Ubunto Linux is a Debian-based project: on the project's home-page we read: "Ubuntu" is an ancient African word, meaning "Humanity To Others". The Ubuntu Linux distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world...


Ubuntu released today (16 September 2004) a preview of the first release and we immediately gave a look at this distributions that focuses on both Desktop and Server environments. It comes on one CD (for now, at least) and it brings many fresh packages (see Gnome 2.8 overall).

Three architectures are supported with ths preview: x86, AMD64 and ppc (yeah, we appreciated this attention to the ppc world). Ont he powerpc side G3, G4, G5 and Apple laptops are supported (clearly we're talking about new world machines).

Installation
The Ubuntu installer is the new Debian installer :) People who had the occasion to install Debian recently will recognize it at the first glance. It is a really usable ncurses-based installer, easy to use and to understand. It fits well both for the novice and the expert.
We burnt the iso on a cd-rw media and booted it on a Powermac G4 Quicksilver, 867 Mhx G4 cpu and 640 MB of RAM, Nvidia GPU. The media booted with no problems, at the yaboot prompt we selected the default kernel with no special parameters, as this hardware is not supported. People having problems at the boot can follow the suggestions given at the prompt: appending an use offb option to the kernel parameters.
At the prompt one can choose to boot in an expert-dedicated installer too. We chose the easy way this time :)

I checked the localization of the installer and it seemed to us very well done, though not always complete. Anyway, compared to the old debian installer, it is a big step foreward.

The guided partition program will allow even people completely new to Linux to partition the disk in the right way. For my touch and go test i made three partitions: a bootstrap, required for yaboot, a swap and a root partition. I chose XFS as my filesystem for the root. Another thing i like in this installer is that one can choose, right from the install-time, the filesystem, not being forced to ext2-ext3 option: reiserfs, xfs, jfs are finally well supported by the kernel shipped with the installer ( 2.6.8.1 kernel, on the bleeding edge :)

Completed the partition you won't have to touch the keyboard for minutes: the installer does everything, it installs the base system and right after that it copies other files to the root partition.

Boot

Yaboot installation is automatic and was succesful in my case. I reboot and i am soon prompted with three choice: linux, mac os x and cd boot.
I boot Ubuntu and the installation system starts again, completing the installation.
During this install stage you will be asked to create a new user, as always. You won't be asked to insert the root password, but don't worry: the new user you create is in the sudoers list, so you can get root privileges using sudo.

Packages previously copied on the root partition are installed and configured, in the same old debian style and everything goes fine.
Among the "on the edge" software we have the kernel and Gnome, as said, but recent versions of the gcc compiler suite and many other applications, as OpenOffice, Mozilla Firefox, the Gimp....

Setup
I setup the Xserver so to run at 1280x1024 at 24 bpp on this box, using the shipped nv driver. Hardware detection was completely automatic and was just EXCELLENT. People loving the Knoppix autodetection can find this interesting and comfortable.
I then configure my adsl connection using the pppoeconf ncurses-based tool: perfect, it works fine and it asks me if i want to start the connection at boot-time. Yes, for sure.
Gdm is started by default at boot and the Gnome Desktop sports a good number of graphical configuration tools, as always.
IPv6 support too is enabled in the shipped kernel.
Postfix is already running with the default configuration that, for the moment, is what i need to send out some mails. Everything is ready to be used.

I attach a firewire drive to the G4 and the firewire module gets loaded just fine and the new volume is ready to be mounted. I do some firewire tests copying and moving file and the thransfer speed is the max expected. Firewire support seems to be ok. And, i forgot, vfat support is included, as the only partition on this drive is a fat32 windows one.

Clearly this is a quick review and, after all, this is ajust a preview. But this distribution seems already ready to be used for everyday tasks, at home for sayly use and at work as a server or a workstation. Try it and post your experience, that's what can make this article complete.

Ubuntu screenshots in the gallery section


Note: Updated with new screenshots