Ubuntu
Linux distribution developed by Canonical From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ubuntu is a free operating system that uses the Linux kernel. It is named after the word "ubuntu", which is a Zulu word meaning "humanity to others".[9] It is pronounced "oo-boon-too".[10]
Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions. It is based on the Debian Linux computer operating system. The goal with Ubuntu is to make it easy to use. Ubuntu can be used on all types of personal computers (and even devices such as robots[11][12]) including in Windows 10.[13] Ubuntu is downloaded as a DVD's ISO image, which is free to download from the Ubuntu website. It can be installed or tested by running the DVD.
A new release of Ubuntu is released every six months. The long-term support releases are one type of these, and they are released every two years.[14][15] Due to their longer periods of update support, most users prefer to install those releases. The latest long-term support release is Ubuntu 24.04 ("Noble Numbat"), which is supported until 2029.
Started in 2004, Ubuntu has been developed by Canonical Ltd., a company owned by a rich South African man named Mark Shuttleworth.
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Packages and software support
Ubuntu splits all software into four different categories to show differences in licensing and the amount of support available.[16] They are:
Free software here includes only software that meets the Ubuntu licensing requirements,[17] which almost are the same as the Debian Free Software Guidelines. There is one difference for the Main category, however – it has firmware and fonts which cannot be changed, but are included if Ubuntu will not work right.[18]
Non-free software is usually unsupported (Multiverse), but some exceptions (Restricted) are given for very important non-free software. Supported non-free software include device drivers that are needed to run Ubuntu on current hardware. The level of support in the Restricted category is less than that of Main, since the developers may not be able to get to the source code. It is wanted that Main and Restricted should contain all the software needed for a general-use Linux system.
Besides the official repositories is Ubuntu Backports,[19] which is an officially known project to backport newer software from later releases of Ubuntu. The repository is not comprehensive (meaning that it has parts missing from it); it is mostly made up of user-requested packages, which are accepted if they meet quality guidelines.
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Releases
Two new releases of Ubuntu are released each year, normally in April and October.
The number of the Ubuntu release is 'X.YY', with 'X' being the year of release (minus 2000) and 'Y' being the month of release. For example, Ubuntu 4.10 was released in October (the tenth month of the year), 2004. The name of the release (for example, Breezy Badger) is an adjective (a describing word) followed by the name of an animal.[20]
LTS indicates Long Term Support.
Very old processors (i.e. 32-bit Intel i386) have been supported up to Ubuntu 18.04, but users "will not be allowed to upgrade to Ubuntu 18.10 as dropping support for that architecture is being evaluated".
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Package
Ubuntu's official software package repository[32] includes, for example, UNetbootin.[33]
Variants
Ubuntu is available in many different variants, e.g. because there are several options for which desktop environment to use.
The official sister distributions which are fully supported by Canonical are:
- Ubuntu Kylin, an official derivative aimed at the Chinese market
- Kubuntu, a desktop distribution using KDE rather than GNOME
- Ubuntu Server Edition, which is mainly used on servers to provide services. This version only comes with a command line interface, but a graphical user interface can be installed.
- Xubuntu, a "lightweight" distribution based on the Xfce desktop environment instead of GNOME, designed to run better on low-specification computers
- Lubuntu, a desktop using the LXQT desktop environment
- Ubuntu Budgie, a desktop using the Budgie desktop environment
- Ubuntu MATE, a desktop using the MATE desktop environment
- Ubuntu Studio, a multimedia-creation form of Ubuntu
- Edubuntu, a distribution designed for classrooms
- Ubuntu Cinnamon, a desktop using the Cinnamon desktop environment
- Ubuntu Unity, a desktop using the Unity desktop environment
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Related pages
References
Other websites
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