Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" Alpha 2 Is Here

Ubuntu 12.10 Alpha 2 has been released. This second development milestone for the "Quantal Quetzal" brings a number of package updates and new features.

The Alpha 2 release announcement from Canonical's Kate Stewart can be found on the mailing list. ISOs for Ubuntu 12.10 Alpha 2 and the various other flavors can be found in their usual locations.

From the Wiki some of the key features for this second alpha release include:

- Linux 3.5 is now the default kernel (rather than Linux 3.4 found in Alpha 1). Though on the ARM side, at least for the OMAP4 kernel the Linux 3.4 kernel is still temporarily used. By Ubuntu 12.10 final, hopefully we will see the Linux 3.6 kernel.

- Python 3 is now the default (and only) Python installation on the default Ubuntu media. Python 2 though will remain available through the Ubuntu package repository.

- Updated file-system components, including pulling an updated btrfs-tools that brings basic file-system checking and repair.

- Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird have been updated against their latest upstream versions.

- GNOME 3.5 component updates, including GTK+ 3.5.

- Ubuntu Server now has support for the ARM-based Calxeda Highbank servers.

- OpenStack Folsom-2 milestone is now available on Ubuntu Server.

- Various other changes and package updates.

The final release of Ubuntu 12.10 is, of course, due out in October.