Ubuntu 9.04 Video

Ubuntu 9.04 Video Transcript

>> Seth Rosenblatt: As more and more computers are being shipped not with Windows XP or Vista, but with Linux, the importance of the open source operating system continues to rise. Hi, I'm Seth Rosenblatt for Cnetdownload.com. And in this First Look video I'll show you some of the new hotness in Jaunty Jackalope: also knows as Ubuntu 9 point 04. Before we get into what's new, you should know that Ubuntu will work on most computers. Here we're running a test version of it from a live CD which lets us play with the operating system without having to partition the hard drive or overwrite the current operating system. You can get instructions on how to burn a live CD of your own at Ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download. The most obvious differences come in aesthetics and 9 point 04 includes a wider selection of themes and skin changes by default. Go to System, Preferences, Appearance. The themes here are slightly different than in Windows and refer to the look and feel of the menus. The desktop background can be changed easily from a tab on the same interface. Under the Visual Effects tab, you can try out some fun features such as Windows bouncing when you move them. It's a small touch to be sure but it looks great. The new system notification method has left 2002 behind. One fast way to see how it looks is to adjust the volume. A pop-up window will appear with a recognizable icon indicating what's been changed. There are a lot of changes under the hood too. Courtesy of the latest Knome environment which won't mean much to end users, Ubuntu works more like a well oiled machine. Newer hardware has a better likelihood of working without having to manually install drivers. There's better support for wireless protocol and the native email client Evolution gets Microsoft Mappy support which means that if you're using Linux at work, you'll probably be able to talk to your office's exchange server. Brasero the native CD-DVD burning utility has gone a makeover and is easier to use. It's also easier to make keyboard shortcuts for just about any command you could want. Hit "Add" at the bottom of the Keyboard Shortcuts menu and hot key away. Computer-Janitor is another new feature that helps you find and remove software you no longer need. Boot-up and shut-down speeds have been noted as being significantly faster: less than 20 seconds for many users. And even on the live CD it loads faster than my Windows XP Pro machine at work. That alone may make you want to switch. With your First Look at Ubuntu 9 point 04, I'm Seth Rosenblatt for Download.com.