Ubuntu 8.10, named Intrepid Ibex, is scheduled for release next week, so we figured it's time to run down the checklist of improvements, fixes, and enhancements since Hardy Heron came out earlier this year. The last six months of development have brought tons of new functionality that make running Linux easier for all users--power users and neophytes alike.Oh, and there's a new wallpaper.

The biggest changes to Ibex over Heron are, as always, the addition of the latest version of GNOME, X.Org, the Linux kernel. Ibex includes Gnome 2.24, X.Org 7.4, and version 2.6.27 of the kernel. We'll talk about each one as well as show you some of the Ubuntu-specific apps that you can expect to see.

GNOME 2.24

GNOME is the desktop environment of choice for Ubuntu, and is responsible for most of the user interface elements that users actually see. Everything from the login screen to the system's application launching menus and file browser are a part of GNOME. 

The Deskbar applet gives a context-sensitive search, accessible with a hotkey, similar to Spotlight on OS X or Windows Desktop Search on Vista.

GNOME 2.24  includes many new applications, including a time-tracking application, a SIP-based audio/visual conferencing client called Ekiga, and a whole lot of sweet applets that add advanced functions to your desktop. GNOME also includes an enhanced tab-based file browser, a smart search utility that solves basic math and allows you to search popular sites directly, and more advanced resolution controls for X.Org. Gnome 2.24 also includes much needed enhancements for mobile users, with better Bluetooth support and support for Offline access to Exchange servers using the Evolution application

X.Org 7.4

X.Org is the software that actually draws the graphical UI. X.Org offers all the features you'd expect in a modern renderer, like support for 3D-composited desktop and even hardware-accelerated video playback. 

While the basic resolution switcher has been around for a while, now it supports multiple monitors and more hardware. Unfortunately, the proprieary Nvidia drivers are still incompatible. 

X.Org 7.4 doesn't include a ton of sexy enhancements like GNOME, but it does offer a few very noticeable performance and compatibility improvements, namely in boot time improvements and support for a wider variety of input devices. Hotplugging support for input devices actually works now, so you can plug in mice and tablets and use them without having to reboot. Improvements to X.Org also allow for the easier to manage display control panel, which allows users to adjust resolutions and screen placement for single and multiple monitor displays easily. 

Linux Kernel 2.6.27

The Linux kernel handles the basic functions of the operating system, from managing memory allocation to support for hardware like IDE controllers and mice, the kernel is the underpinnings for the entire operating system. 

The 2.6.27 kernel offers the usual mix of performance enhancements, power user features, and support for new hardware. We're especially excited about the speed enhancements to the Ext4 file system, better support for USB webcams, and some significant gains in battery life for mobile users.