Where can I find basic information about my Linux OS within the OS? All I can find is "Ubuntu 64-bit". What's the exact version 12.04 or 12.10? What's the kernel version?

http://askubuntu.com/questions/183515/how-do-i-find-the-kernel-version-ubuntu-release-and-disk-partition-information

Thank you very much Andrew. The release version is now clear, 12.04 LTS as expected (precise) but the info returned for the kernel version is unclear to me:

uname -a
Linux ubuntu 3.2.0-27-generic #43-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jul 6 14:25:57 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

is the kernel version then 3.2.0-27-generic?

I gather the highest stable release is 3.7.4, so I assume 3.2.0-27 is indeed the answer, even though the word kernel doesn't even appear.

I was expecting to have a GUI function to allow one to check the basics of a version of the OS. I'm new to Linux and also don't know whether the automatic updates feature should theoretically update me to 12.10 if and when I use it. Most details of how this OS works are at least superficially foreign after 20 years of Mac use.

Thanks again,

Joe Holmes

If you want a GUI to view the system information, I suggest installing hardinfo via Software Center:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HardInfo

I also recommend reading the following guides and books:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ExternalGuides

I agree with everything Mark and Andrew have said.

To pick up on one point the Update manager does not automatically update you to the next version because Its up to you whether or not to update. It will tell you if a new version is available and you can use the Update manager to upgrade. The only updates you get automatically are security patches and bug fixes.

If you run update manager and click settings, then in the window that opens the "Updates" tab you can set whether you want to be told about the update to the next release or the next LTS release. Personally I recommend LTS (Long Term Stable) releases as they are supported for 5 years but the choice is yours