Codenamed 'Karmic Koala', the next version of Ubuntu is close to final release, which is presently scheduled for October 29 if all goes well.
ISO images and torrents of the Ubuntu 9.10 RC are available for download on Ubuntu's website and test versions available include the server, desktop and netbook versions along with a few variants.
Built on the latest Linux 2.6.31.1 kernel, Ubuntu 9.10 boasts faster boot times, an improved user interface and programming tools for easier software development.
It will be offered with a variety of desktop environments, including Gnome 2.28, KDE 4.3.2 and XFCE. It also has the latest ext4 journaling filesystem and grub 2 boot loader by default, as well as a new Intel video driver architecture. It has a new "Ubuntu Software Center" to make it easier for users to add or remove programs, which is something that many people find tricky in Linux. The new release also fixes bugs from previous Ubuntu editions and has better driver support for more hardware.
While it is optimistic to think that Ubuntu could do much damage to Windows 7 on the desktop, it is making some headway in netbooks. Dell has been offering devices with the netbook version of the OS, which is called Ubuntu Netbook Remix.
Ubuntu's Karmic Koala will also go up against other Linux distributions. Mandriva has its 2010.0 version RC2 nearing release, likely within weeks. There's also Moblin, which is Intel's push into the netbook market, as well as Google's Chrome OS, another Linux-based netbook OS due in the second half of 2010.