Many good thoughts on both sides of this issue.  As a regular Linux & Windows user these are my thoughts. First basically this software firewall is a desktop tool so lets isolate most of the discussion to this.  Server take other precaustions to protect itself, including physical firewalls. Therefore the question is does/will most Desktop users of Ubuntu want/use a Software Firewall.  My experience with Microsoft's Windows Firewall & other software firewall tells me no.  First I think the greatest value the XP firewall has on Windows has to do with the fact that the system (Windows) is run amok Operating System giving the user little power over processes that are running. This is why spyware has rendered many users PCs useless and why XP's Firewall was helpful in the first place.  It's also helpful since viruses & trojans spread so much easier on Windows XP. Additionally, in my experience most users turn it off after time out of annoyance. So the last question is "Do Users Want it" anyway?  I can't answer this question, as I'm not the only Ubuntu user.  Certainly some will have a greater comfort level on Ubuntu with it.  However perhaps we should resist the urge to be LIKE Microsoft, because in order to beat them we ought to exceed them.