In 2007 I did a video on how to share files/folders to Windows with Ubuntu. But since version 8 of that OS the way in which this is done has changed a bit. It is simplified somewhat, but the drawback now is that in order to change the Workgroup name you must edit a configuration file manually instead of having the ability to do it in the GUI like before.

In the video – and here on this post – I make the request that if anybody knows how to change the Workgroup name without manually editing the smb.conf file, please feel free to comment and explain how that’s done, because I couldn’t find it.

Granted, the command line is not a bad thing, but the point here is that you used to be able to edit the Workgroup name via the GUI and now that feature seems to be gone – unless it’s hiding somewhere where I can’t find it?

See video for details.

Although I should have done this last month when it was released, I finally got around to downloading Ubuntu 9.04 to see what was new.

What I found that the most significant upgrades to the OS had almost nothing to do with the interface itself. From what I understand the Ubuntu team was going to revamp the UI in 9, but it couldn’t be completed in time so it’s slated for a later release. Instead what you get is the same interface you got in 8 (with some minor improvements), but the real power lies beneath the surface, so to speak.

What I mean by that is:

• Updated kernel
• GNOME 2.26
• Better multi-monitor support
• Faster startup time

In the UI realm, here’s what’s new:

What was most impressive to me initially was the Brasero optical disc application. This is, said honestly, a great app.  Why so great? Because it has everything people use CDs and DVDs for, and to boot it’s ridiculously simply to use. So simple and intuitive in fact that it should be an OS X app. It’s that good.

Also, since I’m running this in a virtual session in VirtualBox, I can say that 9 works better virtually compared to 8. Installation was super-easy, so I can safely assume that as the native OS it would work great as well.

Ubuntu is getting better. It’s easy to see why it leads the charge as the Linux desktop OS. This isn’t to say other distros can’t do the job (because they certainly can), but the user-centric nature of Ubuntu is what makes it great. Version 9.04 continues with that modus operandi and that’s why Ubuntu users enjoy the OS so much.

Need your Linux fix? Ubuntu’s new version 9.04 is available today and with it some genuinely significant updates, such as:

GNOME 2.26

The biggest improvement (for me) is that GNOME does better multi-monitor setup now with this version. Multi-monitor troubles with a Linux GUI have been a longstanding complaint of mine, and while Ubuntu 8 was a huge improvement over 7 for dual-or-more monitor setups, Ubuntu 9 with GNOME 2.26 should (hopefully) finally nail this so it’s done right the first time.

Linux kernel 2.6.28

This is obviously important because the OS runs on top of this. The Linux kernel has come a long, long way since 1991. You thought the Linux kernel was older? Not really. UNIX is (very) old, yes, but not Linux.

And yes I know the latest kernel is technically 2.6.29.1 at the time of this writing, but 2.6.28 is still a step up for Ubuntu.

Optional ext4 filesystem

This is not required to use as ext3 will still work fine, but this is what Linux distros are heading towards.

Ext4 will support volumes up to 1 exabyte and individual files up to 16 terabytes.

For those that say, "There’s no way I’ll ever have volumes or files that big", remember when we all thought 1GB was huge? Consumer grade exabyte drives will happen; it’s only a matter of time and probably not that far away.

Linux is ready for (what is currently considered to be) disgustingly huge volume and file sizes now with ext4. Best to get familiar with it now if you have the chance.

You can check out more of what’s available in 9.04 here. Lots of good stuff.

I’ll be checking it out personally once the official release is available later today.