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Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Thread

11K views 103 replies 13 participants last post by  waterhead 
#1 ·

Thread to discuss Ubuntu 12.04, its derivatives and binary compatible (app and repository comptible) distros based on 12.04

http://distrowatch.com/search.php?os...&status=Active


https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ub...il/000159.html

 
Quote:
Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin) released!


Kate Stewart kate.stewart at ubuntu.com

Thu Apr 26 12:04:11 UTC 2012


"Imagination is as vital to any advance in science as learning and

precision are essential for starting points." - Percival Lowell



The Ubuntu team is very pleased to announce the release of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Long-Term Support) for Desktop, Server, Cloud, and Core products.


Codenamed "Precise Pangolin", 12.04 continues Ubuntu's proud tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution. The team has been hard at work through this cycle, introducing a few new features and improving quality control.


To be a bit more precise about what we're releasing today...There are 54 product images and 2 cloud images being shipped with this 12.04 LTS release, with translations available in 41 languages. The Ubuntu project's 12.04 archive currently has 39,226 binary packages in it, built from 19,179 source packages, so lots of good starting points for your imagination!


For PC users, Ubuntu 12.04 supports laptops, desktops, and netbooks with a unified look and feel based on an updated version of the desktop shell called "Unity", which introduces "Head-Up Display" search capabilities. Finding and installing software using the Ubuntu Software Centre is now easier thanks to improvements in speed, search and usability.


Ubuntu Server 12.04 has made it much easier to provision, deploy, host, manage, and orchestrate enterprise data centre infrastructure services with the introduction of new technologies such as "Metal as a Service" (MAAS), the Juju Charm Store, and the latest OpenStack version, codenamed Essex. These technologies further position Ubuntu Server as the best OS for scale-out computing.


Read more about the new features of Ubuntu 12.04 in the following press releases:

http://www.canonical.com/content/ubu...perscale-world
http://www.canonical.com/content/ubu...rprise-desktop


Long term support maintenance updates will be provided for Ubuntu 12.04 for five years, through April 2017. For those working on the ARM architecture, an 18 month supported release is also provided for the ARM server using the ARM Hard Float (HF) architecture.


Thanks to the efforts of the global translation community, Ubuntu is now available in 41 languages. For a list of available languages and detailed translation statistics for these and other languages, see:

http://people.canonical.com/~dpm/sta...ion-stats.html


The newest Kubuntu 12.04 (LTS), Edubuntu 12.04 (LTS), Xubuntu 12.04 (LTS), Mythbuntu 12.04, Lubuntu 12.04 and Ubuntu Studio 12.04 are also being

released today. More details can be found in their announcements:


Kubuntu: http://kubuntu.org/news/12.04-release

Xubuntu: http://xubuntu.org/news/12-04-release

Edubuntu http://edubuntu.org/news/12.04-release

Mythbuntu: http://mythbuntu.org/12.04/release

Lubuntu: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu/Announcement/12.04

Ubuntu Studio: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio/12.04release_notes



To get Ubuntu 12.04

-------------------


In order to download Ubuntu 12.04, visit:

http://www.ubuntu.com/download


Users of Ubuntu 11.10 will be offered an automatic upgrade to 12.04 via Update Manager. For further information about upgrading, see:

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/upgrade


As always, upgrades to the latest version of Ubuntu are entirely free of charge.


We recommend that all users read the release notes, which document caveats, workarounds for known issues, as well as more in-depth notes on the release

itself. They are available at:

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes


Find out what's new in this release with a graphical overview:

http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/whats-new
http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/features


If you have a question, or if you think you may have found a bug but aren't sure, you can try asking in any of the following places:


#ubuntu on irc.freenode.net
http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
http://www.ubuntuforums.org
http://askubuntu.com .



Technical Overview
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PrecisePango...Overview/Beta2

Direct Downloads:

32bit Unity/Gnome3
http://nl.releases.ubuntu.com/releas...sktop-i386.iso

64 bit Unity/Gnome3

http://se.releases.ubuntu.com/12.04/...ktop-amd64.iso

Torrents:

32bit Unity/Gnome3
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/re...86.iso.torrent

64 bit Unity/Gnome3

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/re...64.iso.torrent



Xubuntu
http://xubuntu.org/news/12-04-release/


Quote:
Release notes


The i386 images use a non-PAE kernel. The non-PAE kernel will not be available in future Xubuntu releases.

Some default shortcuts have been changed, added and deleted. See New default shortcut keys for the complete list.

Pavucontrol is used instead of xfce4-mixer due to latter not supporting Pulseaudio

The Alacarte menu editor is installed by default and will work with Xfce-related menu items as well

Lots of appearance improvements, including new branding, fixes for Greybird, Ubiquity, Plymouth, LightDM and Terminal theming

Syncs, updates and patches from Debian and upstream, including xfce4-power-manager, Ristretto and gmusicbrowser

xfdesktop4 updated to support single-click opening and thumbnail support for the desktop

xfce4-settings has been updated to include the new mouse and touchpad dialog

New branding

Xubuntu 32 bit Download

Direct
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/re...sktop-i386.iso

Torrent
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/re...86.iso.torrent

Xubuntu 64 bit Download

Direct
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/re...ktop-amd64.iso

Torrent
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/re...64.iso.torrent

Mythbuntu (Xubuntu + MythTV preinstalled)

Easy to install MythTV liveCD


Quote:
About Mythbuntu
http://www.mythbuntu.org/12.04/release


Mythbuntu is a community supported add-on for Ubuntu focused upon setting up a standalone MythTV based PVR system. It can be used to prepare a standalone system or for integration with an existing MythTV network. Unlike similar projects, Mythbuntu keeps close ties with Ubuntu and all development is given back to Ubuntu. This architecture allows simple conversions from a standard desktop to a Mythbuntu machine and vice versa.

Mythbuntu distro ISO's to be LTS only moving forward
http://www.mythbuntu.org/lts

Mythbuntu 12.04 downloads

32 bit

Direct
ftp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/mythbuntu/m...sktop-i386.iso

Torrent
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/mythbuntu/...86.iso.torrent

64 bit

Direct
ftp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/mythbuntu/m...ktop-amd64.iso

Torrent
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/mythbuntu/...64.iso.torrent

Ubuntu Studio
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio/12.04release_notes


Quote:
Ubuntu Studio is the Ubuntu flavour designed for content creation. It's produced as a DVD image that can also be converted to an USB stick and includes support for most languages by default. Ubuntu Studio 12.04 LTS is a 3 year long-term support release and will be supported until April 2015. New features include: live DVD; GUI-based installation; low-latency kernel installed by default; i386 images use the low-latency PAE kernel; Xfce as the default desktop environment; Pulse Audio with JACK bridging enabled by default; new theme, icons and default font.

32Bit Direct
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntustud...4-dvd-i386.iso


Torrent
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntustud...86.iso.torrent


64 bit direct
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntustud...-dvd-amd64.iso


Torrent
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntustud...64.iso.torrent


XFCE References

http://www.xfce.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xfce

Commentary on the Unity/Gnome3 desktop UI Controversy


If you've been using the Gnome 2.x desktop up to now (used by default in many common distros prior to mid 2011), I highly recommend switching to the XFCE desktop, used by Xubuntu , Mythbuntu , and now Ubuntu Studio distros. XFCE is built from the same GTK GUI "widget" libraries as Gnome and Lubuntu, so app compatibility and functionality is not an issue. Gnome/XFCE/LXDE are essentially a compatible "family" of desktops due to GTK and associated library commonalities, from most resource intensive to least.


Xubuntu is simply Ubuntu with the Unity desktop and underlying Gnome3 infrastructure replaced by the XFCE desktop. The kernel (low level OS), drivers and app compatibility (.deb software package installers, repositories, UbuntuSoftware Center "App Store" ) are the same, as well as systray apps, annunciators and tweaks similarities to Gnome 2.x.


Later this year (probably Fall timeframe), as Gnome3 and Unity mature, stabilize (debugged) and add more plugins/tweaks, I may play with them to determine their media PC/HTPC suitability for my purposes. Gnome3/Unity may be options for Moms/WAF/noobs and a 10' UI, but time will tell. I may experiment with them on my own (non-technical) family members before I use them on a "production" HTPC.


Just as other distros like Fedora, OpenSuse, Mint and others package their releases with each desktop (Gnome3, KDE4, XFCE, and maybe LXDE and others), so does Ubuntu. The only difference is that the Ubuntu variants give themselves new names Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Kubuntu, etc, whereas the others just keep the same name and call them "XFCE edition", KDE edition", etc. Another difference may be the level of support the distro provider lends the other desktop variants in terms of financial and infrastructure resources.


I may be nitpicking, but issues like this confuse non-technical users, noobs, and affect branding, an important aspect of marketing. IMO, all Ubuntu variants should be branded "Ubuntu" and just call themselves "Ubuntu- XFCE Edition", "KDE Edition", etc. Canonical should be enforcing GUI layout and style/theme conventions across Unity/XFCE/KDE/LXDE editions to reinforce the brand- simple things like using the orange circular Ubuntu logo for the "main"/"start" menu in all editions, and similar layout/design cues to unify all the desktop editions, similar to how Mint's desktops are laid out among its Mate/KDE/XFCE/Mate/Cinnamon editions. If the variant doesn't comply, it doesn't get the "Ubuntu" branding. Driver/app/repository/packaging compatibilty are bare minimums across desktop editions, of course.


My $0.02 anyways.
 
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#2 ·
I am eagerly anticipating this release, since it is a LTS. This will not only go on my desktop, but my work laptop. The work laptop is really important, as I want to install it and leave it alone for at least a year if not two. I just can't take the chance of upgrading and doing something to mess up my XP install.
 
#3 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ericglo /forum/post/21863572


I am eagerly anticipating this release, since it is a LTS. This will not only go on my desktop, but my work laptop. The work laptop is really important, as I want to install it and leave it alone for at least a year if not two. I just can't take the chance of upgrading and doing something to mess up my XP install.

Me too. Probably in Late May or June I'll be upgrading all my machines to 12.04, as I like to go LTS->LTS (most of my machines are on 10.04 unless I had to rebuild it or bought a new one since the LTS release).


And I'll be going to mythtv .25. Time to start planning my upgrade.
 
#5 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ericglo /forum/post/21864919


LOL, then you probably don't know the pain of Unity.

Reminder for the noobs out there- Ubuntu does not equal Unity!


Theres Ubuntu XFCE Edition (Xubuntu), Ubuntu KDE Edition (Kubuntu), Ubuntu LXDE Edition (Lubuntu), with all of them getting the same kernel, drivers, and LTS stability...


...and of course all the Ubuntu derivatives that will be based on Ubuntu 12.04, like Mint (and all it's desktops), DreamStudio, and many others.
 
#8 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by waterhead /forum/post/21868432


Will there be Gnome 3 available for it?

This distro is based on Ubuntu 12.04 and uses Gnome 3

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=arios


However, given its country of origin, you may want to be wary of hidden embedded spyware/malware



I believe there may be other Ubuntu derivatives using Gnome 3, but you'll have to search Distrowatch/google or install Gnome 3 yourself-

http://techhamlet.com/2011/10/instal...-ubuntu-11-10/


EDIT- use the Distrowatch Search to filter for all distros based on Ubuntu-

http://distrowatch.com/search.php?os...&status=Active
 
#9 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rgb /forum/post/21868640


However, given its country of origin, you may want to be wary of hidden embedded spyware/malware

What do ya mean? These days (given all the recent restrictive laws, new NSA super-surveillance centers and executive orders I keep reading about) I would be at least as wary about spyware in software coming from the US than from anywhere else (including China)...


In fact Adobe Flash is right at the top of my personal "suspicious to possibly contain spyware" list...
 
#11 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by tux99 /forum/post/21868706


What do ya mean? These days (given all the recent restrictive laws, new NSA super-surveillance centers and executive orders I keep reading about) I would be at least as wary about spyware in software coming from the US than from anywhere else (including China)...


In fact Adobe Flash is right at the top of my personal "suspicious to possibly contain spyware" list...

Ubuntu, Mint and Puppy, the distros I use the most, all come from countries outside the US
 
#12 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rgb /forum/post/21864991


Reminder for the noobs out there- Ubuntu does not equal Unity!


Theres Ubuntu XFCE Edition (Xubuntu), Ubuntu KDE Edition (Kubuntu), Ubuntu LXDE Edition (Lubuntu), with all of them getting the same kernel, drivers, and LTS stability...


...and of course all the Ubuntu derivatives that will be based on Ubuntu 12.04, like Mint (and all it's desktops), DreamStudio, and many others.

No offense, but I bet most people coming into this sub-forum probably know the difference.


I just tried XFCE again and didn't see where it is as configurable as KDE. I know you love XFCE and it looks like Gnome 2 lite, but I would still recommend Gnome 2 (probably Mate in the future) and KDE to people wanting to try Linux.

Quote:
Originally Posted by waterhead /forum/post/21868952


Installing gnome-shell does not install Gnome 3. Maybe I need to add a different repository.

I haven't checked the last time I installed gnome-shell, but on this desktop I have Gnome 3. I installed it in Nov. I think it is just called Gnome on the Log In screen. I just checked and you can install it from the software center.
 
#13 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ericglo /forum/post/21869959


I haven't checked the last time I installed gnome-shell, but on this desktop I have Gnome 3. I installed it in Nov. I think it is just called Gnome on the Log In screen. I just checked and you can install it from the software center.

The version of Gnome that installs is very basic. It is not at all like the Gnome 3 that I get with Fedora 16 and openSUSE 12.1.
 
#15 ·
I enabled a Gnome ppa and let it do an upgrade. My Ubuntu system will no longer boot!


I'm done with Ubuntu. From now on I will use either Fedora or openSUSE. Fedora has a 13 monthe life cycle, while openSUSE has an 18 month life cycle. Not as long as Ubuntu's LTS, but I gotta take a stand. Ubuntu is going downhill at a rapid pace!
 
#16 ·
You are experiencing something that could be a huge negative going forward. Someone mentioned on Distrowatch a couple of months ago that Canonical was putting more resources into Unity at the expense of everything else. If this is true and continues, then I think a lot of Ubuntu users will start to migrate to other distros. I am hoping that this LTS is really stable and secure. If so, then I can hopefully sit back for a year or so and make a decision on where to go at that time.
 
#17 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ericglo /forum/post/21875689


You are experiencing something that could be a huge negative going forward. Someone mentioned on Distrowatch a couple of months ago that Canonical was putting more resources into Unity at the expense of everything else. If this is true and continues, then I think a lot of Ubuntu users will start to migrate to other distros.

Does it really matter (I mean for anyone apart from Ubuntu employees and shareholders)?

As long as people use Linux (any Linux distro) that is good enough IMHO, it doesn't matter if people choose Ubuntu, Fedora, Mageia, Centos or any other distro.


I myself have been a long-term Mandriva user as I regarded it as the best distro for my purposes. Since the 2011 release that's no longer the case so I switched partially to Mageia and partially to Centos and Scientific Linux (depending on the purpose of the various PCs). It's still all Linux and I'm happy with my new choices.


Ubuntu has made their choices and only time will tell if people will follow them or will switch to other distros. I don't think it makes sense to say their choices are good or bad, it's mostly a matter of personal preference.
 
#19 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ericglo /forum/post/21877414


It doesn't matter to much to me, but it doesn't help the appearance of Linux if the largest distro starts to have major problems.

I agree with you there, unfortunately Ubuntu has positioned itself as THE face of Linux for everyone outside the Linux world, therefore outsiders equal flaws in Ubuntu with flaws of Linux. I wish other distros would market themselves more to the general press outside the Linux world to increase the awareness that Ubuntu is only one of several good Linux distros, not THE Linux distro.
 
#20 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ericglo /forum/post/21869959


No offense, but I bet most people coming into this sub-forum probably know the difference.
Quote:
I haven't checked the last time I installed gnome-shell, but on this desktop I have Gnome 3. I installed it in Nov. I think it is just called Gnome on the Log In screen. I just checked and you can install it from the software center.

Based on waterhead's issue, it sounds like Canonical may have changed the way Gnome 3 Shell is installed in 12.04 Precise vs earlier Ubuntu versions.


AFAIK, Ubuntu-Unity is using the Gnome 3 "base" sans the Gnome 3 Shell, replacing the Shell only with Unity, so most of Gnome 3 should be installed in Ubuntu-Unity except the Shell.


re: linux desktops


Yes, I know most of the "regulars" here are competent Linux/OS installers and tweakers. The comment was meant for Linux noobs and recent Win/OSX converts who may be trying a Linux install for the first time. Having a choice of desktops coming from an OS with only one default desktop can be confusing to new Linux users/installers, not used to having such freedom/choice.
 
#21 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by waterhead /forum/post/21873526


I enabled a Gnome ppa and let it do an upgrade. My Ubuntu system will no longer boot!


I'm done with Ubuntu. From now on I will use either Fedora or openSUSE. Fedora has a 13 monthe life cycle, while openSUSE has an 18 month life cycle. Not as long as Ubuntu's LTS, but I gotta take a stand. Ubuntu is going downhill at a rapid pace!

With my Xubuntu 11.04/11.10 experience in the past year, I'm more positive about Ubuntu in general. Unity still has teething pains, but I think Canonical's regular release schedule has been a benchmark and motivator for other distros. Yes, I've had issues with some releases on some hardware, but the same could be said for all the years I did manual installs of win3.0/3.1/3.11/95/95b/95c/98/98se/xp/xpsp1/xpsp2- actually far worse issues (shudder).


I think it's a good idea to try one of the other major distro releases occasionally like Fedora, openSuse or their package-compatible derivatives, if only to "check the competition" and to update one's Linux skills in general. But I've learned in the past not to bail and distro hop too quickly- it can take weeks/months for solutions to issues to bubble up on the net for any new distro release.


That said, re: your specific issue-


After installing the Gnome 3 ppa, did you do an


apt-get dist-upgrade or apt-get upgrade?

http://ubuntulinuxtipstricks.blogspo...confusion.html


In my experience with any Ubuntu release in the past several years, doing either is a big no-no and usually breaks things, just like it does in rolling distros like Debian.


As far as I can tell, neither "upgrade" command is *ever* necessary. At most, a normal user should do apt-get update, which refreshes repository/package info and databases.


Just as in Windows I would have NEVER installed an OS "upgrade edition" on top of an existing install (such as XP Upgrade on top of Win98SE or Vista Upgrade on top of XP), I wouldn't do apt-get upgrade or dist-upgrade.
 
#22 ·
I think that I did the upgrade option, because the instructions told me to. The ppa had a lot of cutting-edge software, and did warn about breaking the system. It even changed my bootloader screen to a Debian one.


It was a disposable installation. I had Ubuntu installed on a 8 GB SD card, on my Samsung QX-410 laptop. I now have Fedora happily installed on it.
 
#23 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rgb /forum/post/21878686


In my experience with any Ubuntu release in the past several years, doing either is a big no-no and usually breaks things, just like it does in rolling distros like Debian.

I'm not sure where you get your info but I run apt-get update and apt-get dist-upgrade regularly on all my Ubuntu/Debian machines with no ill effects. I try not to use any third-party PPA's unless absolutely necessary.
 
#24 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by kwisher /forum/post/21879375


I'm not sure where you get your info but I run apt-get update and apt-get dist-upgrade regularly on all my Ubuntu/Debian machines with no ill effects. I try not to use any third-party PPA's unless absolutely necessary.

In my case I found it to be necessary. I wanted a full Gnome3 desktop, and Ubuntu doesn't provide it. It was either upgrade using a ppa, or install another distro.


And I ended up doing both!
 
#25 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by kwisher /forum/post/21879375


I'm not sure where you get your info but I run apt-get update and apt-get dist-upgrade regularly on all my Ubuntu/Debian machines with no ill effects. I try not to use any third-party PPA's unless absolutely necessary.

As I said, apt-get update is safe and reliable, simply updating repository info.


apt-get *upgrade* can break things too often, apparently moreso with random third party ppa's (repos), as I and waterhead have experienced.


Just a heads up for noobs (and even experienced OS installers).


A CS type can explain why this happens- I'm just a *user* with minimum time for academic side exercises



It appears your avoidance of third party repos may answer why apt-get upgrade is more reliable for you.


However, I've found it difficult to avoid third party ppa's if you want some up to date apps, aside from compiling yourself.
 
#26 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by waterhead /forum/post/21879936


In my case I found it to be necessary. I wanted a full Gnome3 desktop, and Ubuntu doesn't provide it. It was either upgrade using a ppa, or install another distro.


And I ended up doing both!


Isn't Mint using Gnome 3? It looks like Mint is going in the direction that most Ubuntu users wanted Ubuntu to go in. I only tried it once briefly.
 
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