Ubuntu 18.04 LTS is out

Ubuntu 18.04 LTS has been released. The new version of Ubuntu is available in Desktop, Server, Cloud and core variants, and it is a long-term support release which means that the Desktop, Server, Core and Kylin releases will be supported for five years until April 2023.

You can download the release version by following links in the release notes. The main Ubuntu website and download pages have yet to be updated.

Ubuntu systems running Ubuntu 16.04 LTS or Ubuntu 17.10 can be upgraded in the following way:

1. Open System Settings.
2. Go to Software & Updates.
3. Check the "for any version" box of the "Notify me of a new Ubuntu version" box.
4. Use the keyboard shortcut Alt-F2 and type update-manager -cd in the command box.
5. The Update Manager should show the new release.
6. Click on upgrade and follow the instructions.

Ubuntu 18.04 LTS: What is new

The new Ubuntu release features lots of changes. Here is a list of important changes in the new version of the Linux distribution:

• No 32-bit installers anymore for Ubuntu Desktop.
• Ubuntu Desktop uses Gnome instead of Unity. Ubuntu Gnome flavor discontinued because of that.
• Kernel updated to version 4.15
• New installs: a swap file is used and not a swap partition by default.
• Option to use "minimal installation" during installation.
• Gnome updated to 3.28. Gnome Shell supports Thunderbolt 3.
• GDM replaced LightDM as display manager, Gnome's screen keyboard Onboard.
• Python 2 is no longer installed by default. It is still included but Ubuntu 18.04 will be the last LTS to include Python 2.
• Installer does not prompt to encrypt Home directory anymore. Ubuntu suggests to use full disk encryption instead.
• OpenSSH won't work with RSA keys smaller than 1024 bits.
• Devices on battery power will suspend after 20 minutes of inactivity
• Driverless printing support.
• gconf no longer installed by default as it has been superseeded by gsettings.

Apps

• Calendar supports weather forecasts.
• Characters app replaced Character Map.
• LibreOffice updated to version 6.0.
• Switched to the snap format for some tools (Calculator, Characters, Logs and System Monitor). Ubuntu states that snaps offer better isolation.
• To-Do app is included by default.
• Ubuntu Software app supports switching between Snap application channels.

Issues

The new release has a relatively large list of known issues. You can check out the release notes for a full list of issues. Below is just a selection of issues that may affect lots of users:

• "A start job is running for" error when exiting live sessions.
• Devices connected over DisplayPort to an external screen may fail to boot on Nvidia hardware.
• Login screen may not be displayed at all or only on the internal screen when external monitors are connected to a laptop.
• UEFI installation warning dialog does not respond to user input.
• Login may hang after the password was entered incorrectly.

Check out the release notes for Server issues and release notes.

Ubuntu displays a "what's new in Ubuntu" screen on first start. It highlights several areas in which the new Ubuntu 18.04 LTS interface differs from previous versions of Ubuntu.

Specifically mentioned are the window switcher, application menu, clock and calendar, launcher, apps button, close button and system menu.

You may want to go through the different pages. The third asks for permission to submit data to Ubuntu and is enabled by default. You may want to switch it to "No, don't send system info"

The makers of Ubuntu announced recently that they wanted to collect more Telemetry data.

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by Martin Brinkmann via Linux – gHacks Technology News