The Ubuntu developers at Canonical have released the second support release for Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin". The update adds the ability to boot the Long Term Support (LTS) version on systems that are using UEFI firmware and have Secure Boot enabled. This means that there are now two versions of Ubuntu, 12.04 LTS and 12.10, that can be booted while using the protection mechanism.

Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS also updates the release's Linux kernel to a version based on the 3.5.7.2 upstream kernel and a matching X.org version. This kernel release includes the workaround for the UEFI bug that caused a number of Samsung laptops to be bricked; this workaround makes it less likely that Samsung laptops will be damaged, but an actual fix depends on Samsung updating its firmware.

The Hibernate function, also known as suspend to disk, has been disabled by default as it was found to be unreliable and caused problems during testing. This mirrors a similar step taken for the 12.10 release of Ubuntu. The developers provide a guide for users who wish to reactivate the option.

Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS can be downloaded, along with the Kubuntu, Edubuntu, Mythbuntu and Ubuntu Studio variants. Detailed release notes are also available.

The Ubuntu developers have also released the second alpha of the upcoming Ubuntu 13.04, code-named "Raring Ringtail". However, due to changes in the Ubuntu development cycle, this release only includes images for Kubuntu and Ubuntu Cloud. The next Ubuntu development release is the Final Beta Release, planned for 28 March. As with all development releases, the developers recommend not to use these images in production. Users wanting to test these images nonetheless can download the Kubuntu release from the Ubuntu project servers. The Ubuntu Server Cloud image is also available and comes in a variety of editions, including one for Amazon's EC2 cloud.

(fab)