The third alpha release in the Ubuntu 12.10 development cycle has been made available for download.

Various user-visible changes are present, including a new Session Menu, refined Software Updater and 3rd party driver installer.

Ubuntu 12.10 final is scheduled for release on October 18th. The first beta is expected on September 6th.

What’s New in Ubuntu 12.10 Alpha 3

Updated packages/components include:

Linux Kernel 3.5

LibreOffice 3.6.2 RC

Firefox 15 Beta

GNOME 3.5.4

New Driver install UI

The old “third party driver” installation window has been replaced with a sleeker entry into the ‘Software Sources‘ dialog:

New Look Nautilus

The latest – but not quite greatest – version of Nautilus has arrived from upstream GNOME. Sporting less window clutter – and less features – this update has been described as ‘vandalism’ by GNOME co-founder Federico Mena-Quintero.

Theming work that better ingratiates the file manager with Ubuntu has yet to land.

Session Menu

Ubuntu’s “Me” and “System” menus have been combined to create a new Session Menu.

A few things have been dropped along the way (like your name being displayed) but overall it’s a space-saving improvement.

Software updater

A new (wrong-ish sounding) name, and a streamlined UI are amongst the changes to Ubuntu’s Software Updater app. There’s now less visual ‘irrelevance’ and more focus on the bits that matter.

Download

Various builds of Ubuntu 12.10 Alpha 3 can be downloaded from the link below.

[button size=”medium” color=”blue” url=”http://cdimages.ubuntu.com/releases/quantal/alpha-3/”] Download Ubuntu 12.10 Alpha 3 [/button]

If you’re planning on grabbing the release then torrent’s are the best way:

[button size=”medium” color=”orange” url=”http://cdimages.ubuntu.com/releases/quantal/alpha-3/quantal-desktop-amd64.iso.torrent”] Ubuntu 12.10 Alpha 3 (64bit) .Torrent [/button] [button size=”medium” color=”orange” url=”http://cdimages.ubuntu.com/releases/quantal/alpha-3/quantal-desktop-i386.iso.torrent”] Ubuntu 12.10 Alpha 3 (32bit) .Torrent [/button]

Do remember that Alpha releases are intended for use by developers and testers and not those seeking a stable user experience. Unless you get a kick out of reporting bugs or a thrill from Apport crash pop-ups you are advised not to install this build.

Can’t curb your curiosity? Then play it safe by using a virtual machine or LiveCD/USB.

Also note that as this is a development release the ‘Apport Crash Reporter’ has been enabled by default.