Changes in Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat

The next release of Ubuntu will be on October with version 10.10 hitting the streets. Ubuntu releases have usually occurred during the latter half of every sixth month. But this time around, Ubuntu developers have broken the standard release cycle slightly and will try to get the next version of Ubuntu 10.10 out on 10-10-10. . Ubuntu 10.10 will be known as Maverick Meerkat. Meerkat will bring more enhancements to the Ubuntu Linux operating system.

Desktop and Software enhancements for Ubuntu 10.10
Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat will feature some of latest enhancements in open source software and technologies that can be used for a desktop PC, a server, laptops, or netbook computer. The latest version of Ubuntu is expected to deliver faster boot times with better integration of the boot process. Ubuntu 10.04 has been known to boot on most PC's in 30 seconds or less, including the BIOS post process.

The Desktop and Netbook edition of Ubuntu 10.10 will include version 2.31 of the GNOME desktop interface. The updated GNOME interface will include a new API and a new version of gconf. The updated version will allow users to make more changes to their desktop appearances.

Evolution has been a mainstay in Ubuntu, and it will also see an update when Ubuntu 10.10 is released. Expect Evolution run faster and more efficiently.

In one of the more noticeable changes for Ubuntu 10.10, there will be a new photo manger made available. Shotwell will be the application that replaces F-spot.

Volume controls will be more tightly integrated with the music player. This will help enhance the sense of more operating system interoperability. One of the complaints about Linux distributions has been that it is just a collection of programs that are tossed together to try to form an operating system. In the past there was no tight integration of applications, but that is slowly beginning to improve with each new release of Ubuntu. An example of this improvement can be seen in how the new volume controls operate.

Changes to Ubuntu 10.10 Themes and Wallpapers
The look and feel of Ubuntu 10.10 will be about the same as previous versions. There will be new wallpapers, and a couple of new themes. The default wallpaper throws in a splash of brown-orange into its purple haze background. This is an obvious nod to previous versions of Ubuntu that featured the browns and oranges for many years.

Download Ubuntu 10.10 Beta
If you cannot wait for the October 10th release date, you can go ahead and download the Beta version of Ubuntu 10.10. From the Ubuntu websites. With the beta version of Ubuntu 10.10 you are given the opportunity to submit bug reports. Submitting bug reports help make the final release more streamlined. Note that the beta version of Ubuntu 10.10 may have a few bugs and glitches, so you should only use it on non-production computers.

Should You Upgrade to Ubuntu 10.10?
When Ubuntu 10.10 is released in October, you may wondering if it would be worth the time to click on the Update Manger and update to Ubuntu 10.10. So far, in the several times that I have updated an Ubuntu release, I have not had any problems. However, there is always a risk in something going wrong during the update process. Therefore, you should make a back up of your file system should you decide to update. For me, the new features that are offered in Ubuntu 10.10 does not warrant the hassle an update causes. Ubuntu 10.04 LTS still has several more years of support, staying with Ubuntu 10.04 LTS may be your best bet.