Geek Speak: Hellooo, Natty

Ubuntu's latest release is finally here.  Today Natty Narwhal will be available for download.  There are some very exciting changes with this edition, including the look and feel as well as under the hood functions.  I insist on downloading on release day, it's been a tradition of mine since Dapper Drake.


What is Ubuntu?  You can give it a test drive or read more about it on their website.  Ubuntu is always free, and can be copied and shared freely.  


Pcmag.com had some exciting teasers:

Additional enhancements to Ubuntu 11.04 include a "global menu" that contains most preinstalled apps in one place at the top of the display. Menus are displayed only when needed. Switching between multiple screens (or workspaces) is even easier, and new keyboard shortcuts simplify navigation between windows and workspaces. Volume adjustments, queuing and playing files, and other music functions may be accessed from the volume indicator, without having to enter the music player. Users of the Ubuntu One cloud file-sharing service may now also access files via their Android devices, import contacts from Facebook and sync them with Gmail, and take advantage of improved music streaming with better playlist management and a wider range of supported file formats.

Google, Ubuntu and Android are coming together into a seamless creation.  This is a major win for computer users for many reasons, and an overdue death blow to Microsoft's reign of pompous and overpriced bloatware.  The tipping point has been reached, and Linux has finally found a true mainstream niche. My little penguin has grown up, and is a big boy now.


With any release, there is always a quick fix on the fly period.  I'll be testing Natty on desktops and laptops, and will give a more informed review once that first inevitable round of patches are checked.