Ubuntu, the most popular Linux distribution, is now available for download. The Gutsy Gibbon Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop Edition includes improvements in plug-and-play printing, enhanced browsing, searching and a new graphical user interface built on top of the new GNOME 2.20 desktop, giving an opportunity to switch from Windows Vista to a Unix based OS.

Here are the salient features of Ubuntu 7.1 Gutsy Gibbon:

+ GNOME 2.20: Gutsy Gibbon brings the latest and greatest GNOME 2.20 features and improvements
+ Desktop 3D effects: Compiz Fusion is enabled by default and will bring 3D desktop visual effects that improve the usability and visual appeal of the system. Compiz is a compositing window manager that uses 3D graphics acceleration via OpenGL.
+ Desktop search: Allows quick access to your common actions, including opening web bookmarks and searches, sending messages to your contacts, and more. The Tracker indexer has been added to the desktop, making it easier and faster to search for your documents, photos, music, videos, chat logs, and all other files.
+ Fast user switching: It is now possible to easily switch between user sessions without logging off similiar to Windows
+ Firefox plugins: Firefox comes with an improved plugin finder wizard that allows users to search and install packaged plugins easily
+ Dynamic screen configuration: X Resize and Rotate Extension (xrandr) enables dynamic monitor detection, and resizing and rotating of video output, for no-fuss support for projectors and external monitors.
+ Graphical configuration tool for X: You can now configure what driver you want to use for your graphic card, change the default resolution for all users or change your monitor’s refresh rate from a GUI
+ Fully automatic printer installation: Plug and Play support for printers
+ NTFS writing: While previous Ubuntu releases only supported read access to Windows (NTFS) partitions, Gutsy Gibbon now fully supports reading and writing to them. Useful when you are dual booting with Windows Xp or Vista.
+ Power consumption: Ubuntu includes the latest Linux kernel, featuring dynticks. It allows the processor to use less power and produce less heat

If you have been pondering to remove that illegal copy of Windows from your computer, now is the time to do it. You won’t feel much difference in the user interface.

Click here to choose a flavor of Ubuntu (32-bit or AMD 64-bit) of your choice.