Canonical is working hard these days to redesign the Ubuntu installer (also known as Ubiquity) into something a little more in tune with our times. We've already told you in our latest report on Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) Alpha 4 that Ubiquity has now a "Quit" button during all the installation steps, so you can quit the installer at any time. Moreover, the time zone selection items have been changed a little to reflect the region/zone only, and not the city.

Today we will present, exclusively for our readers here at Softpedia, what the Ubuntu developers intend to add next in the Ubiquity installer. The package is called "ubiquity-slideshow-ubuntu" and it is designed to offer an Ubuntu-flavored slideshow for the Ubiquity installer. What this means? Those of you who installed Microsoft Windows XP or Mandriva Linux, or OpenSuSE already know what this slideshow is supposed to do. Long story short, it will display some content, every 20 seconds or so, especially created to introduce new users to the Ubuntu operating system, while installing it. Please take a look at the video clips below to see a mockup content for the Ubiquity slideshow. The second video was provided to us by Mads Rosendahl (MadsRH).

"The technology and design for our slideshow is now reasonably established, so it's time to polish up the content and get things rolling towards a release. There have been many good ideas about how to treat the content for the slideshow. Some different opinions on the writing style, the topics covered and the types of users who will be viewing this. So far, there is a lot of room for interpretation. It seems that the best way to get things rolling will be to lay out all the guidelines, thoughts and content in a reasonably equal fashion, all at once, and then DECIDE (preferably on something that is already done, since time is fairly critical here)." - said the developers.

The content that will be featured in the Ubiquity slideshow is still to be determined. For now, they divided it into two main categories:

1. Some simple text about various applications and what you can do with them; 2. Original content, with normal paragraphs, about the Ubuntu operating system and some included applications.

Both categories will include the following slides:

· Welcome message · Browse the web with Firefox · Relive Memories with F-Spot Photo Manager · Accessibility in Ubuntu · Ubuntu speaks fluently · Control your digital life with Evolution · Keep in contact with Pidgin IM · OpenOffice - Office tools at your fingertips · Watch and listen on Ubuntu · Installing additional software · Getting Help with Ubuntu

For more information about the content/paragraphs that will be displayed during a normal Ubuntu installation, please check here and here.

We will keep you updated with any other upcoming changes for the next release of the Ubuntu operating system, Karmic Koala, due for release in late October.