Ubuntu 11.04 'Natty Narwhal': A First Look at the OS

Perhaps the most widely anticipated Linux release ever, Canonical's Ubuntu 11.04--also known as "Natty Narwhal"--is due for official release on April 28. Among the highlights of the new release will be the Unity desktop interface, LibreOffice for productivity software, and the Compiz window manager.

Natty Narwhal--named for the whale that lives year-round in the Arctic--represents a big departure for Ubuntu in its switch away from the GNOME desktop shell as a default. Also new in Natty is Ubuntu's elimination of a separate netbook version and new capabilities to let users try the open-source operating system in the cloud, without downloading or installing it.

Canonical just released the details Thursday. Keep reading to see what's inside, and read more about the countdown to Natty Narwhal here.