Here lies the responsiblity

[Randall Ross]

At the risk of inciting a "riot of epic proportions", I would like to
propose an alternate hypothesis:

Ubuntu <> Linux.

I think it might be worthwhile to consider and to market Ubuntu for what
it is, a community-developed collection of free software (kernel,
toolchain, GNU utilities, applications) backed by an awesome extended
community (developers, LoCo's, translators, artists, advocates,
sponsors, testers.)

A thought experiment: Would Ubuntu still be Ubuntu without its
monolithic (Linux) kernel? Would "average" users still adopt Ubuntu if
it were using some other kernel? Would they care? (Test case: Apple's
switch to the Mach microkernel in the late nineties.)

Ubuntu has done a fantastic job on the desktop, grabbing market share
ferociously and delighting users worldwide. This has never been done
before by a system using a Linux kernel. There are bound to be bumps
along the road...

Ultimately the responsibility for further greatness and adoption of
Ubuntu rests mostly with the community that is Ubuntu, and with
Canonical as its guide.

Cheers,
Randall
Ubuntu Vancouver Buzz Generator


ubuntu-devel-discuss-request at lists.ubuntu.com wrote:
> From: George Farris <george.farris at viu.ca>
> Subject: Here lies the responsiblity
> To: ubuntu-devel-discuss at lists.ubuntu.com
> Message-ID: <1258574419.10449.20.camel at falcon>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> Well we've certainly seen a few problems with Karmic.  I have reports
> from new or upgrading users of crashing applications etc.
>
> So here is what I see as the major problem.
>
> Ubuntu has had such good success that to many people, Ubuntu and Linux
> are one and the same thing.  Ubuntu = Linux and Linux = Ubuntu.
>
> Canonical now has the responsibility, yes let me say that again,
> "Canonical has a responsibility", to the entire Linux world, to be very
> careful with what they put out.  Now I have no problem with releasing
> Karmic but please, for all the rest of us, including other distributions
> and companies that have worked hard over many years to promote Linux,
> MARK IT AS DEVELOPMENT.
>
> Karmic has some great stuff in it and I applaud the developers but it
> has done nothing good for Linux on the desktop in the eyes of new and
> upgrading users not to mention the media.
>
> Canonical, you have the power, accept responsibility.
>
> Save the usable releases to well debugged versions.  Make this crystal
> clear to all the media as well.
>
> Cheers
>