Ubuntu 10.10, codenamed Maverick Meerkat, emerged from its burrow this month with some important changes. The user interface got a lift from some theming improvements and a new default font. Usability got a nice boost from a wide range of design improvements and feature enhancements in the Software Center and Ubiquity installer. Canonical's effort to clean up the notification area took another step forward with the addition of playback controls in the sound indicator menu. The latest version of GNOME is included, with a handful of minor improvements, and the F-Spot photo manager was replaced with Shotwell.

One of the most significant changes in Ubuntu 10.10 is the introduction of Unity, a totally new netbook environment that has some promising design characteristics. Although Unity is an impressive offering, it's also got some kinks that need to be worked out before it will be ready for mainstream adoption.