Canonical Has Released Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and Download Links Are Up

• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is out, and it’s a release focused around speed, security, and privacy.
• The new version of the popular Linux distribution looks modern and features the new GNOME DE.
• The usual “comfort” elements are there too, like the out-of-the-box driver support and included 32-bit libraries.

The next major release of Ubuntu, the most popular Linux distribution in the world, is out and ready for download. The 20.04 LTS codenamed “Focal Fossa” came without delays, and it’s a “Long Term Support” release, meaning that it will receive security updates until 2030. LTS releases are supported for an extended period. So people who want to install an OS and leave it be for a long time or those who need a stable OS for critical deployment usually go for these versions. The non-LTS releases that come in between are considered more experimental, so they are inherently a little bit unstable.

So, what’s new on 20.04 LTS? Mainly the following things:

• Linux kernel v5.4 with WireGuard VPN support
• GNOME Shell v3.36 desktop environment
• Support for fractional scaling
• An amazing new “dark” theme
• Various UI tweaks on the menu, settings, and taskbar
• A new “Do Not Disturb” mode
• Various performance improvements
• Upgraded ZFS support for native hardware encryption
• Kernel self-protection measures for control-flow integrity and stack-class protection
• Secure Boot protection against APT rootkits
• Support for FIDO password-less authentication
• Support for AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization
• Support for Google Cloud Shielded VM hardening

Ubuntu has become the most popular Linux distribution out there, by offering an easy-to-use operating system that looks nice and works well out of the box. This is achieved by including a lot of stuff belonging to the proprietary software sphere, and this latest release is no exception. You’ll get Nvidia’s official drivers pre-loaded on the system, instead of messing around or using the open-source drivers that are severely undercut. You will also get 32-bit support for Valve’s Steam, Wine, and Lutris, so this is a Linux distribution to game on.

If you’ve never tried Ubuntu before, or a Linux distribution in general, this release would be an ideal chance for you to get something to fiddle over the weekend. Ubuntu may come with several compromises in terms of software support. Still, in general, Linux has come a long way, and it’s very capable of covering the everyday needs of the vast majority of most people. Ubuntu 20.04 is speedy, secure, private, safe, and “unlocked,” so there are many reasons to give it a go.