Ubuntu 11.04 Operating System

Version 11.04 of Ubuntu has hit the streets, and it's packing new features that make it even easier to use. The free download was released to the public on Thursday.

This new version, affectionately known by its makers as "Natty Narwhal," has a new Unity interface on top of its Linux underpinnings. Its most noticeable change is the application launcher on the left side of the screen. Similar to Windows 7's taskbar, it lets you drag and drop icons to and from it, as well as launch apps quickly and easily.

The Unity interface was originally conceived for smaller screens on netbooks, and offers easier file management, a new dashboard that gives you easier access to your applications and files, and Workspaces that simplify managing multiple windows. If you don't like these new interface elements, you can always go back to Ubuntu's Classic interface.

You won't have to give up much for Ubuntu, either — you can even connect an iPhone to it and navigate its file system from Ubuntu (although Android phones don't work as well with it, according to CRN.com). And this new version is reportedly working well with the cloud-based Ubuntu One service, letting users synchronize your preferences and files in the cloud.

What will you miss if you migrate to Ubuntu? In my case, the reason I don't use it all the time is because there is no speech recognition software such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking available for it. On top of that, I still haven't found an easy-to-use text completion program that can fill in large amounts of boilerplate text with a few hotkeys. Someone create these kinds of productivity apps for Ubuntu, and I'm in.

One thing you won't miss are the millions of viruses and worms that attack Windows machines (and now Macs too). You also won't miss paying for an operating system, since the open-source Ubuntu is completely free.

A compelling aspect of Ubuntu is its customizability. One of my favorite graphical customization tools for Ubuntu is Compiz, enabling wild graphical transitions between applications and window movements. Its best effects deal with 3D virtual desktops and windows that bend and wobble when you shake them.

The coolest characteristic of Ubuntu is that if you'd like to try it, you can download its 698MB image, burn that to a CD, and then run it from the CD without having to install it on your machine. It's a great way to try out this Linux-based operating system that's getting to be so refined, it's almost as easy to use as a Mac or PC.

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