Ubuntu 11.04 'Natty Narwhal' makes splashy bebut

Users around the globe gain a free, cutting-edge Windows alternative.

Culminating months of increasingly eager anticipation, Canonical on Thursday released the final version of Ubuntu 11.04, also known as Natty Narwhal.

    The free and open source Linux distribution, which entered beta about a month ago, is now ready for download for laptops, desktops, netbooks and servers from the project's Web site, offering computer uses around the globe a no-cost, feature-packed alternative to Microsoft Windows and other operating systems.

Users of Ubuntu 10.10 will be offered an automatic upgrade to 11.04 via the Update Manager. Further information about upgrading can be found on the Ubuntu site.

New Features

There has been many changes in the Default application selection in the upcoming Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal from Ubuntu 10.10. Here’s some new features:

• Unity as been confirmed as default for Ubuntu 11.04 – desktop edition, the desktop version will use the global menu (AppMenu).
  
  
  

LibreOffice will likely be included in next version of Ubuntu if it’s ready.

Firefox 4 is still favored over Chrome as the default browser in Ubuntu. Chrome still poses too many challenges for Ubuntu (the release cycle doesn’t fit well with Ubuntu Update model and also there are issues with the Global Menu integrations and so on).



The decision to replace Evolution with Thunderbird in Ubuntu has been deferred. Hopefully Thunderbird will be ready in a cycle or two (it misses a calendar, exchange support, integration with appmenu and messaging menu).



Banshee will be included by default in Ubuntu 11.04 (and thus replace Rhythmbox)



Oneconf will be included by default in Ubuntu 11.04. OneConf is a mechanism for recording software information in Ubuntu One, and synchronizing with other computers as needed.



Gnome-dictionary will be removed from the CD



Nautilus Elementary was also brought up for discussion, but was rejected “because the patches are considered hacks”.



In Natty Narwhal Software Center “For Purchase” category will be updated with more commercial software. And you will be able to sponsor your favorite app by donating any money amount to developers.



GTK app Remmina will replace TSClient as the default remote desktop client in Ubuntu 11.04.

‎... try cairo dock
friends, i think many of you having problem to find the program paths as the interface is changed, so pls try Cairo Dock , which is dashing cool app like Mac Dock with lots n lots of graphics.. and u can easily take the start menu from it, which is not seen in Unity , try it...
here is the link http://glx-dock.org/
best wishes.... cheers mates...

also try windows7 theme for those who r new to ubuntu http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Win2-7+Pack?content=113264 its actually for previous versions, but wen used along with cairo-dock on 11.04, it works fine...