet
Know what you're doing.Are willing to risk frying your LAN card.
As we reported last week, a bug in the latest version of the Linux Kernel used by Ubuntu 8.10 not only causes some Ethernet cards to stop working, but it also kills them dead. Basically, if your Ethernet hardware uses the Intel 82566 or 82567, do not install Intrepid Ibex yet. Because it could corrupt data on your hardware. There is a patch available to address this issue, but Canonical hasn't incorporated that patch yet. It should be in place by the time Ubuntu 8.10 final is released.
So if you do decide to go ahead and install Ubuntu 8.10, what will you see? Intrepid Ibex includes Gnome 2.24 with a number of improvements including tabbed browsing in the latest version of the Nautilus file manager. You also get a new version of the network manager which provides a 3G connection manager, among other things. The OS also uses X.Org 7.4, which has improved support for hot-pluggable input devices like keyboards, mice and tablets.
Update: If I'd spent a few more seconds reading the release notes, I would have told you that the offending component has been disabled so as not to fry anybody's Ethernet card. That's the good news. The bad news is that means you may not be able to access the internet via a LAN using this build. The issue should be addressed by the time Ubuntu 8.10 final is ready to go.
Check out some more of the highlights after the break.
- While the new 2.6.27 Linux kernel may kill you Ethernet card, it generally offers better hardware support.
- Ubuntu 8.10 will make a copy of your kernel every time you successfully boot your computer and offer you a "last successful boot" option during your next startup.
- Kubuntu 8.10 ships with KDE 4.1.2 which offers stability improvements over KDE 4.1.
- Kubuntu also has the new Adept 3.0 package manager which has a new interface and is more stable and responsive than Adept 2.
- KWin desktop effects are enabled by default in Kubuntu 8.10 as long as your graphics card supports them.
- Kubuntu's KMix audio controls now support many keyboards with multimedia keys.
Comments
10
Subscribe to commentskastonieOct 3rd 2008 1:39PM
so when will it be safe to use the new release of linux? will they come out with a 8.11 version or something?
DagurOct 8th 2008 12:49PM
I'm assuming you're confused with the naming scheme.
There's a new (stable) Ubuntu release every 6 months. The "version" number is . so 8.10 means October 2008.
The next version will be 9.04
Alex MOct 3rd 2008 1:40PM
Xubuntu 8.10 Beta is also available:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Xubuntu/IntrepidIbex/BetaAnnouncement
The usual benefits of the XFCE desktop manager apply (in short, it's "lighter"; recommended for older computers).
Vadim PeretokinOct 3rd 2008 2:31PM
It is already safe, because the stuff that fries your card was disabled. Bad journalism here...
But 100% safe is when it's out of beta, which is at the end of this month.
joshOct 3rd 2008 1:43PM
If you actually read the page describing the beta release, it says that the problematic intel driver has been disabled, so it shouldn't be dangerous to use. If you have one of those intel network cards, you will just not have network support in this release.
Brad LinderOct 3rd 2008 1:46PM
My bad. I've fixed the post.
Jash SayaniOct 3rd 2008 2:31PM
Linux ppl are learning interface designing..... OpenSUSE 10.3 was a milestone with its awesome CompizFusion. ! Linux can really do well if they improve on the "user-friendly" functionality !
wormeymanOct 3rd 2008 2:41PM
http://releases.ubuntu.com/releases/8.10/ubuntu-8.10-beta-desktop-i386.iso.torrent
Link to the torrent would have been nice considering how slow their website is for me, the torrent is currently very fast.
mikiaOct 5th 2008 5:06AM
It's ok, i install on lenovo f31, work fine ;)inclusice net.
SimonOct 8th 2008 3:12PM
Hi!
I have a problem.
I upgraded Ubuntu to the 8.10 beta now... everything's working fine. No fried ethernet or so but i can't open any video. I have some .avi files but i can't play them.
Is this just a bug which is going to be fixed soon or did i do anything wrong???
PS: I'm working with Ubuntu since 6.10 and everything worked all the time.
thx & bye