X
Tech

Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) Released, Running

No surprises here - just good news! The final release of Ubuntu 10.
Written by J.A. Watson, Contributor

No surprises here - just good news! The final release of Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx), was made available for download yesterday, on schedule. I have downloaded both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions, and installed them without problem on three very different laptop/netbook systems:

- Fujitsu Lifebook S6510 (64 bit): Intel Core2 Duo CPU, Intel 965 graphics, Intel 5300 WiFi

- HP Pavillion dv2-1010ez (64 bit): AMD Athlon Neo CPU, ATI Radeon graphics, Atheros 9285 WiFi

- HP 2133 Mini-Note (32 bit): VIA C7-M CPU, Chrome9 graphics, Broadcom 4312 WiFi

I installed all three from USB thumb drives, created from the ISO images using the Ubuntu "Startup Disk Creator". I have seen no sign of the kinds of instability or graphic problems that plagued the initial release of Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala). Here are a couple of tips for users of systems similar to mine:

- If you have an ATI graphic controller, and you are accustomed to automatically installing the proprietary "fglrx" drivers to get better performance, don't rush into it this time, even if the "Hardware Drivers" utility reminds you that they are available. The FOSS drivers for ATI adapters have been vastly improved, and you may very well find that they are adequate for your use. You can always go back to System/Administration/Hardware Drivers to get them installed later, if you decide you really need them.

- On systems with the Broadcom 4312 WiFi adapter (or other 43xx series), the driver is not loaded with the Ubuntu distribution. After completing the installation, you have to use a wired ethernet connection and run the Hardware Drivers utility, then choose either the b43 or STA driver for it.

One last small note. The final release still contains my least-favorite Ubuntu feature, the built-in 30 second delay when you select Logout/Reboot/Shutdown. To disable this, use Alt-F2 to run gconf-editor, then choose indicator-session, and enable suppress_logout_restart_shutdown.

jw 30/4/2010

Editorial standards