Ubuntu 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex" (Alpha 6): first impressions

[Hamish Taylor]

In a continuing series of articles highlighting that GNU/Linux is a viable replacement operating system, today we're putting the newest release of the popular Ubuntu distribution through its paces.


 

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Most of the time, I wouldn't consider installing and testing an Alpha release of any operating system. However, having written about it recently, I just couldn't resist downloading, installing and testing it.

Alpha software of any sort tends to be pretty buggy. It's basically the developers saying that they can make this work but need a bit more time and "watch this space".

Ubuntu 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex" Alpha 6 is no exception to the buggy rule. There are a number of things that don't quite work. Saying that, it is not so bad as you might imagine, as I am writing this article quite happily from 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex".

Alpha 6 is the last of the Alpha releases. The Beta release is due on the 2nd of October, and the Release Candidates will appear around the 23rd of October with the final release on the 30th of October.

I have had a look at the bug reports and the forums for Intrepid Ibex and things are being actively worked on. In the 24 hours since I installed, there have been a number of updates. I will be interested in logging onto this install and updating and seeing how things begin to work over the next few weeks.

It is interesting that the Free and Open Source Community is so open about the fact that things don't quite work and how hard they are working to get them right.

So, after using it for a day or so, what doesn't work? Please read onto page 2...



Article Link at http://www.itwire.com/content/view/20793/1162/

[pjfraser82]

Hamish,

Any idea what the support for dual monitor is like?

Its been keeping me from moving to ubuntu for some time now and its apparently being worked on but in every release nothing seems to be different?

Have you had a go?

[Hamish Taylor]

Hi pjfraser82

Nope, I haven't tried that yet. I agree that dual-monitor support has been pretty woeful. I have a standard HP L1702 17 inch LCD monitor, and I can't get it working on 8.04 (though I will try again now to be sure!).

I will give it a go in the next few days and let you know. For now I really have to get some assignment work done!

Hamish

[Hamish Taylor]

Hi again pjfraser82

Actually I decide to do this now and have some interesting feedback for you. In a nutshell, it works perfectly in 8.10!

My laptop runs at 1280x800@60Hz (this is a 16:10 ratio, I think) and the external 17 inch LCD runs at 1280x1024@75Hz (a 4:3 ratio).

I had the external HP L1702 monitor plugged in and turned on and got the following:
* Ubuntu 8.04: the laptop screen res is right, but the external monitor is not and cannot be changed using the GUI tools (bad Hardy!)
* Ubuntu 8.10: the external monitor res detects at 1024x768@60Hz, but the laptop res is not right and looks weird. However, both can be changed and only need a restart of the X server (the GUI), which is easily achieved by hitting CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE and logging in again. You can then enjoy multi monitor support that works!

HTH,
Hamish

[L]

If you (correctly)think Ubuntu 8.10 is booting fast, than wait to see how fast 9.04 will boot. Boot speed will be the main improvement in 9.04, as Shuttlewroth wants Ubuntu to be run on cell phones!

[Joe]

I've been using a dual screen setup in Ubuntu since Feisty without any problems at all, my only niggle is that panels don't expand across both displays so if you want a panel which goes across the entire width of the desktop, you have to create 2 separate panels, which in turn means that they hide independently of each other. Not a major fault, just a small usability issue.

[Matrix]

...not interested until Ubuntu 9.04 is released... I tried both 7.04 and 8.04 which made me want to smash my computer screen with an axe... I am not going to waste oxygen installing crap inferior to Windows.