Ubuntu, another choice

Ubuntu 13.10 (Saucy Salamander) is scheduled for launch on October 17, but users of the previous operating systems from Canonical are wondering why they should upgrade at all, given the fact that the new one doesn't seem to have too many features. So, why should you upgrade to Ubuntu 13.10 if there won't be any noticeable changes for the average user? Although it might seem that almost nothing has changed, the truth is that a lot of things have been upgraded, and that's always a good thing (most of the time). Ubuntu 13.10 vs. Ubuntu 13.04

Great guide to start with: Think working on the command line is complex, old school and obsolete? Think again. In Linux, the command line is a peerless tool that performs complex tasks with very little effort. For example, try using a GUI ( Graphical User Interface ) to delete every file with names ending with  .tmp  and were created within the last 3 months. Then learn how to do the same task through the command line. You will be surprised by the ease and speed with which you can perform this task through the command line, especially if you have to do it regularly. You can do lots of amazing stuff with commands in Linux and it’s really not difficult to learn. If you are completely new to the Linux command line, you should first get familiarized with CLI (Command Line Interface) navigation, along with some basic file/directory operations. And that’s exactly what we will discuss in this article. If you are absolutely new to Linux, try reading our  Linux guide . Also, learn about how you

Ubuntu 12.10  (thus named because it came out in October 2012) has just arrived, and 13.04 and 13.10 will come in April and October of 2013. But 14.04 in April 2014 could be the last version released after just a six-month development period.  14.04 is also the next "Long Term Support" or LTS edition. Every two years, Ubuntu is sort of frozen in place with a more stable edition that is guaranteed support for five years. If the change Canonical is considering is adopted,  every  future edition starting with 14.04 will be an LTS, so the next version after 14.04 would be 16.04 in April 2016. Ubuntu considers “huge” change that would end traditional release cycle | Ars Technica :

Ubuntu 13.04  with codename “ Raring Ringtail ” has been released and announced by  Ubuntu  Team. It comes with a number of improvements in performance and speed, and aesthetic touches that promise “more polished visual experience of Ubuntu  to date”. Ubuntu 13.04 Raring Ringtail Final Version Released and Available for Download

The date of the release, along with those for the major development milestones, are listed on a  release schedule  on the Ubuntu Wiki. While these dates are, at this early juncture, subject to change it has to be said that they rarely do. As with Ubuntu 13.04 there will only be a single beta release for Ubuntu 13.10 itself. Ubuntu flavours, Xubuntu, Ubuntu GNOME, Lubuntu & co, are able to take advantage of as many 3 alphas, 2 betas and a release candidate. Key dates at the time of writing are as follows. Bold indicates a milestone that Ubuntu-proper takes part in: Alpha 1 – June 20th Alpha 2 – July 18th Alpha 3 – August 1st Beta 1- September 5th Final Beta – September 26th Release Candidate – October 10th With the final release scheduled for: Final Release - October 17th Ubuntu 13.10 Release Schedule

On April 25th, the newest version of one of the most popular Linux distributions was released — Ubuntu 13.04 , codenamed “ Raring Ringtail ”.  Every new release of Ubuntu warrants the question of what’s new and whether people should try it out or upgrade from an older release. Unlike previous releases of Ubuntu, 13.04 doesn’t bring extraordinary new visual features which may make some people even more skeptical about this release than others.  So what exactly is new, and should you really upgrade? Ubuntu 13.04: What's New In Raring Ringtail?

Microsoft DirectX is a collection of libraries for game programming. With Runtime installed on your Windows Desktop you can run the most important commercial games. On linux you can’t have DirectX installed natively as part of system and there isn’t a Linux Binary versione of it. So, you can’t run windows games on Linux. To have DirectX games on your Linux you can try Wine. Wine (wine is not emulator) is a wrapper of windows libraries, so you can use windows software on your Linux Desktop. Many of windows software don’t run on Linux with Wine, but you can try particular configuration of Wine to see if you can run your favorite windows game or software. To install a Windows Game on Linux you have to install and configure DirectX on wine. This tutorial explain how to install DirectX. Play your Windows Games with Wine and DirectX

People sometimes have to do a reinstall of their Ubuntu system for various reasons (been playing/experimenting with configuration/drivers/other packages or just because something is badly broken) but remembering all the extra packages you have installed can be a chore - but here is the simple solution: On your old system (assuming it is still working), start up Synaptic and go: File-Save Markings and choose a file name along with a location (like a USB drive) that you can use when you have installed your new system and make sure you have checked “save full state, not just changes” option click on Save. Howto Reinstall all of currently installed packages in fresh Ubuntu install

The main reason for not switching to Ubuntu or any other Linux distribution is games. People like to play their video games. Now is the age of the Linux desktop. More and more games are getting to the point in which they can be played under Linux. One of the popular game services is Steam. This how-to will cover how to install wine and Steam. It will work under any version of Ubuntu. The first step to gaming under Linux is to install wine. Wine is a Windows emulator and it is free. There are other programs that allow you to play your Windows games under Linux, like Cedega, but they cost money. To install wine open up a Terminal and type in sudo apt-get install wine. UbuntuMagazine/HowTo/InstallingSteam

Whether you're experimenting with Linux or making the switch, you'll need to get your bearings. This Linux cheat sheet runs you through common and helpful commands you'll need to know as you get comfortable with the command line. It doesn't matter if you're configuring your system's network information, installing applications from packages, or compressing and packaging directories, you'll need to be familiar with the terminal commands used for those operations, especially if the GUI either isn't working the way you'd like or you want a faster, more efficient way to get things done. Thankfully, this cheat sheet has the commands to do all of those things and then some. Granted, with many modern distributions you won't have much need for the command line, but it's one of the most powerful tools available in the operating system, so you may as well learn to use it if you don't already know how. It's also worth noting that the Linux Cheat

There are two ways to check which version of Ubuntu you are using: through the system menu or through the Terminal. The way through the system menu depends on which Ubuntu version and desktop environment you are using. The way through the Terminal will work no matter what you are using. Through the System Menu This method depends on your version of Ubuntu and whether you are using the Unity or Gnome desktop environment. These methods might not work if you are running an Ubuntu derivative such as Kubuntu, Xubuntu or Lubuntu. In Unity Unity is the default desktop environment for Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) and later. Open your System Settings Select either System Info (for version 11.10) or Details (for versions 12.04 and 12.10) Find your version of Ubuntu in the Overview section. In Gnome Gnome is the optional Classic Desktop Environment for Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) and later, and the default desktop environment for earlier releases.

Canonical, the organization behind popular Linux distribution Ubuntu, is working alongside the Chinese government to deliver a state-endorsed operating system. According to Canonical , it's working alongside the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to bring a suitable Ubuntu version to China. The operating system, which will be known as Ubuntu Kylin, is expected to be released in April. Ubuntu Kylin is part of a broader strategy on China's part to increase the adoption of open-source initiatives in the country, according to Canonical. China's ministry was deciding between several different Linux distributions before ultimately choosing Ubuntu. China chooses Ubuntu as state-endorsed operating system | Business Tech - CNET News

The ‘angled non-branded bag of exploding apps’ design has been swapped for a sleeker front-on view carrying an ‘A’ emblem. Fact fans will know that this is only the third redesign of the Software Center logo. The out-going design faced a barrage of criticism on its arrival – it’ll be interesting to see if such strong feelings greet this latest version. New Ubuntu Software Center Icon Arrives in Raring | OMG! Ubuntu!

Ubuntu main man Mark Shuttleworth says plans are on track to produce smartphones running a mobile variant of the Ubuntu Linux OS by October 2013, but developers should be able to start working with the platform even sooner. A version of Ubuntu for smartphones that runs on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus handset is expected to be available for download in late February, Shuttleworth  told   The Wall Street Journal  on Tuesday. Why that 16-month-old device and not something else was not immediately clear, although the fact that the Galaxy Nexus was distributed as one of Google's unlocked "pure Android" flagship phones may have something to do with it. There are also plenty of Galaxy Nexus handsets out there. By comparison, its successor, the  Nexus 4 , has been plagued by  supply problems  since it launched in November. Ubuntu for Galaxy Nexus phones to arrive in February

This is no ordinary  Galaxy Nexus . Instead of Android, it's running a very different Linux-based OS -- the long-awaited mobile version of Ubuntu -- which comes with a new UI adapted for smaller screens. We've played with the phone briefly and we'll have a proper hands-on video for you shortly, but in the meantime there are a few salient features to report. First and foremost, the UI relies heavily on edge swipes instead of buttons -- much like Windows 8 on a tablet or indeed other mobile OS's like MeeGo, although here each swipe has its own Ubuntu-esque functions. Beyond that, the icons along the top have some interesting features, which will be explained after the break. We're also told that voice control is in attendance, and that an app store is in the works, with a mix of both web apps and native apps -- with the latter type being able to make better use of the hardware. Speaking of hardware, here's where you might get a twinge of disappointment: there are