Category: Canonical

Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth has announced that the Unity shell currently used in Ubuntu's netbook edition will become the default user interface for Ubuntu's main desktop edition as well, starting with the next version of the operating system. Unity became Ubuntu's netbook UI with the release of the current version of the OS, 10.10 Maverick Meerkat. Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal is set to ...

Ubuntu 10.10 was recently released, and one of the many feature additions Canonical is excited about is the introduction of the uTouch gesture framework, which brings multi-touch support to the popular Linux distro. Using uTouch, users can perform a range of actions ranging from displaying the task switcher you see above to minimizing, maximizing, and restoring windows. Curious about how ...

Ubuntu 10.10 is due to arrive next month (10/10, of course), and if you've been waiting for Canonical to make the jump from alpha to beta before taking an early peek at it -- today's the day! The download page is up, torrents are seeded, and you can finally get your paws on the Maverick Meerkat beta. The new release features refined visuals from the background to the default icons. The ...

With the final release of Ubuntu 10.04 due in just under a month, things appear to be right on schedule at Canonical. Yesterday the Lucid beta download page went live and eager testers rapidly descended upon the mirrors. Watching Lucid evolve has been exciting. It's clear that Canonical is intent on creating a version of Ubuntu which can appeal to a broader base of computer users with a more ...

Among the other improvements, tweaks, and retoolings headed to Ubuntu 10.04, the Ubiquity installer slideshow appears set for an update. Ubuntu contributor Dylan McCall has posted preview images of the new screens which could be coming soon to the OS's Ubiquity installer. Interestingly enough they're cast in the soft browns of Lucid's first alpha releases -- and not the Mac-esque color schemes ...

For there to be any chance of "the year of Linux on the desktop" ever becoming a reality, certain things have to happen. One of those things (like it or not) is for a major distribution to support the most popular portable media players on the planet -- the iPhone and iPod Touch. And it looks as though Canonical has stepped up to the plate. According to reports at Ubuntuforums, Lucid Lynx ...

As Canonical continues work on Ubuntu 10.04, it's becoming more and more apparent that they're serious about delivering an OS with some serious consumer appeal. Ubuntu One -- Canonical's cloud sync service -- and the U1 Music Store will no doubt contribute to that appeal. After showing us a handful of early screenshots of the Music Store, self-professed Ubuntu fanboy Popey has been digging ...

Over at Popey.com there are a whole slew of new screenshots of the upcoming Ubuntu One Music Store, which will eventually appear in Ubuntu10.04 Lucid Lynx. It was widely reported that Amazon would provide the backend for the Music Store, but it now looks as though 7Digital will be handling things instead. I'm not surprised, as 7Digital is actually available in more countries. Amazon has, for ...

How to convince a Mac OS X or Windows user to try GNU/Linux? Installing the desired distribution in a Virtual Machine? Read them all those FAQs about partitioning your hard drive for a dual-boot system? No, no - there's an easier way: live CDs or DVDs! Almost every distribution (like Ubuntu, Knoppix or Fedora) are capable of booting into a fully functional desktop right from a burned disc. Simply ...

Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Lucid Lynx is expected to land on April 29th - and could land with a big bang. As we have reported in November Canonical, sponsor and developer of Ubuntu, is working hard on an iTunes-like music store. Rumors are saying that the music store will be a part of the Ubuntu single sign on service - providing a single, central login service for all Ubuntu-related sites and ...

The watchful eyes at Phoronix noticed that a pair of small changes were announced yesterday on the Ubuntu dev list. Both will affect the browser in Lucid Lynx -- and both have to do with search. The more subtle of the two is a small tweak within Firefox. When a user changes his or her default search, the Ubuntu start page's search box will send queries to that provider. While most users may ...

To say Ubuntu has a dedicated fanbase is probably a bit of an understatement. As the most widely-recognized Linux distribution, Ubuntu has helped push Linux beyond the fringe of desktop computer use. But because it's Linux -- and because Linux and open source are intertwined so tightly in the minds of many -- things get a little dicey when there's mention of closed source software being ...

There's a change in leadership coming at Canonical soon. Sort of. CEO Mark Shuttleworth has been the driving force at the company behind the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution since day one. Today he announced plans to step down as CEO early next year. But he's staying involved in the company and the person who is taking over has been involved in Canonical almost as long as Shuttleworth. On ...

"Bring out the GIMP." "GIMP's sleeping." "On second thought, let him sleep. We're not gonna be using him anymore anyway." You heard Zed and Maynard right. It looks as though Canonical's plans for Lucid Lynx don't include the OSS Photoshop alternative. Prevailing sentiment seems to be that the GIMP is is considered to be a 'professional' application and not necessary for the average ...

One program people I know miss when they've tried to switch to Linux is iTunes. Like it or not, Apple's desktop app has gained the reputation of being the place to buy music and video downloads. But iTunes on Linux? Fuhgettaboutit. That leaves an opportunity for someone in the Linux community to step up and deliver an alternative. Enter Canonical, who may be preparing to do just that in time ...