With the release of 7.10, many have been wondering if Dell will ship 7.10. Well, the answer to that question has been answered, according to a DesktopLinux story. Anne Camden of Dell corporate communications said:

We will offer Ubuntu 7.10 preinstalled on our systems soon

John Hull, who was recently interviewed by Lxer, has said most of the work has focused on hardware support, something he elaborated on in a Direct2Dell blog post.

Dell has done work directly in Ubuntu, by having Dell’s Dynamic Kernel Module Support or DKMS, which allows easy updating of drivers, packaged and added to Universe (see this Direct2Dell blog post for more information).

Mark Shuttleworth has also stated that Ubuntu and Dell were very happy with Dell’s Ubuntu-powered systems sales although Dell has yet to release any sales numbers. He also stated that those buying Ubuntu Dells were mostly keeping Ubuntu on those systems, a fact that will cheer many Ubuntu fans’ hearts and put paid to the rumours that Linux machines often end up with pirated copies of Windows on them.

With the release of 7.10 yesterday, it is not terribly shocking that we have already started to see reviews.

With the massive amount of interest in Ubuntu, this means some of the mirrors have been a little slow. CLICK picked up on this story, remarking that it was similar to the 7.04 release period.

Most of the reviews have been quite favourable, with Desktop Linux saying All in all, the new Ubuntu appears at first glance to be a solid improvement on the last version and one that both young and old Ubuntu users will find a worthwhile upgrade in their review: DesktopLinux.com: It’s Here! Ubuntu 7.10 Arrives.

Similarly, polishlinux.org says The new Ubuntu is more polished, more professional and in general, better than the previous one, which was already a great OS while pointing out that Minor glitches? Present, as always. You can read more at Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon: Critical review.

Lunapark joined in praising 7.10, saying I’ll cut to the chase and say from the start that Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy) Desktop Edition is simply the best desktop operating system that I have ever used. From installation, to setup, to regular everyday use Gutsy is just a thing of beauty. Check it out at Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy) Desktop Edition – Review.

Lastly, PCWorld wonders Ubuntu Gets Gutsy, But Is Linux Ready?, saying The Litmus test for Ubuntu, and Linux on the desktop, will come when people try Gutsy as an alternative to Windows and Mac OS X. With more device driver integration and automatic configuration built in, Linux may eventually shred its command-line hacker moniker.

Tomorrow is the launch of Ubuntu 7.10. We have taken a look at all the cool features that make 7.10 so cool, we come to the best feature of all: the community.

So why is the community the best feature?

Without a community and a rocking one like we have, none of the very cool features we have showcased we even be possible. The community is in nearly every country in the world and has probably carried Ubuntu to every continent (I say probably because I have seen no “Ubuntu in Antartica” thread ).

So how do I join this awesome community you speak of?

Well, it is actually pretty simple. One excellent place to start is your local Ubuntu group, also known as a LoCo. Check the list for one near you. They might even be running something to celebrate the 7.10 release. At the distro level there are tonnes of teams that need help, from the documentation and marketing teams, to the Universe developers, MOTU. We here at the Fridge are always looking for more writers, so if you fancy writing for us, check out our wiki page.

But to make things even easier, next week is Open Week, where all the various movers and shakers in the Ubuntu community run sessions on IRC to tell you how you can help them with whatever bit of the distro or community they help out with.

Look forward to seeing you there!