Ubuntu Linux is a relatively new, desktop-oriented GNU/Linux distribution that is generally easy to install and use, even and especially for people who have never used GNU/Linux before. Ubuntu was originally based on Debian, but since its first release in September 2004, Ubuntu has grown further and further away from Debian, though there is still a great deal of resemblance between the two on a basic level.

Ubuntu is on a six-month release cycle, so the goal is to create two production releases per year. Release numbers are a one-digit year followed by a two-digit month, so 6.06 represents a June 2006 release, and 5.10 indicates an October 2005 release. Each version is supported with software updates for a term of 18 months, at which time you must upgrade to the latest release. Any Ubuntu release that has an LTS (Long Term Support) tacked onto its version number will be supported with security updates for three years on desktops or workstations, and five years on servers.