Intrepid Ibex springs onto web

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 30 Oct 2008 at 11:43

The latest version of Ubuntu is set to launch today, with company sponsor Canonical focused firmly on evolution rather than revolution.

Following Canonical's animal-based naming convention, release 8.10 has been dubbed Intrepid Ibex, and will feature native support for 3G networks for the first time. According to the company, Ibex's network manager will detect and connect to mobile broadband networks just as easily as it would a Wi-Fi connection, and offers support for a wide range of inbuilt devices and external dongles.

"Ubuntu 8.10 sees us lay the groundwork for a radically different, more mobile, desktop computing environment over the next two years," says Jane Silber, COO of Canonical and head of Online Services.

"Our rapid release cycle means we can deliver the elements to support this future faster, more fully realised, and more attractively packaged than the traditional OS vendors."

Another interesting feature of Ibex is a new application allowing users to easily install it on a thumb drive, offering them the ability to carry their operating system around with them on a daily basis. It's a feature the company is hoping will appeal to those users considering making the switch, but not quite ready for a full install.

One other small addition is the ability to open a guest session, allowing a friend to check their email or internet without having access to the full machine, or leaving any traces behind when the session shuts down.

Canonical has also struck a deal with the BBC, which allows users of Ibex's inbuilt Totem Media Player to access television and radio content for free.

Elsewhere Ibex employs the Linux 2.6.27 kernel, and Gnome 2.24 bringing a host of hardware support and bug fixes.

Those interested in checking out Intrepid Ibex can download it here. It is due to go live at some point today.