Ubuntu 8.10 Slowness Dictates Needed Direction Of Newer OS Releases

An anonymous reader on Slashdot wrote that based on exhaustive benchmark testing, the upcoming v8.10 of Ubuntu Linux is noticeably slower in some areas compared to previous releases (namely v7.04).

"Linux" and "Slower" never fall within the same sentence, but they do now.

To calm the masses out there, no, Ubuntu 8.10 will not be a crawling nightmare of computer slowness. Not by a long shot. It’s still going to be quite speedy in its operation overall, not to worry.

But it has been proven to be slower to its predecessors and therein lies the concern.

~ ~ ~

Reading the article about the benchmark testing just goes to prove that the other shoe has finally dropped, so to speak.

Windows Vista is slower compared to XP. Mac OS X Leopard wasn’t exactly stellar in its performance over Tiger. And now the arguably most popular Linux distribution Ubuntu is showing early on that slowness with new releases can’t even escape the mighty Linux.

Linux zealots would scream loudly that "UBUNTU ISN’T THE ONLY DISTRO, YA KNOW.." Yes, I know this. There are 300+ distros in existence presently – but Ubuntu is the one people pay attention to the most. So go back to your Slackware – I already know that’s fast.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel to all this.

Newer releases of operating systems – no matter whom it comes from – will be lighter in the future. All OSes at this stage in the game are at their fattest and that’s simply not where computing is going.

It’s probably safe to say that Linux and Microsoft will be cutting the fat first, followed shortly afterwards by Apple.

On the Microsoft side it’s already been reported with Windows 7 that it will not be bundled with specific apps to trim it down to get to what matters (and be able to release it quicker).

Linux already has super-light distros. As a matter of fact you can go super-light with Fluxbuntu. (I’ve used fluxbox before and yeah, it’s tough to find a GUI faster than that.)

However, it would be nice if a very well known distro like Ubuntu had an official (as in from Canonical) Desktop Edition release like "Desktop Ubuntu Light" or something similar. I’m referring to an ISO people could download that has basically only the bare essentials without having to download an alternative distro or "build" it yourself, so to speak. And I’m referring to a true light Desktop Edition, not a Server Edition pretending to be Desktop.

People in the Linux know understand this wouldn’t be difficult to create or distribute at all because you’re just cutting the fat out of the distro.

Apple is also getting into the game of going lighter. Their own OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard page states "Taking a break from adding new features" and "Snow Leopard dramatically reduces the footprint of Mac OS X" which strongly indicates the OS doesn’t need anything new, rather it needs to cut the fat out and optimize rather than stuff it up with stuff nobody will use.

~ ~ ~

We’re going lighter, people. All the desktop OS offerings are heading that direction. It won’t happen this year but it may in late 2009 or early 2010.

We will go back to operating systems (no matter which you choose to use) that prioritize speed and efficiency first for a better computing experience.

Thankfully, the three major OS offerings will all be doing this. Even though they’re all too fattened up at the moment, sit tight because better stuff will be coming along.

Until then we’ll have to plod thru the slowness..

..even if you use Ubuntu.

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http://Thirdpipe.com JohnMc
I would suggest you look at the current Xubuntu 8.04. Yeah the core is still as fat, but the use of xfce in lieu of GNOME is a noticeable difference in response times. The only thing is you give up a considerable amount of builtin goodies. Which for me is not problem — I customize anyway.

http://www.menga.net Rich Menga
Been there, done that. Would be better if Ubuntu itself was speedier itself instead of having to download an alternative *buntu distro.

http://www.linux-wizard.net FACORAT Fabrice
Mandriva try to optimize their distro for Netbook by making it faster to start.
They also integrate LXDE to have a light weight desktop, and when using the DVD edition, the installer is able to detect a netbook/low-end system, and then adapt the packages to install.
http://wiki.mandriva.com/en/2009.0_Notes
http://wiki.mandriva.com/en/2009.0_Tour
http://wiki.mandriva.com/en/2009.0_Reviewers_Guide
http://linuxcanuck.wordpress.com LinuxCanuck
Have you actually used 8.10 or are you merely spouting off using someone else’s lame statistics? I have used every version of Ubuntu including 8.10. I have used 8.10 on two computers with very different specs. In both cases 8.10 boots faster and shuts down more quickly than 8.04. It boots in approximately 30 seconds from grub to login and shuts down in under 7 seconds. The applications are snappy and performance does not seem to be lacking.
I run lots of distros. I have 11 partitions on one computer with each partition running a different distro and I have more running on other computers. In addition to this, I run Windows as I have ever since Windows 3.1.
Since when has M$ ever cut the fat? Let’s keep it real.
Paul M
I suspect that the use of the new “fair” kernel processes along side of the new time/chron elements are not properly optimized.
There will have to be some statistical analysis of this combination of this as server/desktop/laptop requirements vary.
I may not be saying this correctly, but if you’ve been following
the Ubuntu kernel, you get the idea.
Russ
Have you any clue whatsoever what you are speaking about? I have used ubuntu since 2006 and can completely debunk what you are saying here about it being slow. Where’s your proof? seems your just repeating something someone else said – bet you havent even used it. I can confirm that 8.10 is so far, the fastest ubuntu version ive used in terms of boot times and general speediness.
get your facts right!

http://www.menga.net Rich Menga
Thanks for your cheerful Thanksgiving Day comment. You’re such a sweetie.
Yeah, actually I do know what I’m talking about. You obviously didn’t read the benchmark testing at all (all the proof you need to know is there in grotesque detail), nor have you examined any of the other articles here on PCMech where 8.10 was used, nor have you seen the hours upon hours of video footage – and a full DVD release – of screencasted Ubuntu Linux either.
And oh yeah, that’s right – you have nothing to prove your “debunk” statement with. No links, no docs, no proof. You can’t confirm anything. You lose.
And so you know, I’ve been using Linux since Red Hat’s Apollo release.
Have a nice day.

Tundro Walker
Since Ubuntu goes out in 6-month releases, they use some releases to focus on adding new stuff, and others to focus on optimization. Ibex was about getting more things going, Jackelope 9.04 will be about optimizing it all. Theoretically, anyways. Supposedly jackelope is all about faster boot times, better integration, etc. Ubuntu is a bit unique in that it’s trying to be the “Apple/Mac” of the Linux distro world. Shuttleworth’s own words say “style is substance”, so they focus a bit on being flashy, integrating cutting-edge things, etc. This sometimes causes a buggy release, sometimes causes it to run slower than other releases, etc. Like MS Windows, it comes pre-loaded with all kinds of stuff folks may not want, but they cover the inner 50% of the bell-curve so the “average user” can do what they want to do on it, from graphics work, to surfing the net, etc, without having to figure out how to install crap or uninstall bloat. Ubuntu is really trying to fill that niche of “making Linux accessible to the common noob / techno-phobe”, and I think they’re doing a decent job of it. So, while Ibex may seem slow, just give it time. Ubuntu is only getting better.