Tech News: Ubuntu Linux releases 16.04 LTS Beta 2

On the surface, 16.04 looks almost the same as Ubuntu 15.10. However, 16.04 adds several new features, including the much anticipated ability to move the Unity Launcher to the bottom of your screen. You may need to dig through dconf-editor to apply this change to your screen.

List of fixes and additions for Unity 7.4 desktop:

• Restart, Shutdown, Etc added to Unity Dash
• Option to move launcher to the bottom
• Apps now place icon on launcher sooner
• Online searches are now offline by default
• Option to ‘Always Show’ app menus in menu bar or locally
• Added scrollbars in Unity Dash
• Indication of how many external storage/Trash windows are open
• Quick List for Workspace switcher
• Option to format removable devices added to quicklist
• External storage on launcher can be opened using Alt+Number
• Ubuntu themes draws majority of CSD windows correctly
• If you have a microphone connected, the Sound Menu now lets you change the Mic Input Volume via a slider
• Addiitional Wallpapers

List of fixes and additions for Linux Kernel 4.4

• Better Intel Skylake support
• Virtual GPU driver 3D support
• Corsair Vengeance K90 support driver
• TPM 2.0 chips support
• Journaled RAID 5 support
• Linux Kernel 4.4 bug fixes and improvements for memory management, power efficiency and various file systems

List of fixes and additions for Core Application

• LibreOffice 5.1
• Firefox 45.0.1
• Chromium 49
• Thunderbird 38.6
• Nautilus (aka ‘Files’) 3.14
• Totem (aka ‘Videos’) 3.18
• Rhythmbox 3.3.1
• Shotwell 0.22
• GNOME Software 3.19
• GNOME Calendar 3.18
• Cheese

List of Applications removed in 16.04

• Brasero
• Empathy
• Ubuntu Software Center

Download Ubuntu Xenial Xerus 16.04 Beta 2 Version
Download

16.04 boasts of a new Calendar for your desktop, and a spanking new software store. It is also reported that the USB Startup Creator tool received some bugfixes to finally make it work in Ubuntu. Xenial dropped its support for Phyton 2 and moved to Phyton 3, making apps dependent to version 2 incompatible with 16.04. A word of warning for testers, Beta versions will almost always contain bugs. This version also contains a bug that affects Hard drives with an existing swap file.

Xenial is no longer supporting the AMD Catalyst (fglrx) driver for AMD/ATI Video Cards. As a replacement, they are recommending the free software Radeon and AMD GPU alternative drivers. This is a big turnoff for gamers, and Canonical hopefully addresses this in the very near future.

Tip: For starters, Ubuntu is a free alternative Operating System for PCs and mobiles.