Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop: Applications and Administration

The "Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop: Applications and Administration" covers the Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot) release, focusing on applications and administrative tools. The emphasis here is on what users will face when using Ubuntu, covering topics like installation, applications, software management, the Ubuntu desktops (Unity, GNOME, and KDE), shell commands, network connections, and system administration tasks. Ubuntu 11.10 introduces several new features, as well as numerous smaller modifications. It is a short-term support release. The Ubuntu desktop with the Unity interface is examined in detail. Unity uses a Launcher and a Dash (dashboard) to manage access to applications and devices. It is also now based on GNOME 3, with several new desktop configuration tools and the System Settings dialog. In addition, changes to the messaging, user switcher, and desktop menus, as well as the Nautilus file manager, are covered. The Kubuntu desktop, which uses KDE, provides a very different interface using plasma containers to support the panel, menu, desktop, configuration tools, and plasmoid applets. Changes include enhancements of the Unity interface with launcher and dash, refinements to the Ubuntu Software Center, Ubuntu One setup and configuration, the new Gwibber social networking interface, and LibreOffice. Banshee is the default music player and Thunderbird is the default mail client. Advanced components are also examined such as the GRUB 2 boot loader, PulseAudio sound configuration, and Disk Utility (Udisks) for storage device configuration and information (SMART).