The Ubuntu team is pleased to announce the beta release of
Ubuntu 8.04 LTS
(Long-Term Support) on desktop and server. Codenamed
"Hardy Heron", 8.04
LTS continues Ubuntu's proud tradition of integrating the
latest and
greatest open source technologies into a high-quality,
easy-to-use Linux
distribution.
Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition features incremental
improvements to
familiar applications, with an emphasis on stability for
this second Ubuntu
long-term support release, and is easier than ever to try
out with the new
Wubi installer.
Ubuntu 8.04 LTS server follows in the footsteps of Ubuntu
7.10 with even
more virtualization support and security enhancements -
enabling AppArmor
for more applications by default, improving protection of
kernel memory
against attacks, and supporting KVM and iSCSI technologies
out of the box.
The Ubuntu 8.04 family of variants, Kubuntu, Xubuntu,
UbuntuStudio, and
Mythbuntu, also reach beta status today.
Desktop features
----------------
Improved application selection: the GNOME desktop sports a
number of
improvements to the default applications, including more
feature-full
clients for BitTorrent and VNC, as well as an advanced UI
for mastering CDs
and DVDs.
File browsing: an enhanced filesystem layer brings greater
performance and
flexibility to Nautilus, the GNOME file browser.
Pluggable audio and video output: the PulseAudio sound
server is integrated
in the GNOME desktop for more flexible sound output, and a
new Screen
Resolution utility allows easier configuration of multiple
video displays.
Wubi installer: a new Windows-based installer option makes
it easier than
ever to try out Ubuntu, letting users install a full desktop
on Windows
systems without needing to partition their hard drive.
Please see http://www.u
buntu.com/testing/hardy/beta for details.
Server features
---------------
AppArmor profiles: a greater number of server applications
are now protected
by default with AppArmor, a kernel technology that limits
the resources an
application is allowed to access, providing added protection
against
undiscovered security vulnerabilities.
Memory protection: additional protection now prevents direct
access to
system memory through /dev/mem and /dev/kmem, and the lower
64K of system
memory is no longer addressable by default, changes which
help to defend
against malicious code. Many applications are also now
built as Position
Independent Executables, making it harder for application
security
vulnerabilities to be exploited.
Virtualization and iSCSI: KVM is now part of the official
Ubuntu Kernel,
which, combined with libvirt, allows for simple and
efficient virtualization
on hardware that support virtualization extensions (AMD-V or
Intel-VT).
Mounting iSCSI targets is now supported (including in the
installer),
allowing Ubuntu to interoperate with this class of
cost-efficient Storage
Area Network.
Ubuntu Education Edition
------------------------
Add-on configuration: Edubuntu is now provided as an add-on
to Ubuntu
instead of as a separate stand-alone flavor, permitting even
greater reuse
of Ubuntu technologies.
Kubuntu features
----------------
Kubuntu comes with the rock solid KDE 3 for those who want a
commercially
supported desktop.
For those who want something more exciting, a KDE 4 Remix is
available
bringing this cutting edge new version to you first.
Please see http
s://wiki.kubuntu.org/HardyHeron/Beta/Kubuntu for
details.
Xubuntu features
----------------
Xubuntu comes with the light-weight Xfce 4.4.2 desktop
environment for those
who want to a desktop that is easy to use, but places
particular emphasis on
conserving system resources.
Please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardyHeron/BetaAnnouncement/X
ubuntu for
further details.
New additions to the family
---------------------------
Two new variants join us for this Ubuntu beta. UbuntuStudio
and Mythbuntu
have done releases separately in the past, and with Hardy
Heron Beta we're
happy to be able to welcome these fine community projects
into the main
Ubuntu release process.
Other
-----
* On the Desktop: KDE 3.5.9, GNOME 2.22, OpenOffice.org
2.4.0rc2, X.org 7.3
* On the Server: Apache 2.2, PostgreSQL 8.3, PHP 5.2.4, LTSP
5.0
* "Under the hood": GCC 4.2.3, glibc 2.7, Linux
2.6.24, Python 2.5
The full release notes can be found at
http://www.u
buntu.com/testing/hardy/beta
About Ubuntu
------------
Ubuntu is a full-featured Linux distribution for desktops,
laptops, and
servers, with a fast and easy install and regular releases.
A
tightly-integrated selection of excellent applications is
included, and
an incredible variety of add-on software is just a few
clicks away.
Professional technical support is available from Canonical
Limited and
hundreds of other companies around the world. For more
information about
support, visit http://www.ubuntu.com/s
upport
To Get Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Beta
---------------------------
Download Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Beta here (choose the mirror
closest to you):
Europe:
http://gb.releases
.ubuntu.com/8.04 (Great Britain)
http
://ubuntu.elasztik.hu/ubuntu.bitmind.hu/8.04 (Hungary)
http://it.releases
.ubuntu.com/8.04 (Italy)
http://nl.releases
.ubuntu.com/8.04 (The Netherlands)
http://mirror.muntinternet.net/pub/ubuntu/releases/8.04 (The Netherlands)
ftp://ftp.uninett.no/linux/ubuntu-iso/8.04 (Norway)
http://
ftp.vectranet.pl/ubuntu-releases/8.04/ (Poland)
http://ubuntu.yne
t.sk/release/8.04/ (Slovakia)
http://se.releases
.ubuntu.com/8.04 (Sweden)
Asia:
http://tw.releases
.ubuntu.com/8.04 (Taiwan)
North America:
http://ubuntu
.osuosl.org/releases/8.04/ (United States)
ht
tp://ftp.ussg.iu.edu/linux/ubuntu-releases/8.04/ (United
States)
Rest of the world:
http://releases.ubunt
u.com/8.04 (Great Britain)
Please download using Bittorrent if possible.
To upgrade to Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Beta from Ubuntu 7.10,
follow these instructions:
https
://help.ubuntu.com/community/HardyUpgrades
The final version of Ubuntu 8.04 is expected to be released
in April 2008.
Feedback and Helping
--------------------
If you would like to help shape Ubuntu, take a look at the
list of ways you
can participate at
http://w
ww.ubuntu.com/community/participate/
Your comments, bug reports, patches and suggestions will
help turn this Beta
into the best release of Ubuntu ever. Please report bugs
through the
Launchpad bug tracker:
https://bugs.
launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bugs
If you have a question, or if you think you may have found a
bug but are not
sure, first try asking on the #ubuntu IRC channel on
FreeNode, on the Ubuntu
Users mailing list, or on the Ubuntu forums:
http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
http://www.ubuntuforums.
org/
More Information
----------------
You can find out more about Ubuntu and about this preview
release on our
website, IRC channel and wiki. If you are new to Ubuntu,
please visit:
http://www.ubuntu.com/
To sign up for future Ubuntu announcements, please subscribe
to Ubuntu's
very low volume announcement list at:
http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-announce
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