Ubuntu Ultimate Edition 1.8, a Linux distribution that's based on Ubuntu Hardy Heron, was launched with the codename "Harty Hotrod". This release is built manually, without the help of the "Reconstructor" application that was used for the previous versions of Ultimate Edition.

This Linux distro comes in two flavors, one for 32 bit platforms while the other is a 64 bit edition. It was created starting from Hardy Heron will all the things that you were used to and many new other features. For instance, if you want to hear sounds playing as you're using your computer, you should know that you will enjoy a new soundscheme created for Ultimate Edition 1.8. Usplash, featuring a dragon, will appear only after you install the distro on your system, and not when you boot it from the Live media.

Ultimate Edition comes with everything you might need. It can be used by novices and even system administrators, as it is packed with applications ranging from media players to tweaking tools. You can listen to MP3s out of the box, and watch your favorite movies with audio and video players like Amarok, XMMS, VLC and Totem. When you have to write a document, view a spreadsheet, make a presentation, etc. you can use OpenOffice, as it comes with all the necessary stuff for your office tasks.

If you want to tweak and tailor the system to fit your needs, you can play around with sysv-init, sum and a few other handy tools for tweaking. Besides, you can keep an eye on your system with the help of sysinfo, MGM (Moaning Goat Meter), and write your own programs with the development tools that are provided with the distribution.

If you are interested in KDE4, you should know that a version featuring KDE4 is being prepared for you, although it has not been officially released.

Download Ubuntu Ultimate Edition 1.8 right now from Softpedia.