[Bio-Linux] Bio-Linux and Ubuntu 12.04

[Tim Booth]

Dear All,

Those of you who follow Linux news will know that the release of Ubuntu
12.04 (codenamed Precise) is imminent.  This is the new LTS release of
Ubuntu and as Bio-Linux tracks the LTS releases we'd hoped to have a
beta version of Bio-Linux ready for testers at this point.
Unfortunately this has not been possible, so our ISO download and USB
sticks will remain based on Ubuntu 10.04 for the next few months.

More significantly for existing users, we know that some of the packages
still do not work properly on the new 12.04 release.  Therefore we do
not advise upgrading unless you have a specific need for some new
feature of 12.04 - ie. hardware driver compatibility or non-Bio-Linux
software not released for 10.04.

Note that our current base release, 10.04, is still fully supported by
Ubuntu with security updates and important bug fixes.  All the latest
Bio-Linux packages are also being provided for this release.

By default, Ubuntu machines will prompt users to upgrade once the new
release is announced and appears on the main Ubuntu package servers.  To
avoid confusion, I have this morning added a small package,
"bio-linux-prevent-upgrade" to our repository.  This will be
automatically installed and simply changes one setting on the machine to
suppress the message about upgrading.

If you don't think that this is what you want then there is no need to
be alarmed or to try and forcibly remove the package. Once the package
is installed, simply go to System->Administration->Software Sources and
set whatever you want under the final option of the Updates tab (the
default is LTS).  This is the only thing that is being changed on your
system.

Once compatibility has been fully tested, I'll remove this package and
you will be prompted to upgrade your system in-place, just like a
regular Ubuntu installation.

Cheers,

TIM

-- 
Tim Booth <tbooth at ceh.ac.uk>
NERC Environmental Bioinformatics Centre 

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Maclean Bldg, Benson Lane
Crowmarsh Gifford
Wallingford, England
OX10 8BB 

http://nebc.nerc.ac.uk
+44 1491 69 2705

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