Watch the Ubuntu counter

Instead of dropping the Ubuntu "xx days to go until 9.10" counter at the bottom of every relevant post, I decided to put it on the left rail of the blog — where you see it now.

So if you should feel the need to know how many days until the release of the Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala Linux software distribution, you can find out on this very blog (or check the Ubuntu Web site for the inevitable further details).

Aside from whatever controversies are befalling the Ubuntu project (unfortunate choices of gender-specific wording in keynotes, the choice of default IM clients, more Mono or less Mono), I'm still very much on board as a user of the distro. From wide package choice and a relentless focus on desktop usability and hardware compatibility to a huge community that's both reporting on and fixing bugs, along with the choice of a six-month release cycle (with 18-month support) or a two-year long-term-support cycle (with three years of desktop support and two additional years on the server), Ubuntu might not be all things to all people but definitely offers something (a great and evolving user experience) for just about everyone.

OK, enough hyperbole for now. With my NetworkManager issues pretty much solved (and a more seamless transition between wired and wireless networking than in any previous system I've run), and not a single crash yet in 9.04, I'm a pretty happy Ubuntu user — this week anyway.