Ubuntu Look

The Ubuntu development team yesterday released a series of security fixes for PHP running on Ubuntu 6.06 LTS, 7.04, 7.10 and Ubuntu 8.04 LTS.

The updates fix a number of security risks in PHP, including a problem with PHP not properly checking the length of the string parameter to the fnmatch function. An attacker could cause a denial of service in the PHP interpreter if a script passed untrusted input to the fnmatch function.

The fix also fixes a flaw in the cURL library that allowed safe_mode and open_basedir restrictions to be bypassed. If a

PHP application were tricked into processing a bad file:// request, an attacker could read arbitrary files.

Read more at Tectonic

Yesterday we shared that Dell has started shipping Ubuntu 8.04 PCs. Initially there are only three “Dellbuntu” PCs (two notebooks and one desktop) with this Long-Term Support (LTS) release of Ubuntu, but additional models will begin appearing as soon as next month…

Read more at Phoronix

As the Intrepid Ibex (8.10) development gets going, many people will probably be wondering what new end-user features they can expect.

1. The new theme - Though it was planned for 8.04, the plan for a new theme was pushed back to 8.10, the upcoming release. While almost every new version has some visual changes and a new background, this release is supposed to have more radical changes to the theme. The basic color scheme will probably stay, but other than that, who knows? You can see some of the proposed art here.

Read more at Linux Loop

The Ubuntu team is proud to announce the release of Ubuntu 8.04.1 LTS, the
first maintenance update to Ubuntu’s 8.04 LTS release.

In all, over 200 updates have been integrated, and updated installation
media has been provided so that fewer updates will need to be downloaded
after installation. These include security updates and corrections for
other high-impact bugs, with a focus on maintaining stability and
compatibility with Ubuntu 8.04 LTS.

To Get Ubuntu 8.04.1 LTS
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With Ubuntu, Canonical has had notable success in convincing people to switch from other platforms, but potential Ubuntu users are still running into trouble in several areas. Having spent some time on Canonical’s forums, I’ve identified 10 points that seem to be common sticking points for new users — that is, problems that have the potential to prevent a new user from adopting Ubuntu in the long term. These problems span the entire Ubuntu experience, but they all have two things in common: they are all serious enough to evoke the dreaded “I tried Linux but it didn’t work” excuse, and they are all solvable.

Read more at Linux.com

Two months after Ubuntu 8.04 LTS was released and almost one month after Ubuntu Netbook Remix was first showcased, Ubuntu MID Edition 8.04 has been released. This is the newest Canonical product in the Ubuntu family and is designed for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). Ubuntu MID Edition is a cut-down version of Ubuntu 8.04 for the desktop but with many packages sliced away and with optimizations for Intel’s Atom Processor and mobile software enhancements as a result of the Moblin project.

Read and look more at Phoronix

With Ubuntu 8.04.1 scheduled to be released on July 3 the Ubuntu development team is putting the final touches to the popular Linux distribution. Ubuntu 8.04.1 not a new release of Ubuntu but an updated CD image so that users trying Ubuntu 8.04 for the first time only have to download the CD image and not all the updates that have been released since the original 8.04 release. Those updates are included in the CD image to be released on July 3.

Read more at Tectonic

While most major server vendors take a “wait and see” approach to Ubuntu, a major Canadian Web host says the server operating system is ready for prime time. Indeed, Cirrus Tech is now offering Ubuntu on its server hosting plans. Here’s a closer look at Cirrus Tech’s announcement, and the state of Ubuntu on the server.

Cirrus Tech’s Ubuntu server move comes less than two weeks after I noted Canonical’s Ubuntu server push is progressing slowly. Still, a few more small victories resembling Cirrus Tech could help Ubuntu to gradually gain mind share — and market share — on servers.

Read more at Works With U

The release of Ubuntu 8.10 Alpha 1 is running a few days behind schedule, but an interesting announcement has come out of the Canonical camp this morning. Gobuntu is an official Ubuntu-based distribution that’s funded by Canonical and its mission is to ship a distribution composed entirely of software packages that are approved by the Free Software Foundation…

Read more at Phoronix

Canonical has finally “branded” its Internet-centric device strategy for Ubuntu. The company says “Ubuntu Netbook Remix” devices will emerge as affordable, power-efficient, small screen devices driven by Intel’s Atom processor. But which PC companies and device makers will back Ubuntu on netbooks? Here are some thoughts, plus four key questions facing Canonical’s netbook strategy.

Read more at Works With U