Ubuntu 23.04 was released on 20 April with a new desktop installer and GNOME 44. Its deployment story has an important qualification: the new installer shares Ubuntu Server’s engine, but some desktop installation features still require the legacy image.
A common engine, two installer choices
Canonical’s desktop release roundup describes a Flutter interface backed by Subiquity, the codebase used by Ubuntu Server. The shared backend supports autoinstall and cloud-init deployment scenarios, bringing desktop image customisation closer to the server workflow.
Guided ZFS installation hasn’t moved to the new installer. Canonical points users who need it to an alternative Ubuntu 23.04 desktop ISO with the legacy installer.
Updates wait for the app to close
Canonical also changes desktop snap updates: pending updates download in the background and apply when the application closes. Users and administrators can pause automatic updates for individual snaps indefinitely.
Nine months of maintenance
The release announcement promises nine months of maintenance updates for the 23.04 flavours and says Ubuntu 22.10 users will be offered an automatic upgrade.
Photo: Pacopac / Wikimedia Commons, 26 May 2018. CC BY-SA 4.0. Responsive crops; adaptations: CC BY-SA 4.0.
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