Ubuntu 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex" Released

Six month and six days after the release of Ubuntu 8.04 LTS "Hardy Heron", we now have the next version of this Linux desktop and server distribution led by Mark Shuttleworth. Ubuntu 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex" has been officially released today with a number of new packages, an assortment of updated packages, and other new features.

Ubuntu 8.10 is shipping with the Linux 2.6.27 kernel, X Server 1.5 / X.Org 7.4, Pidgin 2.5, and GIMP 2.6, among many other packages. Originally Ubuntu 8.10 was slated to ship with the Linux 2.6.26 kernel but the decision was made to upgrade the kernel, which was a good choice as this most recent kernel release includes a number of new drivers and other improvements. The kernel in Ubuntu 8.10 also arrives with Dynamic Kernel Module Support. Ubuntu 8.10 also ships with a special ATI driver for providing the X.Org 7.4 support.

Early on in the development cycle for Ubuntu 8.10, it looked as if BulletProofX would be canned, but instead Canonical's Bryce Harrington had reworked this fail-safe X Server. BulletProofX in Ubuntu 8.10 takes a simpler step forward and is much better than its predecessor. Ubuntu 8.10 also ships with a Live USB Disk Creator.

Ubuntu 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex" can be downloaded from Ubuntu's web-site. The next release of this Canonical operating system is Ubuntu 9.04 "Jaunty Jackalope" and it is slated for release in April of 2009. Ubuntu 9.04 will also mark the tenth release of Ubuntu Linux. Share your thoughts on Ubuntu 8.10 in the Phoronix Forums.