Review: Ubuntu 8.04 LTS operating system

With its strong focus on usability, Ubuntu has become well known as the most popular face of Linux.

This latest version has two significant strengths: the first is that this is a LTS (long-term support) version with a commitment to providing security updates for three years on the desktop and five years for the server version, while the second is that you don't need to repartition a Windows drive to install it.

Ubuntu 8.04 continues with the well-established method of a LiveCD that can also be used for installation. Anyone who has used a Windows installation wizard will appreciate the ability to surf the web or work on documents while the files are being copied. The installation is pretty good at shrinking partitions and Ubuntu can also import documents and settings from existing Windows installations.

Recognising that changing partitions is quite a significant step, and one that's likely to put off casual users, Ubuntu now includes a clever piece of software called Wubi. This creates a file on the Windows partition that is then mounted by Ubuntu. What follows is one-step wizard that offers the choice between the various versions of Ubuntu (including the KDE-based Kubuntu and Edubuntu). The required files are then downloaded as part of the installation.

Once installed, a new boot menu appears with the option to select between Windows and Ubuntu. Disk performance is a little slower than a normal installation, but the performance drop is barely noticeable. Although it will work with Windows 98, 2000, XP and Vista, Windows Me is not supported.

As yet it is not possible to convert a Wubi-based installation into a normal installation. However, this is possible with Ubuntu 7.04 and 7.10, so hopefully it is just a matter of time.

The Ubuntu desktop looks very similar to the previous version; both Ubuntu and the desktop software Gnome are now mature products and so we wouldn't expect to see any radical changes. Assuming a capable graphics card, 3D Desktop effects are now included on the default install. Following the Ubuntu philosophy, this is very simple to set up with just three options: None, Normal and Extra.

Open Office is installed and should be more than adequate for most office duties. Microsoft Office 2007 files can be loaded, but there does not appear to be any support for saving in the new Docx format. The Evolution application takes care of your email and contact management tasks, while the popular open source Gimp image editing software is also included. Beyond the software installed automatically there is the online Add Programs utility, and you'd be hard pushed to name a task that doesn't have a related application.

Media playback is one area where Linux can be a little frustrating. Many codecs are not available as open source, including MP3 and movie DVDs. Thankfully these have all been collected together into the single Restricted Areas update. The default media player Rhythumbox has direct links to two online music stores, Jamendo and Magnatune; the latter gives full streaming access to the tracks on the Magnatune website with a single-click purchase option. Media shares can be accessed over a local network and there is also support for online radio and podcasts.

As clichéd as it sounds, this is the best version of Ubuntu yet and one of the best distributions for exploring Linux. As far as ordinary office and home tasks are concerned, it can happily replace Windows and has never been easier to install.