Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope will be available April 23 2009. It's currently in Beta, so if you want to get an advanced copy then head over to Ubuntu.com and download a copy of the ISO to burn to CD. It will include a slewth of new features - many designed at Netbooks - mainly to try and win back to market share Microsoft stole from Linux in the netbook space.
New features in Jaunty Jackalope include
- Gnome 2.26 - this is an upgrade to the ubuntu graphical shell. This new version includes a Disc burning program called Brasero and better support for multiple monitors.
- X.Org Server 1.6 - this program is what allows the graphical shell to run. This new version includes some more video drivers and bug fixes mainly.
- New Style for Notifications and Notification Preferences - this one is very cool: similar to Windows 7 - you can now control what pops up in the notification area on the top right of the Ubuntu screen. The bubbles are now cooler looking too - watch this short Flash video bout it.
- Boot Performance: Also like Windows 7 - Ubuntu will apparently load faster than previous versions - this is trying to compete with the mini OSes that many laptop providers are now shipping with notebooks and netbooks.
- Linux Kernel 2.6.28: a new version of the linux kernel - nothing too exciting here
- Ext4 Filesystem support - The first support for the new version of the Ext filesystem - this won't affect most users yet as the default will still be Ext3.
- Implimentation of Cloud Computing: The ability to experiment with the cloud computing technologies straight from Ubuntu - yet another step in the direction of Netbooks.
