https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Tech Services Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • MSP 501 Information Center
    • 2021 MSP 501 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Top Gun 51
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Tech Services Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • MSP 501 Information Center
    • 2021 MSP 501 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Top Gun 51
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Best Practices


Kubuntu 12.04 Updates Offer Stability, Performance Increases

  • Written by Christopher Tozzi
  • May 3, 2012

With Ubuntu 12.04 released in late April 2012, there’s no shortage of reviews of the open source operating system floating around the Web. But Ubuntu’s less phonetically ambiguous cousin, Kubuntu, doesn’t tend to get as much love. So in the interests of fairness, and of thinking outside the box, I decided to give Kubuntu 12.04 a whirl. Here’s what I found.

Kubuntu differs little from Ubuntu on the back end, of course. Technically speaking, the two OS variants are pretty much the same thing. But since Kubuntu is based on the KDE desktop environment, it shares little in common with its more popular cousin in the looks department — especially these days, when Ubuntu has gone in a radically new direction interface-wise with the adoption of the Unity desktop shell and HUD.

But while Ubuntu has been pursuing its own path, Kubuntu developers have been busy, too, incorporating innovations to KDE tailored to the worlds of the tablet and mobile computing. The 12.04 release is the first to feature Kubuntu Active, a remix of the KDE environment designed for devices with small screens which was first introduced to the *buntu world in March 2012. Meanwhile, other updates to KDE make the desktop experience in Kubuntu 12.04 better than ever, at least in my humble experience.

What’s New in Kubuntu 12.04

Granted, beyond Kubuntu Active, there’s not much that’s radically new in the latest Kubuntu release. Many of the changes, which are listed in full here, are behind-the-scenes enhancements that don’t alter the interface in any way or add new overt features, but which do increase performance and stability.

But those updates that will be more readily noticed by users include:

  • Interface updates to the Muon Package Manager, Kubuntu’s version of the Ubuntu Software Center.
  • Amarok, the default audio player, now sports integration with the Amazon MP3 Store. This adds competition to the music features built into Canonical’s Ubuntu One service, but it provides more choices to users, which is never a bad thing.
  • Although LibreOffice remains the default office suite in Kubuntu, Calligra, a KOffice fork that was born out of political disagreements, adds depth to the KDE office-productivity scene. Calligra is an application to watch, especially because its developers have been devoting special attention to mobile devices, which positions it to pair well with Kubuntu Active.
  • Last but not least, Gwenview, Kubuntu’s default image-viewing application, has gained some nice new features in version 2.8.2. I hadn’t used Gwenview much in the past, but since installing Kubuntu 12.04 I’ve been liking it a lot. It manages to be light and fast but also feature-rich.

More generally, Kubuntu 12.04 is a very solid release overall. The changes it introduces are not quite as ambitious as those of Ubuntu itself, where version 12.04 ushers in more substantial updates to the interface and application stack. But for an longterm support (LTS) release, Kubuntu 12.04 certainly seems solid.

And with a strong footing in the traditional desktop metaphor — a trait that will likely appeal to many users unhappy with the changes foisted upon them by GNOME Shell and Unity — yet with its sights also set on the world of highly mobile computing, Kubuntu is in a great position to adapt to the future without spitting in the face of the past. It may not enjoy nearly as much press as Ubuntu at the moment, but that could well change.

Tags: Agents Cloud Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Best Practices Mobility & Wireless Networking Open Source

Most Recent


  • Twenty, 20
    The CF List: 2022's 20 Top SD-WAN Providers You Should Know
    A leading SD-WAN provider has to show greater value across a number of different domains.
  • Look ahead
    Marketing All-Stars Share Their Focus for 2022 and Beyond
    Where do our CMO roundtable members expect to be concentrating their efforts in the months ahead?
  • Veeam CEO Anand Eswaran at VeeamON 2022
    Veeam's New CEO Wants 'Outsized' Data Protection Software Market Share
    Veeam CEO Anand Eswaran shares ambitious goal at VeeamON conference, where he also shared alarming ransomware trends.
  • Technology Market Opportunities Abound Amid Market Volatility
    There are new and increasing opportunities for those eager to embrace the future of technology.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Paying ransomware
    Sophos: Avaddon Ransomware Becoming More Prominent, Aggressive
  • security
    The Mounting Need for an Integrated Security Platform
  • Mobile malware
    Google Play, Apple App Store Are 'Large Malware Distribution Platforms'
  • Social media smartphone
    Social Media Roundup: Partners Talk Crypto, Security Hiring

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Europe

June 14, 2022 - June 15, 2022

MSP Summit

September 13, 2022 - September 16, 2022

Galleries

View all

Partners Speak to Microsoft’s Rodney Clark Departure and New Requirements Controversy

May 18, 2022

The CF List: 2022’s 20 Top SD-WAN Providers You Should Know

May 18, 2022

Marketing All-Stars Share Their Focus for 2022 and Beyond

May 18, 2022

Industry Perspectives

View all

A Sneak Peek at the 2022 BrightCloud Threat Report

May 17, 2022

Build Customers for Life with CX and Lifecycle Selling

May 16, 2022

Voice Analytics Are a Must-Have as Companies Evolve COVID-Rushed Tech

May 12, 2022

Webinars

View all

Simplifying SaaS Security for MSPs

April 27, 2022

How to Supercharge The Network to Support Your IT Superhero Moves

May 3, 2022

The 2022 MSP Challenge: Scale Service Delivery Despite the Talent Gap

April 21, 2022

White Papers

View all

The New Bottom Line: How MSPs Can Meet the Healthcare Crisis While Evolving Their Businesses

April 19, 2022

How to build a Security Operations Center (on a budget)

April 4, 2022

The AT&T Cybersecurity Incident Response Toolkit

April 4, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

AT&T, Microsoft, Cisco, ThreatLocker on Unlocking Partner Potential

Agents Share ‘Secrets,’ Industry Opportunity

May 11, 2022

Vonage Addresses Potential Partner Opportunity via Acquisition by Ericsson

May 5, 2022

Lumen Technologies ‘Built for Growth and Scale’

May 4, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

.@threatx_inc rolls out first partner program. #APIprotection dlvr.it/SQd3Pd https://t.co/X6cvbgpijr

May 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

Our MSPs weigh in on @Microsoft's Rodney Clark’s sudden exit, and the shakeups and challenges the new NCE program h… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

[email protected] now reaches 177 countries — 80 more regions for the channel to target. And #AWS has a new #publicsector… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

Our CMO roundtable series concludes with members’ predictions on what their primary focus will be in the months ahe… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

“@IngramMicroInc's role is to be the enabler of an ecosystem,” @SahooSanj said at the company's cloud summit.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

Take a sneak peak at BrightCloud's 2022 Threat Report. #Channel Partners #CyberThreats @Webroot… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

#GoogleCloudSummit unveils new solutions for #zerotrust, supply chain security. @googlecloud dlvr.it/SQZ2By https://t.co/37buEDQ030

May 18, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@Veeam CEO @anandeswaran is gunning for outsized share of data protection market at #veeamOn2022… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 18, 2022

MSSP Insider

Business advice for MSSPs and news from the broader security channel.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X