Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty Tahr) LTS (Long Term Support), the newest edition of Canonical’s open source Linux-based OS will be released tomorrow 04/17/2014. Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin) LTS serves me well for years. I like LTS version more than normal Ubuntu Desktop and Ubuntu Server release which only have 9 months support/security updates. Ubuntu LTS version has longer release cycles (2 years for LTS vs 6 month for normal version) but will come with 3 years support/security updates.
For people who want to try out new features/technologies, normal Ubuntu release is the one for you. Shorter release means you don’t have to wait for long period of time to try new features. Normal Ubuntu release syncs packages from debian-unstable.
Unlike normal release, LTS or Long Term Support releases are more stable with longer support/update time. If you don’t want to run your system 6 months, Ubuntu LTS is for you.
What is new on Ubuntu 14.04 Trusty Tahr? The biggest changes is the local menu. On older Ubuntu releases, menus were displayed by default in the global top panel in Ubunutu Unity, which is the top bar displays all the indicators. With the new release, you can choose to between Locally Integrated Menu and global menu. Global Menu will be enabled by default.
Since Ubuntu 14.04 is a LTS or long term support release. Ubuntu Server 14.04 LTS will be a good choice to upgrade your old Ubuntu Server 13.10 Saucy Salamander and 12.10 Quantal Quetzal. If you are still using Ubuntu Desktop or Ubuntu Server 12.04.4 LTS Precise Pangolin, now it’s a good time to upgrade to a newer LTS release to get benefit from newer kernel and new packages and get extension support time.
To switch to Locally Integrated Menu in Ubuntu 14.04:
Go to Unity Dash (press Windows key), and type in “system Settings”. Now click on System Settings, then Appearance, then Behavior. Under “Show the menus for a window”, select “In the window’s title bar”. You will see the change after log out or reboot.
TRIM will be enabled by default
TRIM (Trim command let an OS know which SSD blocks are not being used and can be cleared). Older Ubuntu release, we have to enable TRIM manually. We no longer have to do that in this new release, TRIM will be enabled by default (note it’s currently enabled by default for standard SSD like Samsung and Intel SSD only).
Ubuntu 14.04 uses Linux kernel 3.13, which designed for the new Linux block layer. The new scalable block layer will have two levels of queues, one is per cpu queues to submit IO, another one is hardware submission queues. With the new linux block layer architecture, you can take full advantages of multicore CPUs with high IOs per second for SSD drives.
To make your SSD run even better and faster with Ubuntu, I highly recommend you to tweak and optimize SSD for Ubuntu, Linux Mint
Virtualization support
By using Linux kernel 3.13, Ubuntu 14.04 will support the open source Xen virtualization hypervisor 4.4. Ubuntu will support kvm, xen-netback (better support for IPv6), and xen-netfront (convert to GRO API). The new additional features from the newew Linux kernel 3.13 will improve greatly virtualization’s support on Ubuntu desktop and Ubuntu Server.
Better security
Desktop and mobiles users will be protected by AppArmor in the upcoming Ubuntu 14.04 LTS release. AppArmor is an enterprise network security application now will be available for general users. AppArmor runs in the background, controls programs access on your system to against malicious application, internal and external attacks. Users who use Ubuntu on desktop, mobile or tablet won’t notice any change but AppArmor will be there to protect any future security threats.
Better feel and look
- The new Unity 7 will come with its own new lockscreen instead of LightDM Greeter.
- You won’t be noticed unless you look closely, windows corners now will look sharper for HD high definition screens. Decor Compiz plugin will antialiase and render windows corner.
- Live window resizing is on by default.
- Ubuntu 14.04 comes with nvidia-prime, which helps your graphic card performance and fix some other bugs with xorg. You can switch between Nvidia and Intel graphic card with nvidia-prime.
- Better support for HiDPI Retina MacBook display
Update 04/17/14
Ubuntu 14.04 LTS Trusty Tahr is available for download now!
Ubuntu Desktop: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/
Ubuntu Server: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/server/
I have written a guild How to upgrade from Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and Ubuntu 13.10 to Ubuntu 14.04 LTS if you want to upgrade instead of fresh install.