An interview with the founder of the Ubuntu Project
FEISTY FAWN
Mark Shuttleworth talks to Linux Magazine contributing editor Mathias Huber about the upcoming Ubuntu release Feisty Fawn and Ubuntu Live.
Ubuntu's newest release offers a preset Windows migration tool so that users who are setting up a dual-boot machine won't get caught in the headlights. LM What’s next for Ubuntu? MS We have a new release coming up, the Feisty Fawn, and that is a very exciting release, which, I think will definitely be our best release ever. It has a lot of new work from upstream – there’s been a tremendous amount of activity in the desktop space upstream – which is exciting. And there’s also a whole bunch of things that are unique to Ubuntu. There’s the Windows migration tool, which means that people who are installing Ubuntu on a Windows machine will get the opportunity to move things like Firefox favorites and Internet Explorer bookmarks, instant messaging contacts, and so on into their new Ubuntu setup. It is a preset for people who are setting up a dual-boot machine and starting with something that has Windows installed. I’m sure other distros will follow suit, but I think Ubuntu is the first to do that, and that’s exciting. Another thing is something that is very popular with people who are using Linux as a platform for multimedia, and that is making it a lot easier to install various codecs. Now, you may be aware of the fact that it is a very complex landscape out there in terms of which codecs are possible to distribute and which aren’t, depending on nationality and patent system and various complicated features. Unfortunately, the default Ubuntu configuration, as with any free software distribution, is quite limited in terms of proprietary codecs that can be supported. We have really good support for things like Ogg, but for most proprietary formats it’s tricky. So what we’ve done in the next release is recognize when people are trying to play content that requires specific codecs and try to make it easy for them to decide whether or not they can legally install that software and continue.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
System76 Refreshes the Lemur Laptop
If you're looking for a laptop with tons of power and battery, look no further than the latest iteration of the System76 Lemur Pro.
-
More than 43 Million Lines of Code in Linux Kernel 7.2
Using the cloc utility, Michael Larabel of Phoronix discovered that Linux kernel 7.2 has over 43 million lines of code.
-
Kubuntu Focus Goes Ultra
The Kubuntu Focus team has upped the performance ante of its M2 and Zr laptops with the latest, greatest CPUs from Intel.
-
Linux Gamers May Soon See Less Mouse Lag in KDE Plasma
Gamers using KDE’s Plasma desktop have been suffering from a slight input delay in mouse movement that could lead to getting fragged.
-
Three Lines of Code Improve Linux Storage Performance
A developer changed three lines of code, giving Linux storage performance a 5% bump.
-
AUR Hit Again with Malicious Packages
Once again the Arch User Repository is plagued by a high volume of malicious packages.
-
Alpine Linux 3.24 Features Fresh Desktops and a Newer Kernel
If you're a fan of Alpine Linux, it's time to upgrade because the latest version has been released with KDE Plasma 6.6, Gnome 50, and Linux kernel 6.18 LTS.
-
EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
Comprehensive measures adopted by the European Commission aim to reduce dependency on non-EU countries.
-
Linux Foundation Report Indicates AI Driving Tech Hiring
Within growing security and skills gaps, AI has been found to be a positive driving force behind tech hiring trends in Europe.
-
United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
A new open source portal seeks to coordinate and scale open source efforts across the United Nations system.
