Ubuntu 14.04 LTS Desktop launched

HYDERABAD, INDIA: The free alternative to costly Windows operating system (OS), Ubuntu, prepared by Canonical of UK on open source Linux is launching the second long term service (LTS) verson Ubuntu 14.04 in India..

Canonical announced the latest Ubuntu release, 14.04 LTS desktop will be available for download from the 17th April 2014. The Long Term Support (LTS) release is supported and maintained by Canonical for five years, making it the most stable, reliable, secure and cost-effective desktop for long-term, large scale deployments within enterprise and public sector organisations today.

The upgraded Operating System will facilitate full touch compatibility on both laptops and mobile phones and would come with full five years free update. For servers users, the latest Ubuntu release would deliver more, particularly in the ares of automation, cloud computing and virtualisation.

"The 14.04 LTS release offers a solid, intuitive experience which is easy to manage,"Jane Silber, CEO at Canonical comments. "It is a viable and affordable alternative for those organisations considering a switch from Microsoft, and specifically those replacing XP or Windows 7 as they come to the end of life."

Ubuntu desktop is being used extensively in enterprise, government, education and other organisations such as French Gendarmerie, Penn Manor School District, Uttar Pradesh Government, University of Delhi, and the Government of India. Many of these organisations have replaced Windows and are realising significant benefits and cost savings. For example, the French Gendarmerie has reduced costs by a ratio of 40 percent, while Penn Manor School District in the US saved over $360,000 in the first year.

Ubuntu 14.04 LTS provides a seamless migration path for organisations upgrading from the previous 12.04 LTS. Users will notice a slicker experience, with improvements to the Unity UI. The release also includes all the tools required for business use including remote delivery of applications, compatibility with Windows file formats, browser-based cloud solutions and the Microsoft Office-compatible LibreOffice suite.

Ubuntu 14.04 LTS is optimised for desktops and laptops with multi-touch trackpads and touchscreens, as well as support for high pixel density (DPI) screens. This means users can make the most out of the newest hardware on the market.

The 14.04 LTS release also signals continued development toward Canonical's vision for true convergence across desktop, phone and tablet. Ubuntu's application store is growing with apps from Ubuntu's ecosystem of developers who are using the Ubuntu SDK to create apps that run across phone, tablet, desktop - in effect, any Ubuntu device. These apps automatically resize and adjust to make the best use of the space available while exposing the same core functionality, all from the same code-base. Ubuntu developers can build once and deliver to a full universe of devices running Ubuntu.

In Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, users also have the option to experience Unity 8, the next-generation user interface currently running on Ubuntu phones and tablets, which will underpin a single experience across multiple devices. The early preview showcases the convergence vision and demonstrates applications that work across all Ubuntu devices. 14.04 LTS will also form the basis of the first commercially available Ubuntu tablets, from Canonical's OEM partners.

Ubuntu's dedicated Chinese operating system, Ubuntu Kylin is also being released on the 17th April. The OS has been designed and developed on Ubuntu locally by the China Software and Integrated Chip Promotions Centre (CSIP) and the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT), Canonical and the Ubuntu community. The previous version of Ubuntu Kylin received over 2.5 million downloads in the first six months.