[ubuntu-it] [semi-OT] [Fwd: Announcing Launch of ($10m) Ubuntu Foundation]

Fri Jul 8 08:39:08 CDT 2005

una notizia che molti aspettavano :)

~ NASCE LA UBUNTU FOUNDATION ~

"mark shuttleworh e canonical, fondatori di ubuntu (il popolare sistema
operativo basato su linux) hanno annunciato oggi la nascita della ubuntu
foundation con un impegno iniziale di 10 milioni di dollari"

 - sebastiano

PS. segue annuncio ufficiale in lingua inglese

-------- Forwarded Message --------
> From: Benj. Mako Hill <mako a ubuntu.com>
> To: ubuntu-announce a lists.ubuntu.com
> Subject: Announcing Launch of ($10m) Ubuntu Foundation
> Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2005 12:14:07 +0200
> 
> Below is the press release sent off to the wires announcing the
> creation of a new foundation by Mark Shuttleworth and Canonical to
> help support Ubuntu and employ core Ubuntu developers over the long
> term and to help distinguish the commercial support and certification
> programs of Canonical from the truly community-based nature of much of
> Ubuntu's work.
> 
> There are some other big announcements buried in there as well like
> the introduction of longer-term supported releases. :) 
> 
> I hope you join me in thinking this is fantastic news for the Ubuntu
> community on a number of different levels.
> 
> Regards,
> Mako
> 
> 
> LAUNCH OF $10m UBUNTU FOUNDATION
> 
> 08 July 2005
> 
> Mark Shuttleworth and Canonical Ltd, founders of the popular Ubuntu
> Linux-based operating system, have today announced the creation of The
> Ubuntu Foundation with an initial funding commitment of US$10m.
> 
> The Ubuntu Foundation will employ core Ubuntu community members to
> ensure that Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com) will remain fully supported for an
> extended period of time, and continue to produce new releases of the
> distribution. As a first step, the Foundation announces that Ubuntu
> version 6.04, due for release in April 2006, will be supported for
> three years on the desktop and five years on the server.
> 
> The Foundation was established on July 1st 2005 with an initial
> funding commitment of US$10 million, to ensure the continuity of the
> Ubuntu project and create a legal vehicle that represents the
> community structures of the project.
> 
> "It's important for us to distinguish the philanthropic and
> non-commercial work that is at the heart of the Ubuntu project, from
> the commercial support and certification programs that are the focus
> of Canonical Ltd." said Mark Shuttleworth, who is founder of the
> project and is making the initial $10m commitment to the
> Foundation. "The core team members employed by the Ubuntu Foundation
> will ensure that we can meet public commitments to keep Ubuntu
> entirely free of charge, as well as meeting commitments of support for
> extended periods. I'm very excited at the progress that has been made
> in bringing free software to the global marketplace, and pleased to
> continue my support for the project in this way."
> 
> Ubuntu has quickly become a leading distribution in the free software
> world, taking the #1 place in DistroWatch popularity rankings over all
> timescales which are published. The distribution focuses on usability,
> security and stability on desktops and servers, and on making free
> software widely available for individuals and organisations who are
> ready to switch from proprietary platforms, such as Microsoft Windows.
> 
> Ubuntu has also become the basis of many other derivative
> distributions, particularly those backed by govenments for widespread
> deployment. The government of Andalucia, Spain recently announced that
> its own version of Linux would be based on Ubuntu, and deployed in all
> educational operations.
> 
> LONGER SERVER SUPPORT CYCLE
> 
> One driving factor behind the creation of the Foundation was the need
> to ensure that an Ubuntu release can be deployed on servers, which
> demand much slower release and upgrade cycles. "In order to support
> the use of free software on database and other servers, we will be
> offering security support for the Ubuntu base and major server
> components for a full five years", said Matt Zimmerman, CTO of the
> Ubuntu project.
> 
> As Ubuntu and free software in general become more mainstream, it has
> become costly for companies and large organisations to keep track of
> the rapid pace of development. In the desktop environment the problem
> is more manageable, and steady improvements in the usability of
> desktop office and productivity applications have been welcomed. In
> the datacenter, however, where Linux and free software are considered
> mature, deployments have a preference for fewer releases with long
> lifecycles. Ubuntu version 6.04, to be released in April 2006, will be
> aimed at meeting those requirements with a full five year commitment
> to provide security and other critical updates for servers. This also
> meets the needs of OEM distribution providers and ISVs, who have
> expressed strong interest in supporting free software environments but
> who prefer to be able to plan for releases and support them for longer
> periods of time.
> 
> The extended service support for Ubuntu version 6.04 will remain free
> of charge, under the same terms as the support currently provided to
> every release of Ubuntu. The extended service support program will
> only apply to designated releases of Ubuntu. Other releases, which
> will still be made on the current six-month cycle, will continue to
> receive the current commitment of 18 months free security and critical
> updates support.
> 
> KEEPING FREE SOFTWARE FREE
> 
> A primary goal of the Ubuntu Foundation is to ensure that a high
> quality distribution of free and open source software is available
> free of charge, throughout the world. "Free software is produced by
> expert volunteers who make their time and work freely available - our
> goal is to ensure that anybody in the world can make the best use of
> that work, at no charge." said Benjamin Mako Hill, Ubuntu Community
> Relations. Both Canonical and the Ubuntu Foundation have made public
> commitments that Ubuntu will always be freely available, without the
> need for royalties or licence payments of any kind. "We include only
> free and unencumbered applications, ensuring that users have the
> ability to share and modify their software."
> 
> CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM CANONICAL LTD.
> 
> The establishment of the Ubuntu Foundation enhances the commercial
> commitment already made to the Ubuntu project by Canonical, Ltd.
> "Demand for the commercial services offered by Canonical to users of
> Ubuntu continues to grow. We welcome the very large number of
> companies that have announced support for Ubuntu both regionally and
> globally, and expect to continue to create additional partnership,
> certification and support programs in coming months," stated Jane
> Silber, head of marketing at Canonical.
> 
> The extended life support program for Ubuntu version 6.04 is in line
> with Canonical's efforts to broaden the OEM base for Ubuntu. "The
> distribution has been selected by several hardware manufacturers for
> sale with PCs and laptops, and the availability of a long term
> supported release of Ubuntu that's independent of the commercial
> success of Canonical meets the needs of specific manufacturers in the
> hardware marketplace", continued Silber.
> 
> The Ubuntu Community Council will act as the advisory board of the
> Foundation. Current members of that Council are Benjamin Mako Hill,
> Colin Watson, James Troup and Mark Shuttleworth (Chairman).
> 
> Contact:
> 
> The Ubuntu Foundation
>   Benjamin Mako Hill
>   +1 206-409-7191
>   mako a ubuntu.com
> 
> Canonical Ltd.
>   Jane Silber
>   +44 20 7052 9843
>   jane.silber a canonical.com
> 
> 
> -- 
> Benjamin Mako Hill
> mako a ubuntu.com | mako a canonical.com
> 