Kubuntu 6.06 LTS Beta has been released together with the Ubuntu beta. This release includes a preview of the new live installer on the Desktop CD.

Kubuntu is a user friendly operating system based on KDE, the K Desktop Environment. With a predictable release cycle and part of the Ubuntu project, Kubuntu is the GNU/Linux distribution for everyone. Kubuntu 6.06 LTS (long-term support) will be the first Kubuntu release to be supported for three years on the desktop, and five years on the server.

Download Kubuntu 6.06 LTS Beta
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Download Kubuntu 6.06 LTS Beta from the following sites, please use Bittorrent if possible:

United States:
http://us.releases.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/6.06/

Europe:
http://se.releases.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/6.06/

United Kingdom:
http://releases.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/6.06/

Rest of the World:
http://releases.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/6.06/

The final version of Kubuntu 6.06 LTS is expected to be released in June. At that time, we will mail pressed Desktop CDs free of charge.


New in Kubuntu 6.06 LTS Beta
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Find out more of the new changes in 6.06 at

https://wiki.kubuntu.org/KubuntuDapperBeta

On the Desktop

* A new graphical installer is available on the live CD, allowing Kubuntu to be installed quickly and easily to your hard disk

* Faster system startup and login

* A simplified package installer - Add/Remove Programmes

* An update notification from Adept in the system tray when new packages are available

* X configuration tool in System Settings

* Graphical shutdown process

* Improved support for Oriental languages through Skim

* Language Support tool to setup Kubuntu for different locales

* The latest KDE 3.5.2

* OpenOffice.org 2.0.2

* X.org 7.0

Adventurous users find KDE Network Manager for easy roaming between wireless networks and Kerry the KDE frontend to the Beagle desktop search engine. These are not part of the official release but can be found in the unsupported 'universe' archive.

Installation and Upgrades

* The text-mode installer now runs in a single stage, rebooting straight into the complete system. This makes it faster, simpler, and more reliable.

* Kubuntu can now be installed to USB devices, such as removable hard drives and flash memory, using the text-mode installer.

"Under the hood"

* GCC 4.0.3

* glibc 2.3.6

* Linux 2.6.15.6

* New live CD infrastructure for improved performance, usability and space-efficiency.

* Greatly improved infrastructure for automatic hardware detection and activation.

* The system PATH is now set in exactly one place, /etc/environment, for convenient administration.

As always, Kubuntu includes the very best of the 100% Free / Libre application software world, and each new release incorporates countless new features and bugfixes from the global development community.


Feedback and Helping
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As a community project we always welcome help. Packagers, testers, translators and documentation writers are all needed

https://wiki.kubuntu.org/HelpingKubuntu

Please see this wiki page for a list of known problems and to report any general feedback. Report bugs to Launchpad:

https://wiki.kubuntu.org/KubuntuDapperBetaFeedback

Community support is available on mailing lists, forums and IRC channels:

http://kubuntu.org/support.php

More Information
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Find out more about Kubuntu on our website:

http://www.kubuntu.org/

To sign up for future announcements, please subscribe to Ubuntu's very low volume announcement list at:

http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-announce