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03 February 2012, 11:22

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Alpha 2 arrives for testing

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Ubuntu logo As expected, the Ubuntu release team has published the second alpha of version 12.04 of its Ubuntu Linux distribution, code-named "Precise Pangolin". Aimed at developers and testers, the development milestone release uses the 3.2.0-12.21 Ubuntu kernel which is based on the recent 3.2.2 Linux kernel.

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Alpha 2 includes version 5.0 of Canonical's custom Unity desktop interface, which is now said to perform better and be more stable. The bundled open source LibreOffice office suite has been updated to version 3.5 Beta 2 and the 1.4 release of the Upstart event-based init replacement is included. The KDE variant of Ubuntu, Kubuntu, now includes version 4.8 of the desktop environment, while the Server edition updates the OpenStack cloud platform to the Essex 3 milestone of the OpenStack project's forthcoming release.


Zoom Ubuntu 12.04 Alpha 2 in action
Ubuntu 12.04 will be a Long Term Support (LTS) release that will be supported for five years on both the server edition and, for the first time, the desktop edition. It will also be the first version to target a 750 MB ISO image, meaning that it will no longer fit onto a standard CD, instead requiring users to burn the images to DVD or copy them to a USB drive for installation.

As is usual for alpha releases of Ubuntu, the developers remind users that "pre-releases of Precise Pangolin
are *not* encouraged for anyone needing a stable system or anyone who is not comfortable running into occasional, even frequent breakage". Those testing the release are encouraged to provide feedback and report any bugs that they find. The second alpha will be followed by two betas in March, with a possible release candidate arriving in April. The final version is scheduled for release on 26 April 2012.

Further details about the second alpha, including a list of known issues, can be found in the release notes; a list of features and changes planned for version 12.04 of Ubuntu is available on the Blueprints for Precise page. Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Alpha 2 is available to download for 32- and 64-bit systems from the project's site.

The current stable release is Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" from October 2011, while the most recent LTS version is Ubuntu 10.04.3 LTS "Lucid Lynx". UK-based Canonical Ltd sponsors the open source Ubuntu operating system.

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