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Canonical unveils a new Ubuntu Unity desktop environment that will be Ubuntu NetBook Edition 10.10. Mark Shuttleworth, founder of the company, explains that for this type of system user does not have a wide range of applications. He said: “We want to retain the ability to have a few favorite applications”, an initiative that is the result of a study showing that an average user of Ubuntu has between 3-10 shortcuts on the taskbar.

With the new interface, Canonical farther pushes ergonomics of Ubuntu NetBook Remix by optimizing more fitting for smaller screens. Furthermore, launch bar on the left side of the screen will present icons designed for tactile interfaces. The purpose is to allow a better use of available screen space.

Ubuntu Light, designed for NetBooks and traditional notebooks is available for OEMs today. Mark Shuttleworth says: “Each disk image will change to optimize startup based on the hardware characteristics of the machine and will be provided with a Toolbox for Windows to manage configurations for the dual boot”. For this reason, Ubuntu Light will not officially distributed to download at the side of the classic version of the system. With Ubuntu Light, Canonical could greatly increase its market share in gambling on a segment which complements to Windows. The idea of use an Internet-centric operating system is not new and one thinks immediately Chrome OS next. With the latter, Google could indeed follow a similar strategy.

According to Canonical, Ubuntu Light allows the user to connect to the Web with a functional browser within 10 seconds. It provides a media player and tools to integrate with the Windows OS. This version will support many more applications and gaining a better file Explorer.