Ubuntu 5.10 Released!!

The Ubuntu team is proud to announce Ubuntu 5.10. This is the official Ubuntu
5.10 release, and includes installation CDs, live CDs, and combination DVDs
for three architectures.

Ubuntu is a Linux distribution for your desktop or server, with a fast and
easy install, regular releases, a tight selection of excellent packages
installed by default, every other package you can imagine available from the
network, a commitment to security updates for 18 months after each release
and professional technical support from many companies around the world.

Major new features in Ubuntu 5.10

* Thin Client Integration: Ubuntu is the first distribution in the world
to include deeply-integrated thin client technology. This allows you to
deploy Ubuntu in large scale networked environments or, for example, in
classrooms, with a lightweight Ubuntu image booting over the network. All
Ubuntu management tools work for the thin client image as well as for the
server.
* OEM Installer Support This release of Ubuntu has special support for
OEM hardware vendors. Ubuntu can be pre-installed and tested without
configuring end user information. The user will be asked to complete that
configuration (name, timezone and password) upon first startup.
* Launchpad Integration Launchpad.net is the new infrastructure that
Ubuntu and its derivatives use for translation, bug tracking, sharing code
patches, fixes and technical support. Users of Ubuntu 5.10 can make technical
support requests for any package in Ubuntu, and can help to translate their
software, directly from the built-in Help menu in every desktop application.

To see it all, you'll need to try the CD, but the highlights of Ubuntu itself
include:
On the Desktop

* GNOME 2.12.1
* OpenOffice.org 2.0 beta 2
* X.org 6.8.2 with wider hardware support
* An enhanced tool for easily installing new applications (see ""Add
Applications"" on the Applications menu)
* A new tool which makes it easy to install support for multiple
languages (Language Selector)
* Editable GNOME menus
* Applications are now linked into the Launchpad infrastructure (new
entries on the Help menus for translation and support)
* Support for writing audio CDs (Serpentine)
* Graphical startup process with progress bar (USplash)
* New documentation (Ubuntu 5.10 Quick Tour and Ubuntu 5.10 FAQ Guide)
* Language packs with updates from the Rosetta translation platform, part
of Launchpad.net, which makes contributing translations easy for everybody in
any language.

On the Server

* Kernel support for cluster filesystems (OCFS2 and GFS)
* Plone 2.1 & Zope 2.8.1
* PHP5
* Support for automatic storage allocation into LVM volumes
* Built-in thin client functionality produced in cooperation with the
LTSP project
* Simple NFS root setup with automatic hardware detection through
initramfs-tools
* Support for up to 4 gigabytes of RAM by default on 32-bit architectures

Hardware Support Improvements

* Linux 2.6.12.6 with many updated drivers from third parties
* Further enhancements to laptop support (hot keys, and working
suspend/resume on more models)
* HP all-in-one printer/scanner devices are supported out of the box
* Bluetooth input devices (such as keyboards and mice) are supported out
of the box
* Multiple audio devices are handled more gracefully (and one can easily
select the default device)
* 64-bit PowerPC kernel available

Installation

* A new OEM mode to simplify the process of preinstalling Ubuntu on
computers for resale or redistribution
* Automatically makes existing hard drive partitions available to the
desktop
* Simple ""dual boot"" configuration with automatic resizing of an existing
installed OS
* The second stage of the installation now has a progress bar

""Under the hood""

* GCC 4.0.1
* glibc 2.3.5
* New early userspace infrastructure based on initramfs-tools
* More modular X.org packaging
* Python 2.4.2

As always, Ubuntu includes the very best of the 100% free/libre application
software world, and each new release incorporates countless new features and
bugfixes from the global development community.