It's getting interesting. Computerworld and ZDNet report a Gartner analyst claiming that "Windows is 'collapsing'". Computerworld is also talking about Ubuntu breathing new life into old hardware.

With that said, The Ubuntu 8.04 release is imminent, and I'm very much looking forward to it. I've been a Ubuntu user on and off pretty much since 4.10, also known as Warty Warthog. 4.10, along with version 5.04 (Hoary Hedgehog) are the only ones with code names that don't follow the letters of the alphabet. There's 5.10 (Breezy Badger), 6.06 (Dapper Drake), 6.10 (Edgy Eft), 7.04 (Feisty Fawn), 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon), and I was sure 8.04 was going to be named Hungry Hippo, but alas, its code name is Hardy Heron.

8.04 is also a LTS version, with support until 2011 and 2013 for desktops and servers respectively. This is similar to version 6.06 which came out in 2006, and will be supported until 2009 and 2011 respectively.

There's a beta version currently available for early adopters, which I recommend you try if you're into trying new things. A nice feature of Ubuntu is that you can boot from the CD to a fully functional Linux desktop system without having to install anything on your harddrive. Sure, it's not permanent, but it's a great way to try it out before making a commitment.