What is Ubuntu?
Ubuntu is an operating system that is available for free or is open source. Ubuntu is actually a Zulu word which means “humanity”.
The OS is build on Linux and is one of the best so far. It uses GNOME as the default desktop interface.
What’s the variety?
Ubuntu has 40+ official and unofficial distributions.
Let us discuss the major ones:
1. Ubuntu- This is the default one. It is complete as an Operating system. Ubuntu people provide both community and professional kind of support. This is also the most used one. Its runs GNOME.
I have used this and have to say it is the best.* Enblend – an image compositing program
* FontForge – a typeface (font) editor program
* GIMP – a raster graphics editor
* Inkscape – a vector graphics editor
* Scribus – a desktop publishing application
* Synfig – a 2D vector graphics and time line-based animation program
7. Ubuntu Mobile – It provides “an uncompromised Web 2.0 experience: Web browsing, email, media, camera, VoIP, instant messaging, GPS, blogging, digital TV, games, contacts, dates/calendar, simple software updates…”
8. Goubuntu- Its main aim is to to provide the user with software which are free. Rest is Ubuntu.
And many more.
2. Kubuntu- The major difference from the latter is that it uses KDE as the default desktop environment instead of GNOME.
I also have a little experience with this. Some people feel its better than the default one.
3. Xubuntu- This one uses Xfce instead of GNOME or KDE. It is meant to “provide an easy to use distribution (…) with a focus on integration, usability and performance, with a particular focus on low memory footprint (…) based around the ideals and values of Ubuntu.” Though both use the Gtk toolkit; both look a bit similar.
I am using it now and have to say its like cutting butter with a red hit knife.
4. Edubuntu- Well, as the name suggests its for students and schools. It uses GNOME as the default interface but separate versions for KDE are also available.
5. Ubuntu JeOS- JeOS is just enough Operating system and is pronounced as Juice. It is”an efficient variant [...] configured specifically for virtual appliances“.
6. Ubuntu Studio- My favorite. It is mainly for people who like or wanna edit images, music and videos in a professional way. It has all the needed software:
Audio
* Ardour – a hard disk recorder and digital audio workstation application
* Audacity – a digital audio editor application
* Hydrogen – an advanced drum machine
* JACK Audio Connection Kit – a sound server daemon that provides low latency connections between applications for both audio and MIDI data
* JAMin – the JACK Audio Connection Kit Audio Mastering interface
* LilyPond – a program for engraving sheet music
* Mixxx – a digital DJ-style mixing program
* MusE – a MIDI/Audio sequencer using JACK and ALSA
* Rosegarden – a digital audio workstation program
* TiMidity++ – a software synthesizer that is able to convert from MIDI to various formats
Video
* PiTiVi – a video editing program
* Kino – a non-linear digital video editor
* Stopmotion – a stop-motion animation movie creator
* VLC media player – a free software media player
Graphics
* Agave – a color scheme generator
* Blender – a 3D animation program
Edit: Thanks to my friend Vishno for helping me with a few corrections.