Ubuntu Hardy Heron (8.04) is due to be released in April 2008. It is already out now as a BETA, and among the features are GNOME 2.22 (with PolicyKit now integrated), Linux kernel 2.6.24 (that brings power savings to 64-bit processors), not to mention Firefox 3 (beta 4), PulseAudio, and Brasero (CD/DVD Burning) by default. Checkout the full list of new features here.

However, of all the features, I’m really looking forward to Wubi in Ubuntu. What is Wubi? Well, it’s a new installation option for Windows users, which allows users to install and uninstall Ubuntu like any other Windows application, without requiring a dedicated partition, or affecting the existing bootloader. Here’s the description I got from their website:

“Wubi is an unofficial Ubuntu installer for Windows users that will bring you into the Linux world with a single click. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu as any other application. If you heard about Linux and Ubuntu, if you wanted to try them but you were afraid, this is for you.”

So, finally an easy way to install Ubuntu as a Windows application. Why would I need that? Well, apparently, the trickiest part of introducing some Windows-minded friends and colleagues to try out Linux (in this case, Ubuntu) is getting them to install the OS. In many cases, LiveCD doesn’t always looks too convincing. With Wubi, I’m certain that Ubuntu will broaden its appeal to these users, and hopefully as a result, more people would actually start appreciating Linux as an excellent alternative to Windows and Macs.

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