The final beta of Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver LTS (Long Term Support) was released a few hours ago.
Ubuntu 18.04 Beta 2 features iso images for Ubuntu Desktop, Server, and Cloud products. Also Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu Budgie, Ubuntu Kylin, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Studio, and Xubuntu images are available.
The beta includes updated versions of most of core set of packages, including a current 4.15 kernel, and much more. And the final release of Ubuntu 18.04 will be available on April 26.
Notable hanges in Kubuntu 18.04 since the last LTS:
- Replace Dragonplayer with VLC as default media player.
- Muon package manager is shipped by default once again.
- Replace Amarok with Cantata Qt5 as default music player.
- Drop Telepathy instant messaging client from the defaults.
Notable changes in Xubuntu 18.04 include:
- Removed the GTK Theme Configuration tool
- Replaced the Sound Indicator with the Xfce PulseAudio Plugin.
- Replaced Application indicator with Status Notifier Plugin
- Replace some desktop applications: Evince -> Atril, File Roller -> Engrampa, GNOME Calculator -> MATE Calculator.
Changes in Ubuntu MATE 18.04 include:
- MATE desktop 1.20
- Uses Indicators by default in all layouts.
- Brisk Menu switches to a dash-style launcher for Mutiny or Cupertino layout.
- Minimal installation support and more and more other changes.
- New and updated desktop layouts
- The xcursor themes have been replaced with new cursours from MATE upstream
Changes in Ubuntu Budgie 18.04 Beta2 include:
- Introduce Window Shuffler – a brand-new GUI and keyboard based grid tiling
- Weather Applet now is working again.
- Budgie Welcome has had a whole series of changes
Notable changes in Ubuntu Studio 18.04 Beta 2 include:
- Add an option to Ubuntu Studio Controls to set the CPU governor to performance mode
- Removed zynjacku as this is no longer maintained software
- Updated versions of main multimedia packages
The beta images for other flavors: Ubuntu Kylin 18.04, LUbuntu 18.04.
