Canonical Ubuntu 11.10 review

Windows management has been slightly tweaked, so that the controls (minimise, maximise, restore and close) are now hidden in the title bar when an application is maximised. They only appear when you hover your mouse over the title bar, along with the program’s menu. It keeps the UI looking cleaner and slicker, but offers no real advantages.

The new Software Centre is a bit friendlier to look at, but there’s still not much commercial software.

The Ubuntu Software Centre has long been a strength of the software, providing easy access to applications that download and install from the internet automatically. In Ubuntu 11.10 the Software Centre has had a big overhaul. Previous versions looked a little basic, but the new version is much more consumer friendly with a larger interface, more obvious categories and large icons. Content has also been improved, with a larger games section that contains new free games, as well as some classics, such as Beneath a Steel Sky. Paid-for content has been increased, but there’s still not much on offer with just a small selection of games and some Linux magazines available for download.

Ubuntu One was introduced a few versions of Ubuntu ago, and lets you synchronise chosen folders and files to the cloud. It’s neatly integrated into the Nautilus file browser, letting you synchronise a folder from the right-click context menu.

With the release of Ubuntu 11.10, Canonical has improved its offering. You now get 5GB of free online storage and a new Windows client means you can synchronise your Windows and Linux PCs together.