Ubuntu 9.04 Alpha 3: New Notifications and Ext4
Canonical has released its third alpha version of Ubuntu 9.04. It brings a few new features to test, including notification settings in the user interface and the much publicized ext4 filesystem support.
The current test version includes Kernel 2.6.28-3.4, which is based on 2.6.28-rc8. The Alpha 3 also allows installation on the new ext4 filesystem as an option, although the final version, due out in April, should continue to have ext3 as the default.
The GNOME interface also shows some changes as to notifications. You can now use a menu to set up preferences for notification icons and where they should pop up. Mark Shuttleworth included a Flash video on his website with an example.
Next to the kernel, "Jaunty" developers also addressed some issues with the X Server (1.6) and other central system components. Unfortunately, the promised kernel modules for the Nouveau X driver on NVIDIA cards are not yet available, according to the release notes.
Kubuntu users can now get the Amarok 2 KDE music player that uses the MySQL 5.1 embedded database, although the relevant packages aren't included on the Alpha 3 CD and have to be installed over the Web. The MySQL 5.1 that Amarok uses is unfortunately incompatible with parts of the 5.0 that Akonadi Kmail/Kontact uses, so that concurrent installations of Amarok and Akonadi are to be avoided. Developers plan to fix this in the next alpha.
Another interesting fix is disabling the Ctrl-Alt-Backspace key sequence previously used to stop the X Server. This feature change had already been introduced in openSUSE 11.1 as a safeguard against accidental use, although a recurring keying of the sequence in openSUSE could still do its job. Instead, Ubuntu uses a separate DontZap option in xorg.conf. Also, an xorg.conf GUI setup option, which hasn't been available since 8.10, is planned finally for a later alpha.
The "Jaunty" Alpha 3 is available for immediate download here.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
![Learn More](https://www.linux-magazine.com/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/media/linux-magazine-eng-us/images/misc/learn-more/834592-1-eng-US/Learn-More_medium.png)
News
-
NVIDIA Released Driver for Upcoming NVIDIA 560 GPU for Linux
Not only has NVIDIA released the driver for its upcoming CPU series, it's the first release that defaults to using open-source GPU kernel modules.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 24.07 Released
If you’re into rolling release Linux distributions, OpenMandriva ROME has a new snapshot with a new kernel.
-
Kernel 6.10 Available for General Usage
Linus Torvalds has released the 6.10 kernel and it includes significant performance increases for Intel Core hybrid systems and more.
-
TUXEDO Computers Releases InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen9 Laptop
Sporting either AMD or Intel CPUs, the TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 14 is an extremely compact, lightweight, sturdy powerhouse.
-
Google Extends Support for Linux Kernels Used for Android
Because the LTS Linux kernel releases are so important to Android, Google has decided to extend the support period beyond that offered by the kernel development team.
-
Linux Mint 22 Stable Delayed
If you're anxious about getting your hands on the stable release of Linux Mint 22, it looks as if you're going to have to wait a bit longer.
-
Nitrux 3.5.1 Available for Install
The latest version of the immutable, systemd-free distribution includes an updated kernel and NVIDIA driver.
-
Debian 12.6 Released with Plenty of Bug Fixes and Updates
The sixth update to Debian "Bookworm" is all about security mitigations and making adjustments for some "serious problems."
-
Canonical Offers 12-Year LTS for Open Source Docker Images
Canonical is expanding its LTS offering to reach beyond the DEB packages with a new distro-less Docker image.
-
Plasma Desktop 6.1 Released with Several Enhancements
If you're a fan of Plasma Desktop, you should be excited about this new point release.