There is plenty of stuff to get excited about in the comming release of Ubuntu, Karmic Koala. What has been confirmed is:
- About 10s boot!
- Gnome-shell in universe soon so people can bang on it
- Android apps running on ubuntu netbook remix
- Firefox 3.5 will be the default browser
- Gwibber by default if it's ready (woo!)
- EXT4 by default for new installs; dist-upgrade handling ext3 (whether to migrate to ext4- unlikely)
- Kernel 2.6.31
- Banshee might replace Rhythmbox if related bugs are fixed in time (if not, then surely in Karmic+1)
- Encrypted home directory offered to all users
- Ubuntu One will have install options in ubiquity
- Better Wine integration
- Further enhancements for the new notification system
Sadly, there's also a few disappointments:
- No Plymouth (because of the 10s boot goal)
- No Facebrowser (listed under Additional Development in the Gobby document)
- No completely new theme (theming improvements though)
I have to stress that, though decisions have been made, nothing is definitive yet. There is still a lot of topics which haven't published any goals, like the video editor session which is considering PiTiVi as a candidate.
Next week there will of course be more facts and less guessing when UDS is over.
One of the gobby documents suggests that GDM will be started at about 3 seconds into the boot process so plymouth would be an overkill. Usplash with KMS support will do fine for those 3 seconds ;-)
ReplyDeleteYeah...I think I'm pretty convinced that there will never be a completely new theme in Ubuntu.....bleh. Are they still changing the default colors, though? That would be nice...
ReplyDeleteI think its high time mark shuttleworth first talk to its developers before making any annocement on what to expect from the next version of ubuntu. When kermic was announced the world was told that it would come with kms and a completely revamed UI, yet as it turns out no of this would make it to karmic .. so whats new for kermic .. Firefox 3.5? meh .. i upgrade to a new version just because of ff3?
ReplyDeleteGwibber by default - another meh .. i could always install it if i want already .
.EXT4 by defaults .. wtf .. is this a feature ?
- Ubuntu One will have install options in ubiquity
- Better Wine integration
- Further enhancements for the new notification system
if this is what we are to expect from the newest version of ubuntu .. then sad to say that ubuntu is losing the momentum here .. features fits a service pack release than anythig else .. we have been promised a new theme since before gutsy gibbon, the it was moved to hardy, then intrepid, then jaunty .. the canonical said it would really be karmic .. now even kermic wont have a new theme ..
For one I am happy to see them focus on things other than the theme--but then I also am not all that unhappy with the current theme. Personally, I think they should take their time planning the next theme and instead of leaving the brown behind, they ought to pay more attention to making interface components form a more comprehensive theme. Their Orange/Brown stuff doesn't work so well with the light gray panels. Part of the problem there is unthemable components that use colors that are not as compatible with anything but the current panel color.
ReplyDeletePeople are losing faith in canonical because of the broken theme promises.
ReplyDeleteJust like the boy who cried wolf when Mark Shuttleworth comes out and says Ubuntu 10.04 will have new theme. No one is going to believe him. I personally doubt weather after this many years of broken theme promises weather Canonical is actually capable of producing a new theme.
The only theme emerging here is one of broken promises.
I agree. I have been excited about a new ubuntu theme for the last couple years... with promise after promise broken and posponed.... continually....
ReplyDeleteMark shuttleworth said that this release would bring a new theme/interface that would compete with mac osx.... ppffttt. yeah right... i knew it was too good to be true for ubuntu to offer new theme/artwork apart from the brown poo and the crappy themes that come with it. big disappointment. Another reason for me to stick with Kde
Banshee to replace rhythmbox? Man, you better not to say this shit. Why to replace stable and having all essential features music player to the amateurish stuff which don't even have inotify support and full of minor glitches like this one: http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3607/denis-cheremisov.9/0_29303_bace9904_orig?
ReplyDeleteI really don't feel comfortable with MONO. In fact Fedora has made the decision to get rid of it completely in Fedora 12. I think that fact alone will steal quite a few Ubuntu users, especially the one's that aren't loyal to .deb's but don't like having MS patented technology in the distro.
ReplyDeleteSigh.. I wish there will be a completely new theme man!
ReplyDeleteSeriously... why the doom and gloom over themes? Let Canonical take care of the hard stuff - the programming - and then get yourself a cool theme from gnome-look.org. Ubuntu has always been and will continue to be awesome. When they finally roll out a new theme, you'll thank them for having done the real improvements first.
ReplyDeletePeople are losing faith in canoncial because of the broken promises?
ReplyDeleteIndeed, it are broken promises. But if ppl are leaving Ubuntu JUST because of the reason that Mark fails at a FEW "promises"? Ubuntu is free and there doing SO much other good work over there. Its far more important that everyting WORKS instead of a new theme. I dont say that a new theme isnt needed at all, first impression counts.. But LEAVING Ubuntu just because of that?
And don't you guys listen to Mark? He sais it's incredibly hard to get a good quality- long lasting art team. Btw he has one now (122 ppl) and there already doing something. I thing they wont make a complete new theme but many things will change.