Ubuntu Dev Summit reveals plans for upcoming "Hardy Heron" release

It only been a short little while since Gutsy Gibbon (otherwise known as Ubuntu 7.10) made its way into hearts and hard drives around the world, but the folks at the Ubuntu Dev Summit are already dropping details on the next release, charmingly dubbed "Hardy Heron." According to Ars Technica, the overarching focus with Heron will be on robustness, as it's apparently intended to be supported for a full three years. Among the more specific changes you can expect to see is an improved Compiz window manager, which was pegged as one area needing a boost in usability, along with updated PolicyKit and Tracker tools. Not surprisingly, Heron is also apparently "likely to see a complete visual refresh," including a whole new icon theme that'll use more SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) and bring things more in line with the Tango icons used by GNOME. Of course, all that is still quite a ways off, so if you haven't yet gone Ubuntu, there's no reason not to give the Gibbon a shot.

[Via Slashdot]

[Fruition @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:01PM]

I really need to get Ubuntu onto my computer. I'm just kinda too lazy to partition my hard drive, and all the work that would entail.

[FrankTheCrank @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:09PM]

The 7.10 release will automatically partition your drive and not wipe XP out.

I've been pretty impressed with the OS. It's becoming more and more hardware friendly.

I would have no problem giving this to my mom or dad for a main computer.

The last piece of the puzzle is 3rd party software support...I can't get Quicken for Linux, I can't get iTunes for Linux...mainstream applications are nowhere to be found.

I guess if everything goes to the web ala web 2.0...then it's a non issue, but till then, I can't throw out my XP.

[Fruition @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:13PM]

Frank, is that true for Vista? I don't have XP on this computer. =/

[Justin @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:36PM]

@Frank

There are ways to get Quicken to run. Google "quicken for linux" and you'll get hits to make that happen and alternatives you can try if you want. iTunes is fairly superfluous on Linux, and there are apps out there to interface with the iPod (unless they broke that again, I don't know).

[FrankTheCrank @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:36PM]

I did try an XP/Vista/Ubuntu build on my laptop...it ran. That was about 6 months ago. I used three 33GB partitions.

Vista just seems like a waste of time so I blew that build away.

[Superevil @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:43PM]

actually Banshee is a pretty good iTunes replacement, I've just started using Gutsy and I love it. I finally have support for all my NTFS drives.

[brandon @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:02PM]

Awesome. I will refer to Hardy Heron as Herry Hardon.

[Rudiger @ Feb 5th 2008 5:19PM]

Indeed, Ubuntu gives me a hairy hard-on.

[blackfeather @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:06PM]

I wonder what "Q" name they'll come up with when they get to version 17.0

[Fruition @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:08PM]

Quirky Quail has got my voite.

[Fruition @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:08PM]

Quirky Quail has got my vote.

[Fruition @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:09PM]

Spellcheck ftw.

[blackfeather @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:15PM]

Hmmm... "Quirky" might not sell well for an OS.

[CaptSaltyJack @ Nov 2nd 2007 3:02PM]

You mean version 12.10? ;) There's a pattern to their version numbers. x.04 = April release, x.10 = October release.

[blackfeather @ Nov 2nd 2007 3:23PM]

true... but Dapper Drake was released in June (06) - so I suppose there's no predicting when they get to Q. Expecially since we've already had a W. ah well. it's all in good fun.

[Ben Shroyer @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:18PM]

ooh I cant wait for Zesty Zebra

[StrangeBum @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:18PM]

And you beat me to the Zesty Zebra line.

Damn, I'm slow today

[fuzzy @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:21PM]

Damn, I was really hoping for Horny Horse instead of Hardy Heron. :(

[m-p{3} @ Nov 2nd 2007 9:16PM]

Horny Hoes would be excellent.

[Tom @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:28PM]

I'm waiting for Wubi 7.10 to come out (current out in alpha, but i don't want to mess with that)

I ran it off the CD, which was fine, but for some reason it didn't support the USB hub on my monitor :(

[Alexander @ Nov 2nd 2007 4:27PM]

WTF are you talkin' bout Willis?

[DarkAardvark @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:29PM]

so... what happens after they do Z? would they just loop around to A or what?

[fuzzy @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:30PM]

In the year 2026, we'll have evolved as a society and created letters past Z.

[Justin @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:36PM]

Considering they've already had Warty Warthog (4.10) and Hoary Hedgehog (5.04), the point is kind of moot. After that, they didn't do an A, Breezy Badger was 5.10, there was no C, Dapper Drake was 6.06, Edgy Eft was 6.10, Feisty Fawn was 7.04, and now we've got Gutsy Gibbon at 7.10.

[StrangeBum @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:17PM]

Damn, beat me to it. And then reading the following replies. I wasn't aware of those others. I've recently begun looking into Linux and Ubuntu myself. Sorry for my noobness.

[2Shea @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:35PM]

Awesome :D

I just started using Ubuntu and I love it, so any and all news pertaining to it is exciting xD

[Daniel @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:42PM]

im using gutsy gibbon right now on my laptop and i like it quite a bit, except my canon mp470 printer isnt supported, and it doesnt let me use a 2nd monitor to have a larger desktop (likely due to the multiple desktops already integrated). anyone have any ideas about how to get the printer working? and what about getting a zune to work with it? :D

[eZtaR @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:25PM]

I couldn't find anything on your printer, i don't understand your problem with dual-monitors (it's supported natively now :D) and i've heard rumors that the app that zune uses (can't test it myself since i don't have a zune) runs quite well on wine :)

[shizakapayou @ Nov 2nd 2007 5:43PM]

Dual monitors is actually still quite painful. I spent a few hours the other day getting it working on my work machine with a 7300GT. The built-in app is useless, and nvidia-settings isn't too much better. I finally resorted to a combination of nvidia-settings and manually playing with xorg.conf. Twinview works best, make sure xinerama is off.

[StrangeBum @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:09PM]

So what happens when the Ubuntu devs get to the letter 'Z'? Will Ubuntu make it that far, I assume it should, and with as many timely updates as they provide each following alphabetical order, what's going to happen after 'Zesty Zebra'? (Seeing as that's what I assume they will call it, possibly)

They only have 18 more letters to go.

[Angus Hedger @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:12PM]

I have tried Ubuntu, and i really like it, but it WONT run on my desktop, AT ALL, as far as i can work out.. it seems my IDE controller isn't supported, which really sucks.. i spend 2 days with a friend of mine who knows his stuff, it just wouldn't work.

So, i would if i could.. and hopefully.. someday.. it will work, but i cant justify a new mobo for it =/

[eZtaR @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:27PM]

Did you try in the forums ( ubuntuforums.org ) or IRC? Every time i've had a problem with hardware not running, i've had an answer within a couple of hours there :)

[Angus Hedger @ Nov 2nd 2007 2:31PM]

Thanks! Ill have a poke around the forums, i cant do IRC, as my uni's wifi blocks it, which sucks as well..

[Mark @ Nov 2nd 2007 3:13PM]

Just installed Gutsy Gibbon on my old laptop... It went on in 45 minutes, installed all the drivers for sound, graphics and wireless internet adaptor and was ready to use pretty much immediately. I was very impressed! It took me around 3 hours longer to install and update XP... Made all the more difficult because I'd lost my wireless adaptor disc! *doh*

[hn333 @ Nov 2nd 2007 6:05PM]

Stop drinking the Ubuntu Kool-Aid. It's really just a crappy OS trying to look like a transvestite version of OSX and Windows.

[lollo @ Nov 2nd 2007 7:03PM]

Linux still sux. The Linux pc couldn't even detect simple usb based devices automatically. Such as USB back-up hard-drives, USB cameras, USB pen flash drives, as well as USB boom mic. It remind me the ancient win9x in a stable version with open source hype clothing.

[hn333 @ Nov 2nd 2007 7:07PM]

So True. I rather use Win98.

[tchiseen @ Nov 2nd 2007 7:27PM]

I liked this release, except I had major driver issues. First, I couldn't get my 2 monitors working, then, once I did, the resolutions were unfixable (the 1280x1024 main monitor was like 1700x1300, not good), and then in trying to fix that, my nvidia drivers broke again.

In Vista, I have ultramon. I love that tiny little program. Mayhaps the genium whose coded that could do one for linux and make the world a better place.

[Daveoc64 @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:11PM]

I never expected to be saying this, but Gutsy Gibbon has really made me see Linux differently.

It works great for most things, the mainstream programs (no iTunes is annoying) aren't there, but they've done a good job finding alternatives.

As for the poster who said that it can't detect USB devices, you obviously haven't used it.

I plugged in 3 webcams and all of them worked within 5 seconds of being connected - I didn't have to do a thing. My iPod(s) and USB Pen Drive(s) both work in the same way - plug in and it sees them instantly (with a music manager for the iPod too).

I wont say I have "switched" from Windows Vista because I don't think I have, but I do take Linux more seriously than I did last week.

[Thomas @ Nov 3rd 2007 2:52AM]

Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon. One of the worse operating system i've ever used. The second day I installed it on my computer, the Grub Bootloader went coo koo, and i've got no choice but to reformat. It sure suck.

[JamesR @ Nov 3rd 2007 7:54AM]

When people say it's not ready for the unwashed masses now I know who they're talking about.

[sirwnstn @ Nov 5th 2007 10:33AM]

Um, grub has really nothing to do with how Gutsy Gibbon or any other linux distro runs as an OS experience. It only has to do with booting...

JamesR, I echo your sentiments.

[Ian @ Nov 4th 2007 10:28PM]

My fave Ubuntu feature: Setup doesn't recognize my striped system disc on a 680i board, but rather sees it as two discrete drives. Oddly Vista and even PowerQuest Disk image running in *fucking DOS* don't have this problem. Or XP with an F6 driver load. Queries to Linux boards or Google searches result in ridicule about "fake raid" and the like and some shit about edintg some text files somewhere. Edit fucking text files to confgire hardware? WTF is this, DOS 3.1? There are NV raid drivers in the box, but like all things Linux they are apparently half-baked.

Lesson: Linux still sucks and its users are still a bunch of tossers.

[sirwnstn @ Nov 5th 2007 10:52AM]

Half-baked? You've got to be kidding me. Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle... In all my years of experience dealing with the most popular OS in the world, almost _everything_ they do is half-baked but because their company has market share and lot's of money, they create crappy implementations of standards, and then force it on everyone. How long did it take for them to do TCP/IP right? Even though something happens to be wildy popular, it doesn't make it good or right. Come on, let's talk about objective merits here.