Beta release announcement proofreading

[Anthony Yarusso]

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Tollef Fog Heen wrote:
> Hi,
>
> we're releasing the beta of 7.04 tomorrow, so if you could please
> proofread the release announcement at
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FeistyBetaAnnouncement (and add any missing
> bits), that would be great.
>
> I am going to fill in the mirror list once that is ready, so don't
> worry about that.
>
In addition to our usual line of announcements, I think it is really
important that we have a non-tech-oriented press release for Feisty
final.  We've gotten great coverage within the technology and Linux
circles, but are just now started to move beyond that.  The Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) carried a story about the last SuSE
release - it would be good if we had something to give groups like
that who were considering running a story, but whose readership may
never have heard of Linux before.  I've mentioned this to Christina
Armstrong and others before, but there hasn't been decisive action
afaik.  Does anyone know of more recent developments?  The following
is something I wrote up for local media for Dapper release, but I'm
sure the community and Canonical together could do better than me:

Earlier today the official release of Ubuntu 6.06 LTS (Long Term
Support; the 6.06 indicates release in June of 2006), codenamed "Dapper
Drake", was announced.  This is the fourth release of Ubuntu, and the
first "Long Term Supported" version (3 years for desktop usage, 5 years
for server).  Ubuntu is a distribution of the increasingly popular
GNU/Linux operating system, and has made a point of taking Linux out of
the "geeks-only" realm and creating an easily usable system for anybody,
as embodied by the slogan "Linux for human beings" used by the project.
Since it's creation it has quickly risen to the top of popularity lists
and remained there.  It is a complete operating system for any number of
purposes, both for servers and everyday desktop use, with the default
desktop installation including commonly needed applications such as a
web browser, e-mail client, and a complete office suite which is fully
compatible with Microsoft Office and other document formats.  All of
this is available competely free of charge, in keeping with the founding
principles of the Ubuntu distribution (although professional support is
available for purchase for corporate customers who need such things -
the average user will find the free community support to be very good).
Many find the community to be one of the strongest aspects of using the
Ubuntu operating system, as it is very active and provides wonderful
support, documentation, and socialization opportunities.

Ubuntu can be downloaded from http://www.ubuntu.com/download, or for
those with slower internet connections or CD-ROM burning capability, or
those who prefer to get nicer-looking pressed discs, CDs can be ordered
and shipped (also for free) from https://shipit.ubuntu.com/.  Some of
the attractive points of a Linux operating system distribution such as
this are that it is and will always be free, is much more stable and
less prone to security holes, viruses, and spyware than Windows, is
entirely customizable to fit your exact needs and preferences, and has
huge quantities of software available to go with it (the Ubuntu
repositories currently have over 18,000 packages), all easily
accessible.  Ubuntu by default has the Gnome desktop environment, but in
order to please everyone's visual tastes it is also available in a
version with KDE (Kubuntu) and XFCE (Xubuntu), as well as a version
specially tailored towards educational purposes with a special selection
of software for school and child use called Edubuntu.

Since trying out a new operating system can be an intimidating prospect
for some, it is always good to have a few resources available.  For
general information about Ubuntu, take a look at the newly-revamped web
site at http://www.ubuntu.com/, and desktop-installation-specific
information through the Desktop > Information link on that page.  A
general FAQ is provided by Mark Shuttleworth, the founder of the project
and head of Canonical, Inc., the main provider of commercial support, on
his wiki page at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarkShuttleworth.  Some sample
screenshots of Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, and Edubuntu are available from
http://shots.osdir.com/.
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