Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn Is Released

Ubuntu 7.04 “Feisty Fawn” was released in April 2007. It arrived when desktop Linux distributions were working hard to make installation, drivers, multimedia, and wireless networking less intimidating for ordinary PC users.

One notable feature was easier support for proprietary graphics and wireless drivers through a restricted-drivers manager. Linux had long faced a practical tension between free-software principles and hardware whose vendors provided only closed drivers. Ubuntu chose to make those drivers easier to install while clearly labeling their status.

Feisty also improved desktop effects through Compiz, added migration tools for importing settings from Windows, and continued Ubuntu’s six-month release rhythm. That predictable schedule became part of Ubuntu’s identity: users could expect frequent updates, while every few years a long-term-support release provided a more conservative option for servers and businesses.