Dubbed Quantal Quetzal, the new Ubuntu 12.10 operating system is the 17th release of the Ubuntu OS and it will be supported for two years, until April 2014, on both desktops and servers.
Quantal Quetzal comes in the following official editions: Ubuntu Desktop, Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu Cloud Server, Ubuntu ARM, Ubuntu Netboot, Ubuntu Core, Ubuntu Studio, Edubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, and Mythbuntu.

Under the hood of Ubuntu 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal):
(see the download links at the end of the article)
· Unity 3D interface 6.6;
· GNOME 3.6 packages;
· Linux kernel 3.5;
· X.Org 7.7;
· Xorg Server 1.13;
· Mesa 9.0;
· GCC 4.7 toolchain;
· Python 2.7 and 3.2;
· Compiz Fusion 0.9.8.4.

The Ubuntu 12.10 feature tour:
(see the download links at the end of the article)
· DVD only release - this is the first time when Ubuntu Desktop image comes only on DVD, as the CD images were dropped. The Ubuntu Server remains on CD though;
· No Alternate version - the Ubuntu Desktop Alternate edition was also dropped from this release - only the Desktop version remains;
· Enhanced desktop experience powered by Unity - now with Previews, Amazon search, new Lens and Scopes, suggestions, Web Apps integration, cleaner panel, as well as numerous fixes and refinements;
· LVM and full disk encryption support - implemented right in the installer;
· Web Apps - this is also the first release of Ubuntu to integrate native support for web applications;
· Up-to-date office suite - LibreOffice has been updated to version 3.6.1;
· Up-to-date web browser and email client - powered by Mozilla’s Firefox and Thunderbird 16.0.1 products;
· 11 new beautiful wallpapers - from various photographers and artists around the world;
· Improved login screen - now with support for remote logins too;
· ...and many more other small features for you to discover!