Hardy Heron Alpha4: A Glimpse into the Future of Ubuntu
Its official release is just under three months away, and Ubuntu 8.04, or Hardy Heron, promises some great improvements over the already user-friendly Ubuntu 7.10 (also known as Gusty Gibbon).
This is a look at the fourth Alpha release of Hardy; including many of the applications that are now included by default and the major changes that will improve stability and usability. Among these are the addition of Firefox 3 and Remote Desktop on the applications side, and a new method for systems control known as Policy Kit, which enables the administrator to unlock certain functions for normal users.
Default Bittorent Client: Transmission
Transmission replaces the Gnome Bittorrent Client as the default BT client in Hardy. This is great news for its large number of fans, though Deluge and Azureus users might feel a little shafted.
Transmission is well-known for its light-weight, simplistic approach to torrenting; and it has just recently received a user interface overhaul.
Remote Desktop
Hardy installs by default with a Remote Desktop utility, allowing users to connect to your X session either locally or over the web.
You can set various options, such as required encryption, the port specifications, and whether users may control your session (or just observe). This is a great addition, as it will make remote technical support far easier for both parties. Like sshd, I expect that it will quickly become a necessary accessory to all Linux distributions.
Vinagre VNC Client
Along with allowing users to remotely access your Hardy desktop, Ubuntu will now include the Vinagre VNC by default upon installation.
This will allow access not only to remote Ubuntu machines running Remote Desktop, but to Windows XP and Vista machines with Remote Desktop enabled.
Firefox 3
The long-awaited revamp of Firefox, version 3, will be included by default in version 8.04 of Ubuntu. Firefox 3 is faster than its predecessors, uses less system resources, and include better integration into the Gnome desktop.
More information about Firefox 3 can be found on its official Mozilla wiki site.
Brasero Burning Program
Brasero is the new default burning program for Ubuntu. Its interface is sleek and easy to use, and certainly gives k3b a run for its money.
Brasero includes a Nero-like start screen, has capabilities for making 1:1 disk-copies, audio CDs, burning disk images, and data CDs. The interface for audio and data is drag-and-drop, with a file manager on one side and your CD/DVD destination on the other, reminiscent of Norton Commander. On the outside, its interface is simple, and it will automatically detect many options for you; however, its slew of configurable options will be a comfortable addition for the more advanced Ubuntu users.
World Clock and Weather Applet
Replacing the standard, run-of-the-mill clock-and-calendar applet is a new applet that not only displays the time and date, but also includes a weather forecast.
This does away with the need for two applets (time/date plus weather), and has an elegant interface which users are sure to love.
Simpler Administration Access for Users
One of the biggest complaints of users new to Linux (fresh from Windows) is that many functions require root privileges in order to work. While this is important for security and stability of the system, sometimes it can get in the way of productivity.
New in Ubuntu 8.04 is the Policy Kit, which allows the user to set certain functions as “unlocked,” allowing the use of selected administrative tools as a normal user.
Another administration improvement is the Run-As dialog which prompts the user for credentials when asking to run a program as another user:
But most impressive is the Authorizations panel, which allows complete control over what system functions each user is able to have.
While it’s still in its early stages, and far from polished, this is a great addition for those who aren’t used to the Linux way of doing things. Administrators will be pleased, since there is now a GUI to quickly allow (or disallow) users and groups to perform tasks such as the mounting of external devices and rebooting the machine.
A New Theme for a New Version
There has been much speculation as to what the new theme for Ubuntu will look like; work on it isn’t complete, and the Alphas still use a variation on the Human theme. Therefore, there can’t be much said about the new theme, but for more information on its development you can visit the
GVFS
GnomeVFS is being replaced by GVFS, which will do away with many of the bugs experienced in Ubuntu 7.10 and previous releases. For example, it should now be possible to restore files from the trash, a simple feature that has been sorely lacking in Gnome since its inception. Among other improvements, GVFS will also allow better integration with the new Policy Kit, as well has enhancing performance of various file-system operations.
Xorg 7.3
There isn’t much to say here, except the new version of Xorg will help with multi-monitor setups and graphics card detection. Both have been problems in the past for Linux, and the emphasis here is on auto-detecting the user’s hardware, and building an appropriate xorg.conf file; the less tinkering with text files, the better, in my book.
Prefetch Speeds Things Up
Prefetch is now included, which will speed up both boot-time, and the time it takes to launch common applications. Developed as a Google Summer of Code project, Prefetch is both a patch to the Linux kernel and a userspace daemon.
Kernel Version Update
The current version of Ubuntu, 7.10, runs Linux 2.6.22, while Hardy’s Alpha4 comes with 2.6.24. What’s the difference? Well, for one thing, Kernel-based Virtualization is now officially supported inside Ubuntu. Another improvement is the addition of power-management to the 64-bit edition of the kernel, which is a blessing for those x64 users with laptops and notebooks.
Above is the output of uname running in Hardy; note also that, upon opening a terminal, the user is told about the “sudo” command - another authorization addition to the user interface, aimed at making it easier for newer Linux users to adapt.
Currently in alpha, Hardy Heron is slated for release on April 24th of 2008, with the first beta release scheduled for March 13. Most users will want to wait for it to become stable, but for those who simply have to have it now, upgrading from Ubuntu 7.10 is simple. Know that this is probably a bad idea if you can’t afford to destroy your system. If you aren’t comfortable with many, many bugs in your soup, wait a few months for everything to be worked out. That being said, here’s the process:
Option A) Download the ISOs
You can simply download a LiveCD/installer from the CD-Image Release site and go from there. This is probably your best choice; you can create a separate partition, or choose not to install it at all. But for those who really like to live on the edge, there’s always:
Option B) Upgrade from 7.10
Upgrading to Hardy Heron from Gusty Gibbon is as simple as upgrading to Gusty from Feisty. Start with the command:
The “-d” flag tells the update-manger to look for development versions, of which Hardy is currently one. It will run, and you’ll see this option available:
Think about it for a little while, ponder whether it is really worth it - and then go ahead and click upgrade. You, fine dare-deviler, are on your own from there.
