{{{ The Ubuntu team is pleased to announce the beta release of Ubuntu 8.10 Desktop and Server. Codenamed "Intrepid Ibex", 8.10 continues Ubuntu's proud tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution. Ubuntu 8.10 Desktop Edition delivers the features you need for an increasingly mobile digital life, including 3G wireless support and guest sessions that lets users temporarily share computers without compromising security. Ubuntu 8.10 Server consolidates its support for virtualization with an integrated Virtual Machine builder, and brings with it a fully-supported Java stack and support for per-user directory encryption. The Ubuntu 8.10 family of variants, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, UbuntuStudio, and Mythbuntu, also reach beta status today. Desktop features ---------------- Xorg 7.4 brings improved support for automatic configuration of input hardware, such as keyboards and mice. 3G support: Network Manager 0.7 comes with a number of greatly anticipated features, including management of 3G connections (GSM/CDMA) and PPP/PPPoE connnections. Guest sessions: the User Switcher panel applet provides a new option for starting a Guest session. This creates a temporary, password-less user account with restricted privileges - perfect for lending out your laptop for a quick email check. Please see http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/intrepid/beta for details. Server features --------------- Encrypted private directories: the installer now offers the option to configure a secret encrypted folder for each user, to be unlocked and mounted at login time, using ecryptfs. Virtualization: Ubuntu 8.10 ships with a Virtual Machine builder that allows complete Virtual Machines to be built from the command line in less than five minutes, with support for scripting custom virtual images. Java: a complete free Java™ stack is supported in Ubuntu 8.10, including OpenJDK and Apache Tomcat 6.0, making Ubuntu a great choice for Java development and deployment. Kubuntu features ---------------- Kubuntu builds on the groundwork of the Kubuntu 8.04 KDE 4 Remix to provide a fully-supported KDE 4 desktop in Kubuntu 8.10. Please see https://wiki.kubuntu.org/IntrepidIbex/Beta/Kubuntu for details. Xubuntu features ---------------- Xubuntu comes with the light-weight Xfce 4.4.2 desktop environment for those who want a desktop that is easy to use, but places particular emphasis on conserving system resources. Please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/IntrepidIbex/BetaAnnouncement/Xubuntu for further details. UbuntuStudio features --------------------- Ubuntu Studio includes the updates to input hardware and sound device management from Ubuntu Desktop, and includes a complete suite of tools for generation of audio, video, and graphic content. Mythbuntu features ------------------ See http://mythbuntu.org/8.10/beta for information about the Mythbuntu beta release. Other ----- * On the Desktop: KDE 4.1.2, GNOME 2.24, OpenOffice.org 2.4.1, X.org 7.4 * On the Server: Apache 2.2, PostgreSQL 8.3, PHP 5.2.6, LTSP 5.1 * "Under the hood": GCC 4.3.2, glibc 2.8, Linux 2.6.27, Python 2.5 The full release notes can be found at http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/intrepid/beta About Ubuntu ------------ Ubuntu is a full-featured Linux distribution for desktops, laptops, and servers, with a fast and easy installation and regular releases. A tightly-integrated selection of excellent applications is included, and an incredible variety of add-on software is just a few clicks away. Professional technical support is available from Canonical Limited and hundreds of other companies around the world. For more information about support, visit http://www.ubuntu.com/support To Get Ubuntu 8.10 Beta --------------------------- Download Ubuntu 8.10 Beta here (choose the mirror closest to you): Africa: * http://bw.releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (Botswana) * http://ls.releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (Lesotho) * http://mz.releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (Mozambique) * http://sz.releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (Swaziland) * http://ubuntu.mirror.ac.za/ubuntu-release/8.10 (South Africa) * http://zw.releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (Zimbabwe) Asia: * ftp://ftp.corbina.net/pub/Linux/ubuntu-cd/8.10 (Russian Federation) * http://ftp.cse.yzu.edu.tw/pub/Linux/Ubuntu/ubuntu-cd/8.10 (Taiwan) * http://ftp.daum.net/ubuntu-releases/8.10 (Korea, Republic of) * http://ftp.linux.org.tr/ubuntu-releases/8.10 (Turkey) * http://ftp.tcc.edu.tw/iso/Ubuntu/8.10 (Taiwan) * http://ftp.twaren.net/Linux/Ubuntu/ubuntu-cd/8.10 (Taiwan) Europe: * http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-releases/8.10 (Germany) * http://ubuntu.ipacct.com/releases/8.10 (Bulgaria) * http://se.releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (Sweden) * http://nl.releases.ubuntu.com/releases/8.10 (Netherlands) * http://es.releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (Spain) * http://ftp-stud.hs-esslingen.de/pub/Mirrors/releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (Germany) North America: * http://mirror.anl.gov/pub/ubuntu-iso/CDs/8.10 (United States) * http://less.cogeco.net/ubuntu-releases/8.10 (Canada) * http://linux.nssl.noaa.gov/releases/8.10 (United States) * http://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/ubuntu-releases/8.10 (Canada) * http://mirrors.ccs.neu.edu/releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (United States) * http://mirrors.gigenet.com/ubuntu/8.10 (United States) Oceania/Australia: * http://ftp.citylink.co.nz/ubuntu-releases/8.10 (New Zealand) * http://ubuntu-releases.optus.net/8.10 (Australia) * http://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/ubuntu/releases/8.10 (Australia) * http://mirror.pacific.net.au/linux/ubuntu-releases/8.10 (Australia) * http://planetmirror.com/pub/ubuntu/releases/8.10 (Australia) South America: * http://ubuntu.c3sl.ufpr.br/releases/8.10 (Brazil) * http://espelhos.edugraf.ufsc.br/ubuntu-releases/8.10 (Brazil) * http://ftp.ucr.ac.cr/ubuntu-cd/8.10 (Costa Rica) Rest of the world: http://releases.ubuntu.com/8.10 (Great Britain) Please download using Bittorrent if possible. To upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10 Beta from Ubuntu 8.04 LTS, follow these instructions: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/IntrepidUpgrades The final version of Ubuntu 8.10 is expected to be released in October 2008. Known Bugs ---------- There are a few key issues that users will want to take note of before upgrading to this beta. * The e1000e device driver (which provides support for Intel GigE ethernet hardware) is currently disabled due to a serious bug. A fix for this bug has already been prepared and will be released shortly as an update to all users of the beta release. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/263555 * No real-time kernel variant is available for the Linux 2.6.27 kernel included with Ubuntu 8.10 Beta. Users of Ubuntu``Studio 8.04 who need real-time kernel support are advised not to upgrade to Ubuntu``Studio 8.10. Feedback and Helping -------------------- If you would like to help shape Ubuntu, take a look at the list of ways you can participate at http://www.ubuntu.com/community/participate/ Your comments, bug reports, patches and suggestions will help turn this Beta into the best release of Ubuntu ever. Please report bugs through the Launchpad bug tracker: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+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 #ubuntu IRC channel on FreeNode, on the Ubuntu Users mailing list, or on the Ubuntu forums: http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users http://www.ubuntuforums.org/ More Information ---------------- You can find out more about Ubuntu and about this preview release on our website, IRC channel and wiki. If you are new to Ubuntu, please visit: http://www.ubuntu.com/ To sign up for future Ubuntu announcements, please subscribe to Ubuntu's very low volume announcement list at: http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-announce }}}