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Xubuntu 8.04, the Hardy Heron, is the next release of Xubuntu, scheduled to be released in April 2008. Xubuntu 8.04 integrates the latest Xfce-desktop releases with the high-quality, and feature-rich core of Ubuntu, resulting in a light-weight and easy-to-use Linux distribution.

Xubuntu 8.04 features incremental improvements to familiar applications, with an emphasis on stability for this second Xubuntu long-term support release, and is easier than ever to try out with the new Wubi installer.

Xubuntu 8.04 also provides significant improvements in virtualization support and security enhancements. Specific improvements include the enabling AppArmor for more applications by default, improving protection of kernel memory against attacks, and supporting KVM technologies out of the box.

Desktop highlights

Xubuntu 8.04 includes Xfce 4.4.2, featuring the latest round of bug-fixes from the steadily-improving Xfce4 desktop environment.

LiveCD updates: on booting the Xubuntu LiveCD, users will now be given a choice between using the Xubuntu live session, or skipping the live session and initiating the installation process.

Improved application selection: the Xfce desktop sports a number of improvements to the default applications, including more powerful clients for BitTorrent and VNC. The Ristretto image viewer provides a cleaner and more functional interface than the image viewer it replaces, GQview, and the "Places" menu plugin is now enabled by default, making it easier than ever to access your most-frequently used files and documents.

Latest in web-browsing software: Firefox 3 Beta 4 replaces Firefox 2, and serves as the default web browser in Xubuntu 8.04 Beta.

File browsing: an enhanced file system layer brings greater performance and flexibility to Thunar, the Xfce file browser.

Pluggable audio and video output: the PulseAudio sound server is integrated in the desktop for more flexible sound output, and a new Screen Resolution utility allows easier configuration of multiple video displays.

PolicyKit: PolicyKit integration is visible in the administrative user interfaces. PolicyKit makes it possible to run administrative applications as a normal user, and have them get a particular set of extra privileges for certain operations. This allows fine-grained control over user permissions and enhances usability, and eliminates the security implications of running the whole application as root.

Wubi installer: a new Windows-based installer option makes it easier than ever to try out Xubuntu, letting users install a full desktop on Windows systems without needing to partition their hard drive.

Please see http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/hardybeta for details.

Other

* On the Desktop: Xfce 4.4.2, Gnome Office 2.20.2, X.org 7.3

* On the Server: Apache 2.2, PostgreSQL 8.3, PHP 5.2.4, LTSP 5.0

* "Under the hood": GCC 4.2.3, glibc 2.7, Linux 2.6.24, Python 2.5

About Xubuntu

Xubuntu is a full-featured Linux distribution for desktops and laptops, with regular releases and a fast and easy installation process. A tightly-integrated selection of excellent applications is included, and an incredible variety of add-on software is just a few clicks away.

For more information about support, visit http://www.xubuntu.org/help

To Get Xubuntu 8.04 Beta

Download Xubuntu 8.04 Beta here:

• http://mirror.yandex.ru/ubuntu-cdimage/xubuntu/releases/8.04/beta/

• http://ubuntu.mirror.ac.za/ubuntu-cdimage/xubuntu/releases/8.04/beta/

• http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/cdimage.ubuntu.com/cdimage/xubuntu/releases/8.04/beta/

• http://mirror.anl.gov/pub/ubuntu-iso/CDs-Xubuntu/8.04/beta/

• http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/releases/hardy/beta

• http://neacm.fe.up.pt/pub/xubuntu/releases/8.04/beta/

• http://ftp.dei.uc.pt/pub/linux/xubuntu/releases/8.04/beta/

• http://nl.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-cdimage-xubuntu/releases/8.04/beta/

• http://ubuntu.univ-nantes.fr/ubuntu-cd/xubuntu/8.04/beta/

• ftp://ftp.free.fr/mirrors/ftp.xubuntu.com/releases/8.04/beta

• http://se.archive.ubuntu.com/mirror/cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/releases/8.04/beta

• http://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/xubuntu-releases/8.04/beta/

• http://hex1a4.net/xubuntu/mirror/releases/8.04/beta

• http://ubuntu.ipacct.com/xubuntu/8.04/beta

• http://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/ubuntu/xubuntu/8.04/beta/

Please download using Bittorrent if possible.

To upgrade to Xubuntu 8.04 Beta from Xubuntu 7.10 or Xubuntu 6.06 LTS, follow these instructions:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HardyUpgrades

The final version of Xubuntu 8.04 is expected to be released in April 2008.

Feedback and Helping

If you would like to help shape Xubuntu, take a look at the list of ways you can participate at

• http://www.xubuntu.org/devel

Your comments, bug reports, patches and suggestions will help turn this Beta into the best release of Xubuntu ever. Please report bugs through the Launchpad bug tracker:

• https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/hardy/+bugs

If you have a question, or if you think you may have found a bug but are not sure, first try asking on the #xubuntu IRC channel on FreeNode, on the Xubuntu-Users mailing list, or on the Ubuntu forums:

• http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/xubuntu-users http://www.ubuntuforums.org/

More Information

You can find out more about Xubuntu and about this preview release on our website, IRC channel and wiki. If you are new to Xubuntu, please visit:

• http://www.xubuntu.org/help