Third in the series of Quantal Quetzal releases, is Xubuntu 12.10 after Ubuntu and Kubuntu. Like Kubuntu, Xubuntu also didn't have many significant changes in the new release from the LTS version. The same cannot be said about Ubuntu which did get some new functionalities like web apps, better social integration, etc. These are not there in Xubuntu, Kubuntu or a Lubuntu.
XFCE, as a desktop, is growing on me primarily because it didn't undergo any major makeover in recent times, making it consistent to use for the users as well as for it's stability and being less resource intensive. The CPU and RAM utilizations are significantly lower for a XFCE desktop compared to a Gnome or a KDE desktop.
To those who are new to Xubuntu, it is a lightweight XFCE desktop environment based distro from the Ubuntu stable which offers the users a complete operating system with a range of useful applications. Further, since users can access the application rich Ubuntu repositories, there are plenty of applications like Skype, VLC, virtualbox, Firefox, Opera, PlayonLinux, etc. that can be downloaded and installed in Xubuntu. By default, the Xubuntu 12.10 ISO boots up with the following default applications:
I booted up both 12.10 and 12.04.1 on my Asus K54C laptop with 2.2 GHz Intel 2nd Gen Ci3 processor and 2 GB DDR3 RAM. Post initial live boot, I installed them on the same machine, to check and compare individual performances. High level results are given below:
High Level Results
At a high level, the two distros don't look significantly different from each other and expectedly so. They are just six months apart. However, Xubuntu 12.10 has the latest applications and repository, with updated Firefox, Thunderbird among others.
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| From Ubuntu 12.10 Comparison |
XFCE, as a desktop, is growing on me primarily because it didn't undergo any major makeover in recent times, making it consistent to use for the users as well as for it's stability and being less resource intensive. The CPU and RAM utilizations are significantly lower for a XFCE desktop compared to a Gnome or a KDE desktop.
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| From Ubuntu 12.10 Comparison |
- Graphics: gthumb, Ristretto image viewer, and simple scan
- Internet: Firefox browser, Thunderbird mail, Pidgin IM, Bittorrent client, and Xchat IRC
- Multimedia: gmusicbrowser, parole video player, Xfburn CD burner (audio/video CDs)
- Office: Abiword document maker, Gnumeric spreadsheet, document viewer to view pdf, comics archive, etc., Orage calendar
- Accessories: Calculator, Archive manager, Leafpad (notepad), Catfish file search, screenshot, etc.
I booted up both 12.10 and 12.04.1 on my Asus K54C laptop with 2.2 GHz Intel 2nd Gen Ci3 processor and 2 GB DDR3 RAM. Post initial live boot, I installed them on the same machine, to check and compare individual performances. High level results are given below:
High Level Results
At a high level, the two distros don't look significantly different from each other and expectedly so. They are just six months apart. However, Xubuntu 12.10 has the latest applications and repository, with updated Firefox, Thunderbird among others.
| Parameters | Xubuntu 12.10 | Xubuntu 12.04.1 LTS |
| Size of ISO | 727 MB | 715 MB |
| Booting time (post installation) | 8 sec | 10 sec |
| Desktop | XFCE 4.10 | XFCE 4.8 |
| Linux kernel | 3.5.0-17 | 3.2.0-29 |
| CPU usage (live boot) | 1-5% | 2-6% |
| RAM usage (live boot) | 180 MB | 220 MB |
| CPU Usage (post installation) | 1-5% | 1-5% |
| RAM usage (post installation) | 160 MB | 160 MB |
| Installation time (with 1 MBPS connection) | 30 min. | 30 min. |
| Wifi detection | Immediate | Immediate |
| Touchpad detection | Works by default | Works by default |
| Ease of use | Really smooth to use | Really smooth to use |
| Eye candy factor | Interface is brighter and looks better than ever | Somehow dark in looks & not very bright |
| Repository | Ubuntu Software Center 5.4.1.2 | Ubuntu Software Center 5.2.5 |
| File Manager | Thunar 1.4 | Thunar 1.2.3 |
Another signficant improvement is in the art work. Xubuntu 12.10 looks much brighter and aesthetically more pleasing. But, the resource efficiency is not compromised as evident from the performance in the table given above. Xubuntu 12.10 works as good as Xubuntu 12.04.1 and looks much better. It continues to be fast and responsive, and giving a highly functional desktop.
Incremental changes
Apart from updated XFCE, Linux kernel and applications, rest of the incremental changes are similar to Kubuntu, namely:
- New Grub2 menu, to work on secured UEFI login of the Windows 8 systems. Xubuntu Precise with the older grub won't be able to work there.
- Migration-assistant removed: The tool responsible for migration of user profiles from existing operating system(s) is no longer part of Quantal
- Python 3: Still, Python 2 is supported.
- No OpenJDK6: Now Ubuntu has totally moved to OpenJDK7 as the default Java implementation.
- In the application menu, all settings-related launchers are now grouped under the Settings Manager
- Completely rewritten offline documentation
- Catfish search engine, has been updated to version 0.4.0.2
- Parole, media player, has moved to new upstream version 0.3.0.3
- gThumb, image viewer and browser, has moved to version 3.0.1
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| From Ubuntu 12.10 Comparison |
So, Quantal or Precise?
Unlike Ubuntu or Kubuntu, here I'll go in favor of upgrading to Xubuntu 12.10. The support for Xubuntu Precise is for 3 years and not 5 years as you get with Ubuntu or Kubuntu; hence, possibly you don't lose much if you upgrade. Further, my decision is based on refined art work, ability to work in systems with Windows 8 and Microsoft's much maligned secured boot, latest applications available in the repository, option of adding Ubuntu web apps ppa's among others. And perhaps, I would wait for the Linux MInt 14 XFCE to come out as well before upgrading! My 2 cents.
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