Ubuntu Linux 17.10 now available with GNOME 3 as default desktop interface

Yesterday, Canonical unleashed the 27th release of Ubuntu Linux. Dubbed "Artful Aardvark," Ubuntu Linux 17.10 drops Unity and comes with GNOME 3 as the default desktop, also featuring new versions of KDE, MATE, and Budgie. This new release opens the path for the next Long Time Support release which is scheduled to arrive in April 2018.

According to Canonical's CEO and founder Mark Shuttleworth, "Ubuntu 17.10 is a milestone in our mission to enable developers across the cloud and the Internet of Things" that "provides a preview of the next major LTS and a new generation of operations for AI, container-based applications and edge computing." 

The highlights of Ubuntu Linux 17.10 include the following:

• easy switching between Bluetooth and built-in audio devices
• IPP Everywhere, Apple AirPrint, Mopria, and WiFi Direct driverless printing
• captive portals support for easier WiFi connections in public areas
• Wayland default display server with latest GNOME version featuring extensions developed with the GNOME Shell team (Xorg option available for Wayland-incompatible hardware)
• multiple software updates, including Firefox 56, Thunderbird 52, and LibreOffice 5.4.1
• 4.13-based Linux kernel with improved support for modern hardware from ARM, IBM, Dell, Intel, and others
• netplan as the new standard declarative YAML syntax for configuring interfaces

In addition to the above, Ubuntu 17.10 also features platform snaps for GNOME and KDE, thus providing a faster and more reliable way for developers to build and distribute smaller snaps with shared common libraries. For the end user, this usually translates to faster and more reliable updates that also use less bandwidth when compared to the traditional deb packages.

Ubuntu Linux 17.10 "Artful Aardvark" comes with support until July 2018. Until April 2018, those who need to use an LTS release should stick with Ubuntu 16.04. Upgrading from Ubuntu 17.04 is quite easy and can be done via the Update Manager by following the on-screen instructions, so even beginners should be able to do it without having to type a single letter in a command box.