Ubuntu GNOME (formerly Ubuntu GNOME Remix) is a Linux distribution and distributed as free and open-source software. From version 13.04 onwards, it is an official "flavour" of the Ubuntu operating system which uses a pure GNOME desktop environment rather than the Unity graphical shell. The project began as an unofficial "remix" because some users preferred the GNOME 3 desktop over Unity. Ubuntu GNOME 12.10 Quantal Quetzal was the first stable version released on 18 October 2012.