Ubuntu 10.04 Linux will be a Lucid Lynx - Update

At the Atlanta Linux Fest, Mark Shuttleworth announced that Ubuntu 10.04, the next major release of Ubuntu after version 9.10 Karmic Koala, will be code-named Lucid Lynx. Ubuntu 10.04 will also be a Long Term Support (LTS) version of the Debian-derived Linux distribution.

The last LTS version of Ubuntu was version 8.04, Hardy Heron, released in April 2008, which will be supported until April 2011. Ubuntu 10.04 is scheduled to arrive in April 2010; Ubuntu versioning consists of a year and month and the current schedule has new version of the distribution released every six months in April and October. This October will see the release of Ubuntu 9.10, which is currently available as an alpha version and is due to begin beta testing on October 1st with a final release at the end of the month.

The H notes that the name "Lucid Lynx" has a number of interesting free software history connections; Lucid Emacs was the branch of GNU Emacs which became XEmacs, and Lynx is, among other things, the classic text based web browser released in 1992 and still being updated. Both parts of the name seem to reflect the long term support status of Ubuntu 10.04.

Update - The Atlanta Linux Fest has released a video of Mark Shuttleworth announcing Lucid Lynx. Shuttleworth talks about the importance of the LTS releases of Ubuntu and the behind the scenes co-ordination with the Debian developers. Shuttleworth says that the Lucid Lynx name reflects what they hope to bring to the release; Lucid represents clearness and the Lynx is a thoughtful predator.

Shuttleworth also says that Lucid Lynx will focus on including the latest GNOME 2.x releases; GNOME 3.x developments will be considered for integration after the release. He adds that the release will also focus on creating an Ubuntu designed for large scale cloud deployment.

(djwm)