Ubuntu 9.10 review: Karmic Koala

By David Fearon, 3 Nov 2009

Rating:

Windows 7 isn't the only new operating system that's recently launched. In this review, we look at the latest flavour of Ubuntu Linux to see if it can compete.

Evolution remains the mail and calendar client, and with its relatively robust Exchange Server support that’s no bad thing.

Karmic Koala takes yet another stab at easing the thorny topic of Linux software installation and management. Out goes the Add/Remove Software tool, in comes the Ubuntu Software Centre. The main interface is separated into sensible categories, but still leaves the user to separate the wheat from the chaff, with no ratings or indication of which applications are popular. It’s easier to use than Synaptics Package Manager though (which is still included).

Cloud storage

No longer is it just the software that’s free. With the release of Karmic Koala you get free cloud storage too, via the Ubuntu One service. This offers 2GB of free storage, or a flat $10 per month to upgrade to 50GB. Capacity beyond 50GB isn’t currently available.

Technical improvements

The biggest noticeable performance boost comes in the shape of faster perceived boot times. The integration of the Upstart process, replacing the age-old init daemon, is the main reason for the quicker feel. Upstart is a multitasking system, allowing startup processes to do their thing in parallel. The init daemon, by contrast, is synchronous, blocking start-up tasks until the previous has completed. Upstart gives faster apparent boot time to the desktop - even if the system hasn’t fully finished booting, it feels quick.
install 2

The Uncomplicated Firewall (ufw), the front-end for the dauntingly complex iptables firewall tool, gets an update including support for outgoing filtering. It remains a command-line application though, albeit one with (relatively) simple syntax.

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6 comments

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Happy User of Ubuntu

Nice review. As far as software in Ubuntu looking dated. It is improving super-fast. I have been using Ubuntu for more than a year and am delighted. It kinda grows on you. I had just started using this out of curiosity as a Dual booted Laptop. Now I have it on the PC & keep telling people how fast and safe the Internet is on Ubuntu. It is also very stable. It can be customized to a great degree.

By IndianArt on Wednesday Nov 4

Point-and-click...

...is the way the average computer user navigates. They have other things to think about than trying to remember the exact name of that file or program they're looking for; they remember where it's filed, and they can recognize it when they see it. Linux is usually criticized for being too command-line oriented for the average user. Ubuntu is trying to change that - so you criticize them for their simple GUI. There's no pleasing some people!

By greenknight32 on Friday Nov 6

ubuntu failing?

the one main thing that stops me trying ubuntu, apart from its idiotic two partition set up outside windows installation is the lack of voice recognition software. anyone know any ubuntu voice recognition programs coming near dragon 9?

By chasingclouds on Friday Nov 6

Upstart not that fast

Most lab tests of "Upstart" have shown that although it should, in theory, be quicker, in reality there is little significant gain; so it is interesting that it is noted by David Fearon that Koala "feels" faster. In other words, as he says, the desktop appears before all files have finished loading. Isn't that a Microsoft ploy? I have to agree with @greenknight32, however, that point and click is a far better system for the average user than "search", and for the same reasons.

By 6tricky9 on Friday Nov 6