Canonical have announced the release of the latest version of Ubuntu, version 11.04 codenamed Natty Narwhal. This features Unity, the new desktop interface. You can download the required files from http://releases.ubuntu.com/natty/ .
Here is a full review :
Unity
Unity is the new default interface of Ubuntu 11.04 !!
Unity !!!
It gets rid of the all fashioned panels and adopts new looks with 3 major components:
The Unity Panel and Global Menu
The top panel of Ubuntu is called the Unity panel. It no longer supports addition of applets, but houses the indicator applets and “The Global Menu” and the Ubuntu button. The global menu houses the application menus and window controls like close and minimize. The indicator applets include the integrated volume control button allowing you to pause, skip, track or play music. The network manager applet is converted into an indicator applet as well !!
Global Menu with Firefox
The Launcher
The Unity launcher is the most eye catching component of Unity. It is to the left of the screen but has intelligent hide feature. It houses short cuts to different applications which you can customize (by dragging and dropping of course !!). It also contains a workspace switcher button and the Trash. Minimized applications show up int the Launcher and also indicates open applications using a small triangle to the left of the icon. It also provides you with two new menus called the “Files and Folders” and “Applications”.
The Files and Folders menu allows you to browse the files in your machine dynamically. It shows you recent files, Downloads folder and the folders bookmarked in nautilus.
The Files and Folders Lens
The Applications menu lets you search/browse applications. It lists applications installed, favorite applications and the ones available to install from the software center !!
The Applications Lens
Both these menus fall under a category called Lenses. There are Lenses available for installation like a You Tube Lens to search videos right from your desktop, Ask Ubuntu Lens to search stack overflow questions etc.
The Dash
The unity dash is kind of the replacement for the main menu view. It gives you an organized list of shortcuts. The files menu and applications menu basically opens up the dash. Pressing the Ubuntu button or pressing the window button in the keyboard.
The dash
Banshee
Banshee is the new default music player. It can import, smart sort and organize your music. It allows accessing on-line music stores like Amazon and Ubuntu One music store. Pod-casts and on-line radio is also supported. There are several cool add ons to browse too . It also syncs with a large number of Music players.
Banshee music player
The Ubuntu Software center
The Ubuntu software center has added features to include user reviews and ratings. It has also been optimized for Unity, by adding an option to add the application to the Launcher right away !! It even gives you software suggestions .
Software Center
Installer
The new Ubuntu installer has new looks and a great new feature to upgrade the currently installed Ubuntu version using the live boot CD itself and not the alternate CD .
Ubuntu Installer
Ubuntu One
The Ubuntu one sync service gets a new cool UI !!
Ubuntu One Client
Cloud
The server editions support Amazon cloud service as well as an experimental support for Openstack. Ubuntu is certainly taking the right steps to keep up with “near future” technology.
Classic Desktop
Classic desktop is still supported !! You can choose this during login !!
Other Software
Other softwares worth mentioning includes the office suite, Libre Office, Firefox 4, Shotwell (Image viewer and organizer), and many more Gnome software. All in their latest versions of course !! Latest kernel is not to be forgotten too !!
Verdict
- Unity : Takes getting used to. But its fun. I miss panel applets .
- Indicator applets : Neat implementation. Waiting for new applets to come.
- Software : Top notch selection. No issues for me.
- Stability: Fair given that Unity is a completely new software introduced.
- Software Center: Professional !!
It would be really appreciated if you review ubuntu 11.04 by yourself instead of
copying the review from OMG!Ubuntu!
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2011/04/ubuntu-11-04-released-reviewed/
Its not copied in anyway . Can’t you see the original screenshots and review . If you have some attachments with the OMGUbuntu then better you go and read there . But, I think Rohit has done a pretty good job and it’s a far better review than omgubuntu anyday.
Please tell me what parts I have copied. You can take a look at the screen shots. You can see username “Rohit”. See the files shown in files place. They are my personal files. The heading looks similar not the content. And honestly there are not many alternative headings possible, are there?
I am a regular contributer to Ubuntu Project and have been using Natty over past two months. You can see the amount of bugs I was associated with [1]. I have even submitted a patch which was an update in the Natty cycle. I have sufficient knowledge of Unity and Natty to write a review.
Think twice and cross verify thrice before you post such a comment.
[1] https://launchpad.net/~rr0hit
Nice surmise of a fantastic release! :)
Now Joey-Elijah is do0d who wrote the omgubuntu article !!
Thanks Joey. I hope Krishnakant Sijariya “appreciates” my article now !
@ Rohit :
nice one dude ! :D
Thanks dear friend :) :) :)
Yeah that seems some good improvement. I read about it on mashable. I wanted to know what’s new. Good improvements needs more hd space and more ram. So it won’t run on my old laptop for sure.
Unity is a disaster! Some more bugs need to be fixed.Can anyone tell how do i hide the panel on top? On gnome it could be done by simply right-clicking on the panel and checking the auto-hide button.