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Kubuntu

 
Wikipedia: Kubuntu
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Kubuntu
Kubuntu logo
Kubuntu910.png
Kubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala"
Company / developer Canonical Ltd. and community contributors
OS family Unix-like (variant of Ubuntu)
Working state Current
Source model Free and open source software
Initial release 8 April 2005
Latest stable release 9.10 (Karmic Koala) / 2009-10-29; 49 days ago
Available language(s) Multilingual (more than 55)
Update method PackageKit and/or APT
Package manager PackageKit and/or APT and/or dpkg (Debian GNU/Linux Package Manager)
Supported platforms x86, x86-64, PowerPC
Kernel type Monolithic Linux kernel
Userland GNU
Default user interface KDE
License Various, primarily the GNU GPL and GFDL
Website www.kubuntu.org

Kubuntu is an official derivative of the Ubuntu operating system using the KDE graphical environment instead of GNOME. It is part of the Ubuntu project and uses the same underlying system. It is possible to run both the KDE desktop (kubuntu-desktop) as well as the Gnome desktop (ubuntu-desktop) interchangeably on the same machine. Every package in Kubuntu shares the same repositories as Ubuntu.[1] Kubuntu CDs can be ordered through the Shipit service. It is released regularly and predictably on the same schedule as Ubuntu.[2]

Contents

Name

"Kubuntu", pronounced /kuːˈbuːntuː/ koo-BOON-too, means "towards humanity" in Bemba, and is derived from ubuntu ("humanity"). The K at the beginning represents the KDE technology (Platform, Workspace and Applications), which Kubuntu runs. By coincidence, Kubuntu also means "free" (as in 'free of charge,' or, in open-source terms, 'free as in beer') in Kirundi.[3]

Differences from Ubuntu

A regular installation of Ubuntu uses the GNOME desktop, GTK+/GNOME applications and packages (e.g. Evolution), and GTK+/GNOME-based admin tools (e.g. Synaptic Package Manager). In contrast, a regular installation of Kubuntu uses the KDE Workspaces, KDE/Qt applications and packages (e.g. Kontact), and KDE/Qt admin tools (e.g. KPackageKit). Nevertheless, Kubuntu users can install and use any GNOME/GTK-based package that is available in the Ubuntu repositories, and Ubuntu/GNOME users similarly can install and use any KDE/Qt-based package. One may install Ubuntu and then add KDE, for example, or can install the entire Kubuntu desktop 'metapackage' on top of Ubuntu. (There is a slight disadvantage to installing and using both the GNOME desktop and the KDE desktop, however, namely the increased diskspace and memory requirements of running both GTK/GNOME and Qt/KDE.)

The Kubuntu desktop is fully customizable. Originally designed to ease transition for users from other operating systems (such as Microsoft Windows) by allowing a similar desktop layout, the KDE 4 Plasma Desktop incorporates widget-centric modularity that allows the user to incorporate function similar to all other operating systems and also create new functionality not found in other operating system desktops. 3-D effects are available in the standard KDE4 installation.

Gallery

Kubuntu 9.04 showing some of its Desktop Effects.

Kubuntu 9.04

Kubuntu 8.10

Kubuntu 8.04

Releases

Kubuntu follows the same naming/versioning system as Ubuntu, with each release having a code name, and a version number based on the year and month of release. Canonical provides support and security updates for most Kubuntu versions for 18 months after release.[4] Both Desktop CDs and Alternative (installation) CDs for x86 and AMD64 platforms are available.
Kubuntu is available both with KDE 3.5 and KDE 4.

Colour Meaning
Red Old release; not supported
Yellow Old release; still supported
Green Current release
Blue Future release
Version Release date Code name Supported until Notes
5.04 2005-04-08[5] Hoary Hedgehog 2006-10-31 Initial release including KDE 3.4 and a selection of the most useful KDE programs. Some of these are not in the official KDE itself, including Amarok, Kaffeine, Gwenview, and K3b. Inclusion of update-manager/upgrade-notifier; Kickstart compatibility.
5.10 2005-10-13[6][7] Breezy Badger 2007-04-13 KDE 3.4.3 and the Guidance configuration tools. It also comes with the Adept Package Manager, the first to make use of debtags for easier searching (replacing the Kynaptic package manager used in the previous release); System Settings, a re-organised kcontrol-like centre and KDE Bluetooth; Graphical boot process with progress bar (USplash); OEM Installer Support; Launchpad tracking; GCC 4.0.
6.06 LTS 2006-06-01[8][9] Dapper Drake 2009-06 Long Term Support (LTS) release; Live CD and Installer on one disc; Ubiquity installer; Adept Notifier and Simplified Installer; X Display Configuration from Guidance; Better Asian language support; Avahi networking software
6.10 2006-10-26[10][11] Edgy Eft 2008-04 KDE 3.5.5. This release adds the photo management application Digikam and accessibility profiles - benefiting people with disabilities. System Settings is also redesigned, and power management, laptop button support & networking are improved. Also features automated problem reports and Upstart.[12]
7.04 2007-04-19[13] Feisty Fawn 2008-10 KDE 3.5.6; Migration assistant; KVM; Easy codec/restricted drivers installation; System Settings restructured into General and Advanced categories; Improved Hewlett-Packard printer management; KNetworkManager included; WPA support; Topic-based help system; OEM installer update; PowerPC support officially dropped.
7.10 2007-10-18[14][15] Gutsy Gibbon 2009-04-18 New background art. Ships with Strigi and Dolphin by default. Qt port of GDebi graphical installer for package files. Includes Restricted Drivers Manager for the first time.[16] New kubuntu-restricted-extras package is available for download from the repositories.
8.04  2008-04-24[17] Hardy Heron 2009-10[18] It has two versions: KDE 3.5 and KDE 4.0 (With community support only). This version intends to provide feature parity with GNOME-based Ubuntu.[19] This includes a port of system-config-printer to Qt to enable printer auto-detection, easy video codec installation in Kaffeine, a simple Compiz setup tool and inclusion of Bulletproof X in KDM,[20][21] and automatic grabbing and releasing of the mouse cursor when running on a VMware virtual machine.
8.10 2008-10-30 Intrepid Ibex[22] 2010-04 KDE 4.1.2 desktop environment by default, Linux 2.6.27, Xserver 1.5, Adept Manager 3, KNetworkManager 0.7, KWin desktop effects by default, various Kubuntu tool integration.
9.04 2009-04-23 Jaunty Jackalope 2010-10 KDE 4.2.2 desktop environment by default, Kernel 2.6.28, Xserver 1.6, Adept superseded by KPackageKit,[23] implementation of the ext4 filesystem, faster boot time.[24], Community Supported PowerPC images added [25]
9.10 2009-10-29 Karmic Koala 2011-04 KDE 4.3.2 desktop environment by default, GRUB 2, init system moved to Upstart.
10.04 LTS 2010-04-29 Lucid Lynx 2013-04 Long Term Support (LTS) release. Security updates will be available for three years for desktops and five years for servers. Will be available after Ubuntu Developer Summit for version 10.04 (after 20 November 2009)

System requirements

The desktop version of Kubuntu currently supports the Intel x86 and the AMD64 architectures. Some releases additionally support the SPARC architecture.[26], the PowerPC,[27][28] IA-64 (Itanium), and PlayStation 3 architectures. Because Kubuntu is Ubuntu with a KDE desktop, any version available in Ubuntu is also available for Kubuntu.

The minimum system requirements for a desktop installation are a 300 MHz x86 processor, 64 MB of RAM, 4 GB of hard drive space,[29] and a video card which supports VGA at 640x480 resolution. The recommended system requirements for the desktop installation are a 700 MHz x86 processor, 384 MB of RAM, 8 GB of hard drive space,[29] and a video card which supports VGA at 1024×768 resolution. The server installation requires a 300 MHz x86 processor, 64 MB of RAM,[30] and a video card which supports VGA at 640×480.

Desktop & laptop[31] Server[31]
Required Recommended
Processor 300 MHz (x86) 700 MHz (x86) 300 MHz (x86)
Memory 64 MB 384 MB 64 MB[30]
Hard drive capacity 4 GB[29] 8 GB[29] 500 MB[30]
Video card VGA @ 640x480 VGA @ 1024x768 VGA @ 640x480

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Kubuntu FAQ". http://www.kubuntu.org/faq.php. 
  2. ^ Kubuntu Wiki
  3. ^ "Kubuntu FAQ". http://www.kubuntu.org/faq.php#kubuntumeaning. 
  4. ^ "Ubuntu Releases FAQ". http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/releases/. Retrieved 2006-12-21. 
  5. ^ "5.04 Release Notes". 2005-04-08. http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/504. Retrieved 2007-04-14. 
  6. ^ "Ubuntu 5.10 announcement". https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-announce/2005-October/000038.html. Retrieved 2006-10-11. 
  7. ^ "Ubuntu 5.10 release notes". http://www.ubuntu.com/download/releasenotes/510. Retrieved 2006-12-21. 
  8. ^ "Ubuntu 6.06 LTS announcement". http://www.ubuntu.com/news/606released. Retrieved 2006-12-21. 
  9. ^ "Ubuntu 6.06 LTS release notes". http://www.ubuntu.com/download/releasenotes/606. Retrieved 2006-12-21. 
  10. ^ "Ubuntu 6.10 announcement". http://www.ubuntu.com/news/610released. Retrieved 2006-10-26. 
  11. ^ "Ubuntu 6.10 release notes". http://www.ubuntu.com/download/releasenotes/610. Retrieved 2006-12-21. 
  12. ^ "Kubuntu 6.10 release announcement". http://kubuntu.org/announcements/6.10-release.php. Retrieved 2007-03-30. 
  13. ^ "Ubuntu 7.04 announcement". https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FeistyFawn. Retrieved 2007-02-06. 
  14. ^ "GutsyReleaseSchedule - Ubuntu Wiki". https://wiki.ubuntu.com/GutsyReleaseSchedule. Retrieved 2007-04-12. 
  15. ^ "Introducing the Gutsy Gibbon". 2007-04-12. https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-announce/2007-April/000276.html. Retrieved 2007-05-06. 
  16. ^ "Kubuntu 7.10 Release Notes". http://kubuntu.org/announcements/7.10-release.php. Retrieved 2007-11-01. 
  17. ^ "HardyReleaseSchedule". https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardyReleaseSchedule. Retrieved 2007-12-01. 
  18. ^ Because of the switch from KDE 3 to KDE 4 Kubuntu Hardy is not a long term support (LTS) release, unlike Ubuntu Hardy: [1].
  19. ^ Kubuntu Hardy Catchup - Ubuntu Wiki
  20. ^ Back from Release Event, Printer Magic, Compiz Settings
  21. ^ UDS
  22. ^ "Next Ubuntu release to be called Intrepid Ibex, due in October". http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080220-next-ubuntu-release-to-be-called-intrepid-ibex.html. Retrieved 2008-02-20. 
  23. ^ http://web.mornfall.net/blog/farewell__44___adept.html
  24. ^ "JauntyJackalope/Alpha5/Kubuntu Introduction". https://wiki.kubuntu.org/JauntyJackalope/Alpha5/Kubuntu. Retrieved 2009-03-11. 
  25. ^ Kubuntu 9.04 Release Announcement - http://www.kubuntu.org/news/9.04-release
  26. ^ "Kubuntu 8.04 Releases". http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/ports/releases/8.04.1/release/. Retrieved 2009-03-11. 
  27. ^ "Technical Board Decision - February 2007". https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-announce/2007-February/000098.html. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
  28. ^ "Kubuntu 8.04 Releases". http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/ports/releases/8.04.1/release/. Retrieved 2009-03-11. 
  29. ^ a b c d "Ubuntu Desktop Edition". http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/desktopedition. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
  30. ^ a b c "Preparing to Install". https://help.ubuntu.com/7.10/server/C/preparing-to-install.html#id2581089. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
  31. ^ a b "Ubuntu System Requirements". https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/SystemRequirements. Retrieved 2008-06-13. }

References

External links

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