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The operating system, codenamed Hardy Heron (a name which, as we found to our horror, it is unwise to misspell in a Google search), is set for full release in April, but is now available for testing here.

Perhaps the biggest new addition for business users is the built-in Policy Kit. This gives system administrators granular control over user rights on the operating

Other new features include the open-source sound server, PulseAudio, which allows users to adjust the volume of different applications independently or redirect audio streams between different devices. The second beta of Firefox 3 is also pre-installed in Ubuntu, giving testers a glimpse of the next generation of the open-source browser.

There's signs that Ubuntu is becoming ever-more consumer friendly, following the success of its pre-bundling on Dell machines. The Brasero application should make CD/DVD burning a little simpler - although not quite as straightforward as iTunes or Windows Media Player - while a new World Clock applet almost mimics the one found in Vista's sidebar.

There are a few known bugs with the Alpha 4 version. Optical disc drives may be disabled under certain configurations and older ATi Radeon cards may trigger video problems. But with three months to go until the final release, the developers have plenty of time to iron out the niggles.