Ubuntu 18.10
ubuntu is one of the most popular versions of Linux in the world. Classically, Ubuntu likes to do two major releases each year and Ubuntu 18.10 is the second in 2018 on the 10-month schedule. Outside of the Long Term Support releases these interim releases receive nine months of support updates, so they’re more for people wishing to try out Ubuntu than considering installing an OS for long-term use.
New for Ubuntu 18.10 is the latest evolution of the Gnome 3.30 desktop. The previous 18.04 release saw a switch to the Gnome 3.x desktop. Of more interest is the introduction of the Yaru community Theme that’s installed by default. This offers a refreshing change to the standard orange interface.
Ubuntu now features cutting-edge compression algorithms called LZ4 and ztsd. The enhanced system enables Ubuntu to boot and install faster, anything up to 10 per cent. The company behind Ubuntu is also continuing to develop its Snap delivery technology, which is a novel way of packaging software installation files. Enhancements in 18.10 help Snaps start faster and makes them easier to install. This is partly down to the fact that Snap applicationz are integrated into the Software Centre.
Inside of this Ubuntu release is the Kernel 4.18, the latest version available at its release. While there’s a huge list of changes the big-ticket updates include support for the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GPU, complete support for the Raspberry Pi 3 B and 3 B+ with enhanced Thunderbolt and USB Type-C support. If you’re the gaming type, Steam Controller support is now backed in alongside Open GL 4.4 support with the Mesa 18.2 update. Oh, and if you’re also wondering what the crazy background image was, it stems from this release’s code name: Cosmic Cuttlefish. Don’t ask…