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Ubuntu − Overview Ubuntu
Ubuntu is a Linux-based operating system. It is designed for computers, smartphones, and network
servers. The system is developed by a UK based company called Canonical Ltd. All the principles
used to develop the Ubuntu software are based on the principles of Open Source software
development.
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Features of Ubuntu
Following are some of the significant features of Ubuntu -
The desktop version of Ubuntu supports all the normal software on Windows such as Firefox,
Chrome, VLC, etc.
It supports the office suite called LibreOffice.
Ubuntu has an in-built email software called Thunderbird, which gives the user access to
email such as Exchange, Gmail, Hotmail, etc.
There are a host of free applications for users to view and edit photos.
There are also applications to manage videos and it also allows the users to share videos.
It is easy to find content on Ubuntu with the smart searching facility.
The best feature is, it is a free operating system and is backed by a huge open source
community.
Release Cycle of Ubuntu
Every year there are 2 releases of Ubuntu, one in April and one in October, from Canonical. The
version number normally denotes the year in which the software was released. For example,
version 14.04 specifies that it was released in the year 2014 and in the month of April. Similarly,
the version 16.04 specifies that it was released in the year 2016 and in the month of April. The
April build every year is the more stable build, while the October build does a lot of experimentation
on new features.
The official site for Ubuntu is [Link]
The site has all information and documentation about the Ubuntu Software. It also has the
download links for both the server and desktop versions of Ubuntu.
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3. Ubuntu − Environment Ubuntu
We need to ensure we have the right hardware specifications in order to have Ubuntu installed.
System Requirements
Ensure the following system requirements are met before proceeding with the installation.
Memory 2GB RAM (recommended)
Disk Space 25GB of free hard disk space
Processor 2 GHz dual core processor or better
An optional DVD drive or USB drive with the Installer media. An internet
Other requirements
connection to download the optional updates.
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Downloading Ubuntu
Step 1: To download Ubuntu, go to the following url – [Link]
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Step 2: On this page, there is an option to download the older versions of Ubuntu if required. Click
the Alternative downloads and torrents link.
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Step 3: Go to Past releases link. It then presents a page with all the past releases of the Ubuntu
software.
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Installing Ubuntu
Now let’s learn about installing the desktop version of Ubuntu. For the purpose of this tutorial, we
will go with the latest version which is 16.04. The installer is a ISO image which can be mounted
on a DVD drive or USB stick. Once the image is booted on the machine, following are the steps for
installation.
Step 1: The first screen allows us to either install or try out Ubuntu. The try out option allows us
to see the features of Ubuntu without actually installing it. However, we want to use Ubuntu, so
let’s choose the Install Ubuntu option.
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Step 2: The next screen gives you 2 options. One is to download updates in the background while
installing and the other is to install 3rd party software. Check the option to install 3rd party software.
Then click the Continue button.
Step 3: In the next screen, the following options are presented -
The disk is erased and the installation is carried out. If there was another operating system
already on the disk, then Ubuntu would detect it and give the user the option to install the
operating system side by side.
There is an option to encrypt the installation. This is so that if anybody else were to steal
the data, they would not be able to decrypt the data.
Finally, Linux offers a facility called LVM, which can be used for taking snapshots of the disk.
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For the moment, to make the installation simple, let’s keep the options unchecked and proceed
with the installation by clicking the Install Now button.
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Step 4: In the following screen, we will be prompted if we want to erase the disk. Click the Continue
button to proceed.
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Step 5: In this screen, we will be asked to confirm our location. Click the Continue button to
proceed.
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Step 6: Now, we will be asked to confirm the language and the keyboard settings. Let us select
English (UK) as the preferred settings.
Step 7: In the following screen, we will need to enter the user name, computer name and password
which will be used to log into the system. Fill the necessary details as shown in the following
screenshot. Then, click the continue button to proceed.
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The system will now proceed with the installation and we will see the progress of the installation
as shown in the following screenshot.
At the end of the installation, the system will prompt for a restart.
Step 8: Click the Restart Now to proceed.
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Once the restart is complete, log in with the username and password.
Once logged in, the desktop is presented as shown in the following screenshot.
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We now have a fully functional version of Ubuntu. In the subsequent chapters, we will look at the
various features available.
Let us take a quick look at the Ubuntu environment before we proceed ahead with the remaining
chapters.
The Control Panel
The Control Panel on the left-hand side of the screen presents shortcuts for all of the most used
applications. Using these options, we can launch the LibreOffice component, the Firefox browser,
the Software Center and many other applications.
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