Articles about Ubuntu Linux

Four-hundred-eighty-eight in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.

Adoption of Windows 11 appears to have slowed down in the past two months according to recent usage statistics by third-parties.

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The developers over at Canonical have been busy baking a yummy new version of Ubuntu recently, and following a brief beta period, it is finally time to take the open-source operating system out of the oven. Yes, folks, the stable Ubuntu 22.04 is finally here!

Code-named "Jammy Jellyfish," Ubuntu 22.04 is an "LTS" version, which stands for "Long Term Support." Yeah, that means exactly what it sounds like. The Linux distribution will be supported for a long time -- five years to be exact. Very nice.

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Four-hundred-eighty-four in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.

Microsoft launched a new driver blocking security feature to boost Windows security.

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Is Ubuntu the best Linux-based desktop operating system? That is debatable. However, I think we can all agree that Ubuntu is the most well-known desktop Linux distribution on the planet. Hell, Ubuntu even got a mention on the legendary TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory.

Today, the developer of Ubuntu, Canonical, announces some exciting news -- the Linux-based operating system is getting a new logo! While it doesn't deviate much from previous Ubuntu logos, it is definitely an improvement. You see, the logo was always suppose to look like a top-down view of three people interlocking arms -- Canonical calls it "Circle of Friends." The circles (heads) are now centered to better represent the trio of people. The logo also gets put into an orange rectangle.

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Is Ubuntu the best Linux-based operating system? That is a matter of opinion, but I would say no. While it is a great OS, there are other distributions that are arguably better. Is Ubuntu the most popular Linux distro? Not likely. These days, it isn't even in top five on DistroWatch.

With all of that said, new Ubuntu releases still seem to generate the most excitement in the Linux community. This is partly due to Ubuntu's name recognition, but also, there are many great distributions based on Ubuntu, such as Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, and elementary OS to name a few. Let us not forget the excellent official flavors of Ubuntu, such as the KDE Plasma-focused Kubuntu.

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All Linux distributions are not created equally. In other words, it is absolutely not correct to say "Linux is Linux." Not only are there differences under the hood with things like package managers and kernel versions, but more user-focused variations too, such as the actual desktop environment. Unlike Windows that only offers one interface, there are several for Linux-based operating systems. Ultimately, a user's Linux experience can vary wildly based on distro.

But what Linux distribution is best for a beginner? This is an impossible question to answer definitively, but to attempt to do so, it is important to first define what a "beginner" actually is. Are they a first-time computer user or more likely, a longtime Windows user looking to switch to Linux? While the former is a blank canvas, the latter has many existing computing habits and expectations. And so, looking for something that doesn't deviate far from the traditional Windows user interface.

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Happy Friday, dear BetaNews readers! The weekend is almost here, so hopefully you can take some time to do the things you want to do, rather than the tasks your boss or teacher makes you do. For some, that means spending time with family, watching movies, or resting up. For nerdier people, it is an excellent time to test a Linux distribution!

Today, Canonical releases the official beta version of the upcoming Ubuntu 21.10 Linux distro. Code-named "Impish Indri," the operating system features Linux kernel 5.13. Also notable, the Firefox browser that comes with Ubuntu 21.10 is a Snap rather than a typical deb -- this may prove controversial for some.

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If you are a home Linux desktop user, there is a good chance you like living on the bleeding edge. When a new version of a Linux distribution is released, you may find yourself upgrading immediately. After all, if something breaks, you can just reinstall the OS or move back to the previous version. This is particularly easy if you store your data on a secondary drive and you can format your boot drive without worry.

For business users, however, constantly upgrading to the latest and greatest often isn't feasible. Instead, an organization may want to install a Linux distro and just have it work -- with several years of official support. For instance, Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty Tahr) and 16.04 (Xenial Xerus) are pretty dated, as they were released in 2014 and 2016 respectively. Age aside, they are rock solid from a stability standpoint. Despite newer versions of Ubuntu being available, some organizations simply don't have the resources to upgrade. Plus, why fix what isn't broken?

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The next new version of Ubuntu will be designated as 21.10. Why? Well, the versioning scheme of that Linux-based operating system uses a two digit year followed by a period and then a two digit month (yy.mm). With October being the 10th month, Ubuntu Linux 21.10 is merely weeks away.

Besides knowing the version number of the next Ubuntu release, we also know the code-name -- "Impish Indri." We shared that detail with you back in April of this year. And now, the official artwork of Ubuntu Linux 21.10 "Impish Indri" becomes available for download.

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Microsoft is set to start rolling out Windows 11 next month, but it will only be offered to newer, compatible systems at first, so even if you have a PC that fits the bill, and supports TPM 2.0, it might be the middle of next year before you have the chance to upgrade. And, of course, if you want to install the new OS on an older PC, the TPM requirement means you simply won’t be able to.

Windowsfx is a Linux OS that borrows its look from various flavors of Microsoft’s operating system, including Windows 7 and Windows 10, and now it’s offering a version that looks just like Windows 11.

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Windows 11 is a great operating system. It hasn't even left beta status yet, but is absolutely the best desktop operating system Microsoft has ever created. Seriously, folks, it is exceptional. If your computer is compatible with it, and you like Windows 10, you will probably enjoy Windows11 even more -- if you keep an open mind.

You see, the upcoming Windows 11 is likely to be quite polarizing. It features radical changes to the user interface (such as a centered task bar) which I adore, but other users are sure to dislike. Not to mention, the system requirements will leave many still-capable computers unable to upgrade. Even worse, you might be left without updates! These unfortunate computer owners will have to decide whether to continue using Windows 10 or buy a new Windows 11-compatible PC.

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There are a lot of great desktop environments for Linux, such as Cinnamon, KDE Plasma, and Xfce to name a few. With that said, only one can be the best, and that is GNOME. If you prefer a different environment, you are simply wrong or ignorant on the subject. You know what? That's fine. As they say, ignorance is bliss, so if you are happy not using GNOME, more power to you.

For those of us superior Linux users that prefer GNOME, it is time to get excited. You see, as of today, the GNOME 41 Beta is officially here! Keep in mind, the Beta tag is quite literal -- unless you are a Beta tester or Linux developer, you shouldn't be bothering with it just yet.

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There are a lot of Linux-based operating systems these days, and if you have some free time, I suggest trying as many as you can. Think of it like fruit -- apples are great, but you shouldn't stop after just tasting that. The world is full of different choices, such as mangoes, bananas, and oranges. The same can be said of Linux -- even if you really like, say, Ubuntu, you should also test Fedora, Mageia, and more.

Today, yet another distro hits a major milestone; SparkyLinux achieves version 6.0. Code-named "Po Tolo," it is a rolling release operating system that is based on the brand-new Debian 11 "Bullseye." Sparky aims to be easy on system resources, with choices of three main desktop environments -- LXQt, KDE, and Xfce. This lightweight operating system can breathe new life into aging computers. SparkyLinux even still supports older 32-bit processors.

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Windows 11 is a very good operating system, and it hasn't even gone gold yet. In fact, despite only being Beta, I can confidently call it the best version of Windows ever. It is shockingly polished and beautiful -- the true successor to Windows 7. Windows 10 wasn't bad, but it never felt complete. Windows 11 feels purposeful and well-loved by developers. Microsoft has impressed me with the upcoming operating system. It is appearing to be more than a superficial update as I once thought.

With all of that said, understandably, not everyone wants or needs Windows 11. Due to some rather lofty hardware requirements, some consumers will find their computer simply can't run Windows 11 even if they want it to. While Microsoft and the overall computer industry would love to see these consumers buy new computers, that simply is not necessary. Instead, a Linux-based operating system can breathe new life into your aging PC.

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Reading devices with E-ink displays are an absolute must for hardcore readers. Can you read books using a traditional Android tablet or Apple iPad? Sure, but the screen can cause eyestrain. An E-ink reader, such as Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite, makes reading digital books much more enjoyable -- your eyes will thank you.

What if there was an open tablet, running Linux, that utilized an E-ink screen? That would be quite the interesting device, and it would be very exciting to imagine how such a thing could be used. Well, folks, such a product is on the way! Called "PineNote," the E-ink tablet has similar specs as the Quartz64 single board computer. The device should be available for purchase later this year. As of today, it is expected to launch with Manjaro Linux as the operating system.

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