14 DAY TRIAL // On October 26, 2006 Canonical announced the release of Edgy Eft aka Ubuntu 6.10, a version which introduced some of the nicest features at that point in time. Applications such as Firefox 2.0, OpenOffice 2.0.4, Gaim 2.0 Beta 3.1, F-Spot, Tomboy, Orca were introduced for the first time in an Ubuntu distribution. Other great features and technologies, like the new init system - Upstart (which is now a very important part of the Ubuntu OS), the automated crash report application - Apport, a new theme (including new login page, new desktop wallpaper and new sounds) and even rounded window borders for all corners of the window were introduced with the 6.10 release.
It was indeed a great operating system, and for me, it was the one that convinced me to move from Fedora to Ubuntu! But today, I am deeply sorry to inform the Edgy Eft users that on Friday April 25th, 2008 (after 18 months) Ubuntu 6.10 will reach the end of its life. This means that starting with April 25th, Canonical will stop "feeding" its Ubuntu 6.10 operating system with security/critical fixes and software updates!
Therefore, those of you who still use Ubuntu 6.10 either wait until April 24th for the Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Long Term Support) aka Hardy Heron release and reinstall your systems or upgrade now to Ubuntu 7.04 and then to Ubuntu 7.10. The latter method is not recommended as it may cause serious problems and it will take a long amount of time. But, for those who decide to upgrade their systems in multiple steps, instructions and caveats can be found here and here.
What is Ubuntu? Ubuntu is an open source software, 100% FREE to download and use. The users are free to customize or alter the included software in order to meet their needs. Since its launch in October 2004, Ubuntu has become one of the most highly regarded Linux distributions with millions of users in homes, businesses, schools and governments around the globe. To learn more about the upcoming features in Ubuntu 8.04 LTS, take a look at our detailed "What to Expect from Ubuntu 8.04 LTS" article!