Novell have released openSUSE 11.0, the latest free version of its Linux operating system distribution which then will be the base for Novell’s award winning SUSE Linux Enterprise products.
OpenSUSE 11.0 comes with the latest versions of KDE and GNOME, with KDE 4.0.4 replaced KDE 3.5 as the default KDE. With DVD installer, you can choose to install KDE or GNOME during the installation process.
The openSUSE Project is proud to announce the release of openSUSE 11.0 — everything you need to get started with Linux on the desktop and on the server. Promoting the use of Linux everywhere, the openSUSE Project provides free, easy access to the world’s most usable Linux distribution, openSUSE.
The 11.0 release of openSUSE includes more than 200 new features specific to openSUSE, a redesigned installer that makes openSUSE even easier to install, faster package management thanks to major updates in the ZYpp stack, and KDE 4, GNOME 2.22, Compiz Fusion, and much more.
Features of openSUSE 11.0 are:
YaST, which is the default installer in openSUSE get a stunning new look. The dark green-grey theme is used throughout openSUSE 11.0 for splash and boot screens. The installer also underwent many changes to make the installation both easier and quicker. The developer said that you can perform a complete openSUSE installation in under 20 minutes!
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About a week ago, Fedora 9, codename Sulphur was released to the public. Fedora 9 comes with a lot of new features and updated softwares such as the latest Gnome 2.22, KDE 4.0.3, Xfce 4.4.2, Mozilla Firefox Beta 5, Open Office 2.4 and a 2.6.25 based kernel. Here are some of reviews about Fedora 9 that I have found over the internet.
Linux.com conclude that:
Aside from the problems with PackageKit — and, to a lesser extent, the inclusion of KDE 4.0.3 — Fedora 9 manages to balance innovation with a high degree of usability. Over the last few months, Fedora has been increasingly compared favorably with Ubuntu on both accounts, and, to a large extent, it deserves this praise. If anything, it has probably exceeded Ubuntu in innovation, with at least a dozen major new ideas in every release. It is a rare release, too, in which Fedora’s menus and dialog do not show minor tinkering to fine-tune the user experience.
Yet the problems in Fedora 9 emphasize how difficult a balance the Fedora project tries to maintain. The fact that improvements are coming for both KDE and PackageKit, and that, meanwhile, workarounds exist, is beside the point — these facts are lucky accidents, and nothing that Fedora has done.
Although Fedora’s innovations make it one of the more interesting distributions to use and watch these days, the project needs to temper its creativity with more consideration of how changes affect users. Perhaps these relatively minor problems will help the distribution correct its release policies before a major disaster happens in a future release.
Source: Fedora 9: Leading edge or bleeding edge?
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Before this, I have talked about installing the greatest Linux distribution Ubuntu 8.04, Hardy Heron using Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 here. Alternatively, you can use VirtualBox to install Ubuntu 8.04 under your windows environment.
VirtualBox
VirtualBox is a X86 virtualization software package developed by Sun Microsystems Inc. You can get VirtualBox for free since it is released under GPL license. Click here to go to the download page.
Requirements
- Intel or AMD processor.
- 1 GB of Memory. 512 MB will work but you might experience bad performance.
- Enough free hard disk space.
- A supported host operating system. Windows (primarily XP) or Linux distributions on 32-bit hosts and on 64-bit hosts. (Support for Mac OS X is currently in development)
- A supported guest operating system. Click here to check the list.
You can check the tutorial on how to install Ubuntu 8.04 using VirtualBox here. This graphical tutorial will show you steps that you need to follow to get Ubuntu 8.04 works under Windows Vista.
The waiting is finally over, the Canonical has released the second LTS, long term support of Ubuntu 8.04 codename Hardy Heron to the public today. Ubuntu 8.04 will be officially supported and maintained by Ubuntu team for three years on desktop and five years on server.
The Ubuntu team is pleased to announce Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Long-Term Support) on desktop and server, continuing Ubuntu’s tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution.
For Ubuntu 7.10 user, you can upgrade to Ubuntu 8.04 via update manager and for others, you can download Ubuntu 8.04 from the Ubuntu official website and other mirrors. You also can request free CDs of Ubuntu 8.04. You don’t have to worry about the shipping cost, it will be shipped by Canonical free of charge. You just need to fill up a form.
Download: Ubuntu 8.04
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It’s 4 more days to go until the final version of Ubuntu 8.04, Hardy Heron hit the street. The CEO of Canonical, Mark Shuttleworth guarantees that this version will make it on time. So, for all Ubuntu fans out there (including me), you don’t have to worry. You will get it for sure.
If you go to Ubuntu official website, you will see a link to download a release candidate of Hardy Heron. If you don’t want to wait until the final version come out, you can try this release candidate version and upgrade to stable version later. The release candidate version is considered complete and stable for testing by the Ubuntu development team.
Some updates include in this version are:
- The latest Gnome 2.22.1 with new version of Nautilus file manager
- The 2.6.24-16.30 kernel which is base on 2.6.24.3
- Firefox 3 beta 5 as the default browser
- The PulseAudio sound server is integrated in the Gnome Desktop
- New screen resolution utility
- Wubi installer for easier installation for new user
To get a full list of new features since Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon you can check this page
On April 10, Mandriva has released it’s popular Mandriva Linux distribution to the public. You can read my previous post to know about some improvements and new features added to this distribution.
Jochem wrote a review in his blog about this new released.
A while ago I took a look at Mandriva 2008 Spring RC1 inside VirtualBox. Today, the 2008 Spring final release was announced. I decided to install it on my main laptop (Acer 5920). Here’s a few quick notes. Perhaps a full review will follow later. This time I downloaded the One GNOME i586 version.
The announcement seems to have been made a bit too soon unfortunately. Not all mirrors listed by Mandriva had the all iso’s up already. I needed to use BitTorrent to download the GNOME One version of the ISO. I was unable to find an x86_64 version. Pretty strange. 64 Bit hardware has been in common use for about three years now here, but software support still seems abysmal 
About the install: After starting the Live Install, it complained about not being able to mount an USB stick. I clicked the notice away, an install continued without problems. I noticed the Netherlands is now listed in the “Other countries” list. Thanks Adam and Mandriva team! (see comments on previous review).
You can read a full review in his blog
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