Ubuntu solid and strong

Mayank Sharma runs through everything you need to know to get productive with the latest Ubuntu release.

“The project hosts test builds that let you preview Unity 8 atop Ubuntu 15.10.”

There was a time when Ubuntu releases, especially the non-LTS ones, brought about more change than in a slot machine. However, the last few releases have broken away from that tradition and have shipped with only incremental changes. Ubuntu 15.10 follows this script as the developers have concentrated their efforts on polishing the next iteration of the core components.

The release comes at a time when the desktop is shunning its traditional definition and is trying to find its feet in the battle of the form factors. Developers everywhere are trying to consolidate many devices with a standardised user experience: from computers that you strap onto your wrist to the one that sits beneath your office table.

The changes in Ubuntu 15.10 are mostly at the invisible end of the spectrum. In visual terms, the distro doesn’t look all that different from the previous one too which has led to many online commentators terming it as a ‘boring’ release. While it won’t have many review-worthy features, we’re sure long-time users will prefer “boring over broken” any day, to borrow a phrase from Mark Shuttleworth.

In a keynote address at the Ubuntu Online Summit (UOS) back in May 2015, Shuttleworth outlined the plans for Ubuntu 15.10 which will continue the project’s march towards single-device convergence and bringing Ubuntu to PCs, TVs, and mobile devices. He explained that working on the next iteration of the Unity Shell, Unity 8, has given the team a clear vision of how to bring together the different form factors. The project hosts test builds that let you preview Unity 8 atop Ubuntu 15.10.

Another core feature that’s only currently available for testing is the Ubuntu Snappy package management system that’s being prepped to eventually replace Debian packages across the range of Ubuntu-powered devices. Ubuntu 15.10 lays the groundwork for testing and previewing both these new components that are core to Ubuntu’s converged desktop experience.

However, it’ll take several releases before any of these become a mainstay of the Ubuntu desktop. In the meantime, users looking for continuity can use our guide to safely upgrade to the new desktop. We also have tips and tricks to help you customise your install and rein in some of the distro’s more esoteric features.