The latest DVD in our sixpack series delivers a smart collection of the leading Ubuntu variants. Boot this disc and sample the new Ubuntu 11.10 release with any of the following distros:

• Ubuntu – The most recent release of the main Ubuntu line
• Kubuntu – Many users prefer this KDE version of Ubuntu.
• Lubuntu – A steady and stable ‘buntu that uses the LXDE desktop and specializes in low-spec hardware.
• Xubuntu – This light and lively variant, which features the Xfce desktop, also shines on legacy systems.
• Mythbuntu – A specialty distro for MythTV media center systems.
• Ubuntu Rescue Remix – Command-line-only distro designed for troubleshooting downed Linux and Windows computers.

“What are you going to say about Steve Jobs?” everyone has been asking me – or at least, the rare subset of people who know about this column and are also sufficiently co-located to bump into me in restaurants and bars. “Important guy…he changed the world…must be lots to mention…”

Canonical announces an innovative agreement to provide digital editions of ADMIN, Linux Magazine, and Ubuntu User through the Ubuntu Software Center.

High-performance graphics cards and proper storage can help keep your passwords secure.

Last month, the Havege daemon helped organize the chaos in this column. Today, Charly attempts to organize the network – a tale of suffering in three chapters.

Drupal and WordPress often hog the spotlight, but other content management systems offer impressive performances. This month, we look at the latest Joomla release and check out concrete5.

At the recent LinuxCon North America [1] in Vancouver, Canada, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the start of the Linux Kernel project. Many of the best developers in the community were there, and we had “gala” events celebrating the past 20 years. Although the Linux kernel tends to dominate aspects of computing such as high-performance computing, embedded systems design, and servers, several people acknowledged that we still have not enjoyed “the year of the Linux desktop.”

Chronicler Zack Brown reports on the latest news, views, dilemmas, and developments within the Linux kernel community.

This issue’s DVD comes with the BackTrack 5 R1 [1][2][3] pen test distribution. BackTrack provides a great collection of pen testing and security auditing tools. You can boot into BackTrack Live from the DVD or install BackTrack permanently on your hard disk.