Canonical: Mir Isn't Quite Ready
Ubuntu's replacement for the X graphics system will have to wait for a later release.
Canonical's Head of Engineering Product Strategy has announced that the upcoming Ubuntu 13.10 release won't ship with the Mir graphics system enabled. Oliver Ries writes in his blog "Mir has made tremendous progress and is currently available on the Ubuntu archive for use, but there are still some outstanding quality issues that we want to resolve before we feel comfortable turning it on by default."
Mir is Canonical's entry as a next-generation replacement for the widespread yet ancient X Window graphics system. The effort to design Ubuntu for a broad range of hardware platforms (from smartphone to desktop) led to the need for a newer, more agile graphics environment. According to Ries, Mir is working well as a native system with Unity 8 on mobile devices. The technical issues are related to the XMir component, which provides an interface with X Server. For desktop systems, the eventual goal is for Ubuntu to boot using Mir if the graphics hardware supports it, and otherwise boot to X. The full implementation of this goal in the default configuration will have to wait for a later release, although Mir and XMir will still be available through the Ubuntu archives if you are interested in experimenting.
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
-
Kali Linux Waxes Nostalgic with BackTrack Mode
For those who've used Kali Linux since its inception, the changes with the new release are sure to put a smile on your face.
-
Gnome 50 Smooths Out NVIDIA GPU Issues
Gamers rejoice, your favorite pastime just got better with Gnome 50 and NVIDIA GPUs.
-
System76 Retools Thelio Desktop
The new Thelio Mira has landed with improved performance, repairability, and front-facing ports alongside a high-quality tempered glass facade.
-
Some Linux Distros Skirt Age Verification Laws
After California introduced an age verification law recently, open source operating system developers have had to get creative with how they deal with it.
-
UN Creates Open Source Portal
In a quest to strengthen open source collaboration, the United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology has created a new portal.
-
Latest Linux Kernel RC Contains Changes Galore
Linux kernel 7.0-rc3 includes more changes than have been made in a single release in recent history.
-
Nitrux 6.0 Now Ready to Rock Your World
The latest iteration of the Debian-based distribution includes all kinds of newness.
-
Linux Foundation Reports that Open Source Delivers Better ROI
In a report that may surprise no one in the Linux community, the Linux Foundation found that businesses are finding a 5X return on investment with open source software.
-
Keep Android Open
Google has announced that, soon, anyone looking to develop Android apps will have to first register centrally with Google.
-
Kernel 7.0 Now in Testing
Linus Torvalds has announced the first Release Candidate (RC) for the 7.x kernel is available for those who want to test it.