Ubuntu 7.10 Released Today

The most popular Linux distribution released their latest version today. Ubuntu 7.10 “Gutsy Gibbon” is now gold and readily available from http://www.ubuntu.com/download. This release qualifies for Canonical’s Long Term Support (18 months).

For those not in the know, Canonical is the company that produces Ubuntu Linux. Their release schedule is a religious 6 months, and is reflected in the numbering scheme (7.10 = October 2007). The next release will be 8.04 “Hardy Heron”.

I ran Feisty Fawn (7.04) as my primary desktop for the first 6 months of the year, and was thoroughly impressed. I had a few limitations that prevented me from making it my primary desktop:

• IBM Software officially does not support their software on Ubuntu – they typically will only support it on Red Hat or Suse. That said, nearly all IBM software available on Linux I was able to run in Ubuntu (including WebSphere App Server, Lotus Notes, Tivoli Directory Server, etc.).
• As I am an IBM business partner, there are some IBM software that I have to use for which there is no Linux version. This includes HATS and Websphere Dashboard Framework (even though they are Eclipse based products), and Lotus Notes Designer and Administrator (these are Windows flavors only).
• Quicken – Wine was of no use, either in bitwise form, or beverage. This was by no means a deal breaker, however.
• Cisco VPN client. This was the killer. While there is a Cisco VPN client for Linux (as I have blogged about before), it would not work on client’s VPN’s whom required a integrated firewall – a feature of Windows XP only. Curiously, this feature of my client’s VPN’s (some of them) also prevented the Windows Vista version from connecting as well.

In any event, if you have never tried a linux desktop, then give Ubuntu a spin. You can download in ISO format as a Live CD. This means, that if you boot with the CD, it will start up a live Linux operating system, without touching your hard drive. You can then proceed to install if you choose, or just play around with the desktop and get a feel for the system.