Linux Format - UK (2019-12)

Discover the highlights from this month’s packed DVD!

On the disc

EOAN ERMINE

Ubuntu 19.10

olly, a new Ubuntu release, and the last

one before the LTS release in April

2020. Like all the other development
      (non-LTS) versions, this ‘Eoan Ermine’ release
      brings a newer kernel (5.3) and drivers, new
      applications and new desktop tweaks.
      The about-turn back to the Gnome desktop
      in Ubuntu 18.04 came with some teething
      problems; namely, performance was poor and
      many people ran into a nasty memory leak. That
      should all be fixed now, and Ermine packs the
      latest Gnome 3.34 desktop – well, most of it,
      anyway, as some components are still based on
      older versions. Users should see reduced
      latencies and CPU usage. Nvidia users will be
      pleased that the proprietary driver can now be
      installed during the install phase – just tick the
      proprietary drivers box when prompted.
      Cosmetically, the Eoan update includes
      brighter UI elements (the login/lock
      backgrounds and calendar and status drop-
      downs), which will please people that found the
      dark grey menus a bit drab. If you want things to
      be even brighter, there’s a bright version of the
      Yaru theme that can be installed using GNOME
      Tweaks. If you like the shadows and the night

64-bit

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

DEFECTIVE DISCS: For basic help on running the disc or in the unlikely event of your

Linux Format coverdisc being in any way defective, please visit our support site at

http://www.linuxformat.com/dvdsupport. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer advice on

using the applications, your hardware or the operating system itself.

DOWNLOAD

YOUR DVD

Get code and DVD images at:

http://www.linuxformat.com

/archives

time, there’s also a dark Yaru theme. Removable

devices now appear in the dock, which makes

them easy to access. You can now add app

folders to the Applications screen, which is great

if, say, you use lots of text editors and want

them all grouped in one place.

Brave users and fans of shiny things will be

excited that the installer enables you to use the

‘next generation’ ZFS filesystem. This is

considered experimental, so you shouldn’t use it

on a production system, but if you have a huge

disk and plan to work with huge files then it may

be a useful option.

If you’re already running Ubuntu 19.04, you’ll

have been offered the upgrade already. If not,

fire up Ubuntu Software and update at your

earliest convenience, as support for 19.04 will

dry up in January 2020. If you’re already

running the 18.04 LTS release, you probably

want to stick with that, or possibly install 19.10

alongside it. The non-LTS releases are

development releases; they are tested

thoroughly, just not as thoroughly as the LTSes.

So while they probably won’t break your system,

they probably will feature some quirky bugs.

S TART HERE

USING THE LXFDVD

Using Linux for the first time can

be very confusing. It’ll be unlike

anything that you’ve likely operated

before, especially if you’re used to

Microsoft Windows or Apple

macOS.

Generally our DVDs are designed

to be run directly, which is to say

that when you first power on your

PC (or Mac) it should ‘boot’ from

the DVD – so before Windows or

macOS even starts to load – with

Linux running directly from the

DVD. This trick is known as a Live

Disc. It enables you to try out the

various versions of Linux without

having to install or change anything

on your PC. Just remove the DVD,

restart your PC and it’ll be exactly

as you left it.

While many systems will boot

from a DVD when it finds one,

many will not. See below for the

standard process for enabling

booting from a DVD on various

desktops and laptop PCs.

The alternative option is to

locate the ISO file on the DVD and

write this to your own USB thumb

drive and attemp to run that. We

recommend using Etcher from

https://balena.io/etcher that’s

available for Windows, macOS and

Linux. Good luck!

BOOT THE DISC

Many PCs should boot

automatically if they’re turned on

with a disc in the drive. If not, many

offer an early Boot Menu accessed

by tapping a key while powering up

from cold: F9 (HP), F12 (Dell,

Lenovo), F8 (Amibios) or F11

(Award BIOS). Alternatively, use

the BIOS/UEFI to adjust the boot

order to start with the optical drive.

Again, this is accessed by tapping a

key during power up, usually Del

but sometimes F1 or F2. Some new

UEFI PCs require access via

Windows: holding Shift select its

Restart option. If you’re still having

problems using the DVD visit:

http://www.linuxformat.com/

dvdsupport

Mac owners: Hold the C key

while powering on your system

to boot from the disc.

G

Not only is there the usual new selection of desktop

wallpaper, there’s a whole new wallpaper picker too.

BASE SPEC: DUAL-CORE 64-BIT CPU, 2GB RAM, 20GB HDD

Drag and drop icons on the Applications screen to create, or

add to, app folders. ‘appy days indeed.

96 LXF257 December 2019 http://www.linuxformat.com

Discover the highlights from this month’s packed DVD!

On the disc

EOANERMINE

Ubuntu 19.10

olly,anewUbunturelease,andthelast

onebeforetheLTSreleaseinApril

2020.Likealltheotherdevelopment

(non-LTS)versions,this‘EoanErmine’release

bringsanewerkernel(5.3)anddrivers,new

applicationsandnewdesktoptweaks.

Theabout-turnbacktotheGnomedesktop

inUbuntu18.04camewithsometeething

problems;namely,performancewaspoorand

manypeopleranintoanastymemoryleak.That

shouldallbefixednow,andErminepacksthe

latestGnome3.34desktop–well,mostofit,

anyway,assomecomponentsarestillbasedon

olderversions.Usersshouldseereduced

latenciesandCPUusage.Nvidiauserswillbe

pleasedthattheproprietarydrivercannowbe

installedduringtheinstallphase–justtickthe

proprietarydriversboxwhenprompted.

Cosmetically,theEoanupdateincludes

brighterUIelements(thelogin/lock

backgroundsandcalendarandstatusdrop-

downs),whichwillpleasepeoplethatfoundthe

darkgreymenusabitdrab.Ifyouwantthingsto

beevenbrighter,there’sabrightversionofthe

YaruthemethatcanbeinstalledusingGNOME

Tweaks.Ifyouliketheshadowsandthenight

64-bit

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

DEFECTIVE DISCS: For basic help on running the disc or in the unlikely event of your

Linux Format coverdisc being in any way defective, please visit our support site at

http://www.linuxformat.com/dvdsupport. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer advice on

using the applications, your hardware or the operating system itself.

DOWNLOAD

YOUR DVD

Get code and DVD images at:

http://www.linuxformat.com

/archives

time,there’salsoadarkYarutheme.Removable

devices now appear in the dock, which makes

them easy to access. You can now add app

folders to the Applications screen, which is great

if, say, you use lots of text editors and want

them all grouped in one place.

Brave users and fans of shiny things will be

excited that the installer enables you to use the

‘next generation’ ZFS filesystem. This is

considered experimental, so you shouldn’t use it

on a production system, but if you have a huge

disk and plan to work with huge files then it may

be a useful option.

If you’re already running Ubuntu 19.04, you’ll

have been offered the upgrade already. If not,

fire up Ubuntu Software and update at your

earliest convenience, as support for 19.04 will

dry up in January 2020. If you’re already

running the 18.04 LTS release, you probably

want to stick with that, or possibly install 19.10

alongside it. The non-LTS releases are

development releases; they are tested

thoroughly, just not as thoroughly as the LTSes.

So while they probably won’t break your system,

they probably will feature some quirky bugs.

S TART HERE

USING THE LXFDVD

Using Linux for the first time can

be very confusing. It’ll be unlike

anything that you’ve likely operated

before, especially if you’re used to

Microsoft Windows or Apple

macOS.

Generally our DVDs are designed

to be run directly, which is to say

that when you first power on your

PC (or Mac) it should ‘boot’ from

the DVD – so before Windows or

macOS even starts to load – with

Linux running directly from the

DVD. This trick is known as a Live

Disc. It enables you to try out the

various versions of Linux without

having to install or change anything

on your PC. Just remove the DVD,

restart your PC and it’ll be exactly

as you left it.

While many systems will boot

from a DVD when it finds one,

many will not. See below for the

standard process for enabling

booting from a DVD on various

desktops and laptop PCs.

The alternative option is to

locate the ISO file on the DVD and

write this to your own USB thumb

drive and attemp to run that. We

recommend using Etcher from

https://balena.io/etcher that’s

available for Windows, macOS and

Linux. Good luck!

BOOT THE DISC

Many PCs should boot

automatically if they’re turned on

with a disc in the drive. If not, many

offer an early Boot Menu accessed

by tapping a key while powering up

from cold: F9 (HP), F12 (Dell,

Lenovo), F8 (Amibios) or F11

(Award BIOS). Alternatively, use

the BIOS/UEFI to adjust the boot

order to start with the optical drive.

Again, this is accessed by tapping a

key during power up, usually Del

but sometimes F1 or F2. Some new

UEFI PCs require access via

Windows: holding Shift select its

Restart option. If you’re still having

problems using the DVD visit:

http://www.linuxformat.com/

dvdsupport

Mac owners: Hold the C key

while powering on your system

to boot from the disc.

G

Not only is there the usual new selection of desktop

wallpaper, there’s a whole new wallpaper picker too.

BASE SPEC: DUAL-CORE 64-BIT CPU, 2GB RAM, 20GB HDD

Drag and drop icons on the Applications screen to create, or

add to, app folders. ‘appy days indeed.

96 LXF257 December 2019 http://www.linuxformat.com