As of the 3.12 kernel, there's now low-level support of GPU switching (which should happen automatically). For example, if you've got dual GPU hardware that uses Nvidia Optimus to switch between GPUs-one optimized for performance and the other for conserving power-the move from 12.04 to 14.04 will be huge. How much the kernel update impacts your Ubuntu experience will depend a little bit on your hardware. A lot has changed since 3.8, primarily in the form of better hardware support, but there are some welcome improvements in this latest kernel release even for those already running 3.11 in Ubuntu 13.10. The previous release, Ubuntu 13.10, used the 3.11 kernel, and the last LTS release, 12.04.4, currently ships with 3.8. AdvertisementĮnlarge / Welcome to Ubuntu 14.04 The kernelĪt the core of Ubuntu 14.04 is the Linux kernel 3.13.0-24. And a lot has happened in Ubuntu land in the time since 12.04 was released. While Ubuntu 14.04 might be most notable for what it is not-namely the next-generation version of the Ubuntu desktop-it is nevertheless an important update, because for those users sticking with LTS releases, it represents the first major change in two years. Thus, when Ubuntu Mobile launches, Canonical will find itself having to maintain two separate platforms, both Unity 7 and 8, with Unity 7 desktops hanging around for a minimum of five years. Ubuntu is planning to ship its first mobile devices later this year, which will use Unity 8, since the mobile version is much further along than the desktop. Now, this puts Canonical in the unfortunate position of needing to support Unity 7 on the desktop for five years going forward. The next version of Ubuntu's flagship UI isn't quite there yet, at least on the desktop. Likewise, Unity 8 will not make its debut in this release. As it stands, the graphics stack in 14.04 is-aside from incremental upgrades-the same as it was in last year's 13.10. Were this not an LTS release, it seems likely xMir at least would be included. Mir just isn't ready for primetime yet, and even the halfway step of xMir (which falls back to the X display server when it needs to) isn't ready enough to land in an LTS release. The two biggest changes on the horizon are the Mir graphics stack and Unity 8, neither of which are part of 14.04. And, unfortunately for Canonical, most of its foundation-shaking changes to Ubuntu are currently only about 90 percent done and thus not part of this release. Things that are 90 percent done don't make it into LTS releases. Long Term Support releases are typically more conservative and focus on stability and long-term maintenance rather than experimental or flashy new features. The problem for Canonical is that it's only about 90 percent of the way to a platform-spanning OS, but it just so happens that the company's schedule calls for a Long Term Support release now. The company is caught in a transitional phase as it moves from a desktop operating system to a platform that spans devices. It feels like, for Canonical at least, this Long Term Support release couldn't have come at a worse time. This release is the first Ubuntu Long Term Support release in two years and will be supported for the next five years. Aurich Lawson / Thinkstock reader comments 215 withĬanonical pushed out Ubuntu 14.04 last week.
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