Release Notes for Ubuntu[sci] 9.10

System requirements

Ubuntu^sci 9.10 requires at least 256 MB of memory, although 512MiB or more is recommended. (Note that some of your system's memory may be unavailable due to being used by the graphics card.)

With only the minimum amount of memory available, the installation process will take longer than normal, but will complete successfully, and the system will perform adequately once installed. Low-memory systems may be able to use the desktop CD to install by selecting "Install Ubuntu" from the boot menu to run just the installer, rather than the whole desktop started by selecting "Try Ubuntu without any change to your computer".

Depending on the software you select, Ubuntu^sci will require 6-10GB of hard disk space.

Overview

These are the release notes for Ubuntu^sci 9.10, released in March 2010.

Ubuntu^sci 9.10 is the third release of the Ubuntu[sci] 9.10 project. It builds on earlier releases. Although every effort has been made to ensure that it is of the highest quality possible, it is not guaranteed to be 100% suitable for your computing needs.

Installation

Ubuntu^sci 9.10 comes in 4 different versions:

• Ubuntu^sci GeoSciences/GIS

• Ubuntu^sci BioSciences

• Ubuntu^sci Mathematics

• Ubuntu^sci Computer Science

Each of these versions has its own DVD, which can be used in three ways:

• As a live DVD which can be used to try Ubuntu^sci without making any changes to the files on your computer (boot from the DVD and select the Try Ubuntu[sci] menu option)

• As a complete installation DVD, which installs Ubuntu^sci from scratch, possibly alongside any existing systems you have installed (boot from the DVD and select the Install Ubuntu[sci] menu option)

• As an addon to an existing Ubuntu 9.10 installation (boot into your existing Ubuntu 9.10 system, insert the DVD, and run autorun from the DVD)

Ubuntu[sci] components

Ubuntu^sci 9.10 includes 5 main components, described in the following sections.

Ubuntu[sci] Base

Ubuntu^sci Base is a set of packages that address the generic computing needs of many researchers. These packages provide tools for:

• Reference and citation management
• A complete LaTeX environment for the authoring of scientific articles and reports

• Statistical analysis (with rudimentary integration into OpenOffice.org's spreadsheet application)

• Numerical processing
• Computer-based algebra
• Matrix-based computation
• Plotting and visualisation of research data
• Libraries for the development of custom scientific software

In addition, Ubuntu^sci Base installs the Ubuntu^sci "look" (artwork, icons, logos, wallpapers and themes), and applies a set of customisations to generic desktop that make it more suitable for scientific computing (e.g. make the calculator start in "scientific mode" by default).

Ubuntu^sci Base is common to each of the four verwsions of Ubuntu^sci, and can be found on any of the DVDs.

You can find out more about Ubuntu^sci Base here

Ubuntu[sci] GIS

Ubuntu^sci GIS is a collection of packages for researchers and practitioners working in the field of GeoSciences. Currently, it provides ...

• Server
  • Apache Webserver
  • UMN Mapserver
  • Mapscript
  • Openlayer
  • PostgGIS
• Desktop
  • GRASS

  • OpenJump

  • QGis
  • SAGA
• Utilities
  • GMT
  • Gpsbabel
  • Gpx2shp
• Development (meta-package?)
  • GDAL
  • GEOS
  • Mapnik
  • Proj
  • FDO

You can find out more about Ubuntu[sci] GIS

Ubuntu[sci] BioSciences

Ubuntu^sci BioSciences is a collection of packages for BioChemists and BioPhysicists. The following software is included in this release:

• BKChem
• Chemtool
• Easychem

• CernLib

• Octave-Bioinfo

• RasMol

• Staden

• PyMol

• OpenDX
• T-Coffee
• ClustalX

For more information read about Ubuntu[sci] BioScience

Ubuntu[sci] Mathematics

• Algebra
  • liblapack-dev
  • libblas-dev
  • python-sympy
  • maxima
  • gap
  • ggap
  • fricas
  • yacas
• Discrete Mathematics
  • graphthing
• General

  • SageMath

  • Freemat
  • Octave
  • Math-o-matic
  • Scilab
  • R-mathlib

For more information about Ubuntu[sci] Mathematics

Ubuntu[sci] Computer Science / Information Systems

• Application web/servers
  • Apache 2
  • Tomcat
  • Jboss
  • Glassfish:
• Build tools
  • autoconf
  • autogen
  • ant
• Databases
  • MySQL
  • !PostgreSQL
• Debug tools
  • ltrace
  • valgrind
  • gdb
  • xxgdb
• Development ide
  • kdevelop
  • eclipse
  • netbeans
  • boa-constructor
  • glade
• Modelling tools
  • umbrello
  • dia
  • gimp
  • kivio
• Profiling tools
  • valgrind
  • sysprof
• Programming languages
  • ocaml (Caml)
  • clisp (common lisp)
  • perl
  • php 5
  • python
  • ruby
  • tcl
  • java (Sun and Open JDK)
  • gcj (java)
  • gcc (c)
  • cpp (C pre-processor)
  • g++ (c++)
  • gnu-smalltalk
  • ghc6 (haskell)
  • mono (c#)
  • nasm (assembly)
  • glade
  • groovy
  • jython
  • jruby
  • mawk (awk)
• Version control systems
  • cvs
  • subversion
  • rapidsvn
  • bzr (bazaar)
• Web development ide
  • screem
  • bluefish
  • seamonkey
• Other
  • dbacl
  • nessus
  • snort
  • nmap

For more information about Ubuntu[sci] Computer Science/ICT