Top Linux Distros: Ubuntu Studio
Lesson 10 / Lesson 12

History
The original version of Ubuntu Studio was released in May 2007 and is an official branch of the Ubuntu operating system. The developers for this distribution has put all of their effort on providing better multimedia functionality on top of Ubuntu. One main difference of Ubuntu Studio is that in that past it has operated off of a different Linux kernel than Ubuntu, one that is modified for intense multimedia work. Although some recent releases have skipped this, many say it significantly reduces delays experienced while working with audio.

Category
Ubuntu Studio falls into the multimedia category because of the general focus it has taken. Everything from the desktop alignment to the application selection seemed to be geared towards audio, video or graphics work maybe the weakest part of the plane Jane version of Ubuntu. The multimedia feel I got from using this distro was the best i've had as a web and graphic designer.


Desktop Screenshot
The Ubuntu Studio desktop is themed black and blue and features a unique background and other changes for each release. The standard look is much darker than on Ubuntu but seems well put together and complete throughout the desktop.

Help Resources
Because Ubuntu Studio if an official derivative of Ubuntu it is included in the huge amount of documentation available at Ubuntu.com. Visit Ubuntu.com to brush up on Ubuntu Studio documentation or check out the wiki where you can find everything from solutions to artwork. It's a great place to pick up a fancy theme or background to match the already breathtaking atmosphere on a Ubuntu Studio desktop. Another site that has what you need is UbuntuStudio.org. Here you will find screenshots, downloads, a forum, chat, and mailing list to sign up for.


Other
One of the highlights that Ubuntu Studio offers is the application selection that you get right out of the box. To start if you like listening, managing, or editing audio you've got the right Linux distribution. This is because Ubuntu Studio features audio applications like Ardour, audacity, Hydrogen, LiliyPond, Mixxx, RoseGarden, and MusE. A few things these applications will let you do are edit and record digital audio, create music beats,  engrave sheet music, mix music DJ style, convert music to different formnats and much more.

For users seeking video options in most distributions, playing a DVD may be as far as they can get. On Ubuntu Studio you can use applications like PiTiVi and Kino to edit video, create animations using Stopmotion, and play all of your media with the popular VLC media player.

Graphic designers have a large selection of applications to use on the Ubuntu desktop. Agave allows users to generate color schemes, Blender can create 3D animation, Enblend is an image composting application, FontForge is a typface editor, GIMP and Inkscape can edit and create graphics, Scribus is a desktop publishing application, and Synfig is a 2D animation program.

The application selection for anyone in the multimedia field is excellent and in my opinion better for my daily needs than any other Linux distribution you can get.

My Feeling
Ubuntu Studio is a perfect solution for me as I do a lot of work with programs like Inkscape, Agave, Scribus and simple sound/video editing. You may be thinking, "that's easy to add to Ubuntu" and it is. But for me I'm more comfortable working on an operating system that has endless possibilities and will change as my needs change and the industry changes. Ubuntu Studio does exactly what I do so I feel like it's a better fit for the future than taking Ubuntu and customizing it with applications I need.

Installation
To install Ubuntu Studio you can buy a CD from a vendor(recommended) or burn the 1.1 GB .ISO file onto a DVD. After you have run the DVD you'll see a nice Ubuntu Studio logo and an option to install Ubuntu Studio. Press Enter.

Choose your language, press Enter

Choose your country, press Enter

Select Yes for Keyboard test and complete the test by typing the characters shown.

Setup hostname and select time zone

Choose your partitioning method, confirm you want to make the changes

After a short wait create a user name and set up a password by typing it and re-typing it

Choose if you want to setup an encrypted directory

After a short wait we can specify what types of multimedia packages we want to install. You can select multiple options by using the spacebar.

after package install you will be given the option to use UTC time settings. I selected Yes and the DVD tray popped out and installation was a success.
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