some interesting links on ubuntu
 

ubuntu-linux-loss

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...ntu-linux-loss


Ubuntu's breakout
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13556_3-10076968-61.html


Ubuntu’s Shuttleworth: “I don’t think anyone can make money from the Linux desktop”

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=2894

That is just too sad to hear. I've tried many Linux distribution along these years and, while I agree Ubuntu is not the fastest or the most stable, it did a lot more than that for Linux. For me, Ubuntu gave Linux a face (even if a brown ugly one). In my eyes, every Linux distribution before Ubuntu failed in making a distribution simple to use as Ubuntu does.

However, part of this blame is not only for the companies not willing to pay for Ubuntu or its services. In my eyes, end users like you and me can do a lot too, like ordering things from their store, but I've met very few people who actually did.

Any attempt to make a buck out of free software is usually not well received either. I've seen people complaining that Cedega was "going too much the Windows way", back when it cost 15 bucks. If somebody is not willing to pay 15 dollars for a descent application like Cedega, but is willing to pay 50 bucks for a game... something is wrong with the mentality that drives them.

So yeah, I think I will have to agree with Shuttleworth here: There is no money to be made on the Desktop with Linux, because the obstacles are many: Microsoft pre-installing Windows on every new computer, Apple advertising with their awfully overpriced junk and the Linux community itself not willing to collaborate with a dollar (I know I am generalizing here, but sometimes that is necessary to describe the majority and to simply try to make a point). We even fight against ourselves with this distribution or that distribution, when any Linux distribution which makes to the top, in my honest opinion, is a win win situation for all distributions.

So, I think that even Linux users, whom, for a reason or another hate Ubuntu, should actually consider trying to help it. Why? Because if Ubuntu gets more attention and starts pulling some bucks, more companies will start developing sooooo needed drivers for Ubuntu and with that, everybody wins.

The death of Ubuntu, if that happens, is a huge loss for Linux as a whole, regardless which distribution you actually use.

And as usual, I am basing my facts and ideas out of nowhere :)

I agree for the most part with Shuttleworth and Mega_Man.

I guess the question is, who will be willing to pay for support for desktops (of any OS)? Answer is of course companies. For companies I think there are still missing application and, like it or not, solid interworking with Windows server side things like exchange. I suspect Novel might have realised this (with that controversial deal with MS) and might be better placed to start to make money from desktop Linux.

I am not that pessimistic on this. Within 3-5 years (Shuttleworth's window of support for Ubuntu), the necessary software for corporate users might be there and with it desktop Linux support will be needed. I think e.g. openoffice is doing a very good job here. A bit of economic pressure (i.e. the current credit crunch) might help desktop linux too..

Mons