Now there is a week time left for the final release, the beta version has been around for ten days or so, new features are already packed in. Ubuntu having less strict guidelines for bundling proprietary software, now users will benefit from having Nvidia’s graphics hardware drivers out-of-the-box. That is a huge improvement for end-users that are okay with non-free software running on their systems.
The option to install the operating system to the ZFS
There is another big change in the foundations of the release is the option to install the operating system to the ZFS, an experimental file system that has been in development for a long time even though it has some licensing issues. As the file system itself, the installation of the release on the filesystem is also considered experimental. Be aware if you are going to try something different than an Ext4 partition.
Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, had some unwelcome plans to completely remove 32-bit software support from their distributions on the next release which happens to be 19.10. After a serious backlash from the community, they decided that it is too early to completely remove the 32-bit capabilities from x86-64 operating system.
Ubuntu will have Linux Kernel 5.3 and Gnome 3.34
x86-64 approach was first offered by AMD in 2003 with the release of their Athlon 64 processors, which were 32-bit processors with 64-bit memory extensions that can run both 32 and 64-bit applications without any hypervisor of sorts on a 64-bit OS. Nowadays all the modern OSes are 64-bit, but they do not cut off any 32-bit capabilities for backward compatibility.
While most of the professional or consumer-grade software is 64-bit now, there are many things that still require 32-bit capabilities. New Ubuntu will also provide the newest kernel 5.3 along with Gnome 3.34 for the desktop. Also, Intel users will benefit from a faster boot experience, removing the flickering at the start-up.
You can download the Ubuntu 19.10 Beta from Ubuntu’s official website.
FAQ
What is the latest version of Ubuntu?
The latest LTS version of Ubuntu is 22.04, also known as "Jammy Jellyfish" and it was released on 21 April 2022. Ubuntu 22.04 will be supported until 2027.
What are the system requirements for Ubuntu?
The latest version of Ubuntu's system requirements are:
- 2 GHz dual-core processor or better
- 4 GB system memory
- 25 GB of free hard drive space
- Internet access is helpful
- Either a DVD drive or a USB port for the installer media
Can Ubuntu run on older hardware?
If you have the above requirements, you can run Ubuntu. We do not recommend using the latest version of Ubuntu for older hardware, but you can try older versions of Ubuntu.
Can I run Ubuntu on a virtual machine?
Yes, you can install and use Ubuntu in virtual machines like VMWare or VirtualBox.
How do I enable Ubuntu on Windows 10?
To enable Ubuntu on Windows 10, you should be using at least Windows build 1709. Then you should enable Windows Subsystem for Linux from the Windows Features interface. Now you can download and install Ubuntu from Microsoft Store.
Can Ubuntu be installed on a virtual machine?
Yes, Ubuntu can be installed on a virtual machine. A virtual machine (VM) allows you to run an operating system within another operating system. This means that you can install Ubuntu on a virtual machine and run it on top of your current operating system, without the need to replace it or partition your hard drive. To install Ubuntu on VMWare, you can refer to our article: How to create VM and install a Linux distro on VMWare Workstation