Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat alpha 2 - A closer look

The alpha 2 version of Maverick Meerkat 10.10 was released a few weeks back, so here's what seems to have changed and what doesnt:


1. Installation:

Pretty much remains the same (as in Ubuntu 10.04), except a few notable additions, including informations about the Ubuntu One Music Store. (Sequential screenshots from a virtual machine given below)

2. Booting Process - The booting process is now insanely fast. It took me about 7-8 secs to start Ubuntu 10.10 alpha 2 on a virtual machine. Although practical booting time may increase, I doubt if it will be any more than 15 seconds.

3. Changes :

Ubuntu Software Center

It now has a History tab and better management of repositories, and now an all new "Whats New" section.

Pulse Audio

The volume options are now looking better than ever.

Other than that its pretty much Ubuntu 10.04. This is of course expected as its just an alpha 2 release. So, fingers crossed for a great release a few months from now.

Opera Browser for Linux

If you arent averse to using closed source softwares on Ubuntu, this is something to try out. Opera for Linux has taken gigantic steps since it was first launched and as of now it really is one of the better browsers out there.

Opera browsers arent open-source although they are free for downloads. Its the interface of the browser which has won it many fans over the years. The speed dial, Opera Turbo, Widgets etc. are all part of browser history now. The Linux version of it, although with a few modifications is more or less similar to its Windows counterpart. The installation is easy and hassle free and hence in my opinion, worth a try.

How to Install:

Go to the Download page and download the installation file. I would suggest using the Debian Package for easy installation.

After the download (in case of the Debian Package), its a matter of double clicking on the file and installing it.

Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat alpha 2 released

Ubuntu 10.10 has been making all the right noises recently and they have launched their latest alpha offering of the 10.10 version.

Its still in alpha 2, so dont expect things to work out of the box and dont expect it to be overly stable. Its currently for testing purposes only so just be careful.

Regular users stick to the latest stable version, i.e. Ubuntu 10.04

Here's the download link: http://www.cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/10.10/alpha-2

To see what changes have been made, including now archived changes check out this link: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/maverick-changes

Programming in Ubuntu

(Regular users can skip this)

I'm sure there are many developers here, wanting to create or develop Ubuntu applications. I'm also pretty sure that many of them want to create apps for other platforms as well.

Fortunately there are solutions for both. I will list here names of few IDEs that are available for both C++ and Java. And fortunately you can set them up and running in no time absolutely.

For C++, the preferred application is Code::Blocks. I have found this extremely user friendly and efficient. For Java, there are many good options. Most would say Eclipse as their preferred IDE, but I find Netbeans much easier to use. Both of them are available in the Ubuntu Software Center. There's of course a command line version, its called Pico. Its very easy to use and most of all will come in handy for people who are comfortable using the command line. Also note that the Ubuntu repositories may not have all the latest versions of these IDEs, so here are the links to their respective websites, in case you need to check out the latest version:

Netbeans, Code::Blocks, Eclipse

Good to be back

Sorry guys for the delay in posting stuff here. I have been quite busy lately, I do have a life beyond the web as you understand. :) Thanks for sticking with me.

So, just wanted to discuss a few things I figured out. Recently I got myself a new N97 Mini. Its not an iPhone competitor so dont think along those lines. But fortunately I got it working fine with Ubuntu 10.04. Sure, the Ovi Suite doesnt work, even with Wine and I am having to resort to downloading stuff from the Ovi Store mobile app. But thats a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

In the meantime, a lot has happened in the Ubuntu sphere and I will be posting them here and discussing them to the best of my abilities.

Thanks for reading guys. Really appreciate all the support.

(Just a note, there is a Facebook page of Explore Ubuntu. You can also access Explore Ubuntu on Twitter and Identi.ca and stay up to date with everything Ubuntu.)