[xubuntu-users] Is Xubuntu Not "Official?"

[Charlie Kravetz]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

On Fri, 05 Aug 2011 07:58:09 -0400
Robin <dixiedancer at gmail.com> wrote:

> 
> Just a quick question, prompted by repeated omissions from Canonical:
> 
> When Ubuntu released the updated LiveCD for version 10.04 (Lucid Lynx), images were made available for Ubuntu and Kubuntu - but not Xubuntu.

> 
> Now Ubuntu 11.10 has reached Alpha 3 and ISOs can be downloaded for Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Edubuntu, and even Lubuntu - but not Xubuntu!

The decision was made not to release Xubuntu alpha3 as explained in the
Technical Overview [1] for Oneiric Ocelot. If you are trying the
development versions of Xubuntu, you need to read those notes.

> 
> LiveCDs of Ubuntu and Kubuntu can be ordered from Canonical. Both were available for free from Canonical's ShipIt service. But not Xubuntu.

LiveCDs can only be ordered by Loco's now. ShipIt has been discontinued
for individuals.

> 
> Is Xubuntu official or isn't it? Is it supported by Canonical or isn't it? I wish someone could explain this. I occasionally find complaints on Ubuntu Forums that "Canonical needs to show Kubuntu more love!" But not Xubuntu. There are Ubuntu Forums and Kubuntu forums. But no Xubuntu forums. Only this little mailing list

Xubuntu is an Official, unsupported derivative of Ubuntu. That means
there are no paid employees of Canonical, the sponsor company for
Ubuntu and Kubuntu working on Xubuntu. As an official derivative, the
cd images are hosted on Canonical servers, Ubuntu developers will
assist the developers of Xubuntu when time allows, etc. However, as an
unsupported derivative, Xubuntu is entirely voluntary. 

> 
> Why no respect for Xubuntu? [whiny fanboi mode] Xubuntu is the most awesomest Linux distro in the history of evvaaaar! Why doesn't Canonical show Xubu some love!? [/whiny fanboi mode]
> 
> Just wondering.
> 

When Mark Shuttleworth started to build a new linux operating system in
2004, he did not know if he would base it on KDE or Gnome, the two
desktop environments most popular at the time. Xfce as a desktop
environment was very young and unknown. Since he, as the only financial
backer of the new operating system, wanted to be able to use either of
the environments known to be stable, he hired both Kubuntu and Ubuntu
developers. 

In 2006, a developer named Jani Monoses started a derivative of Ubuntu
that would be lighter in resources and use the Xfce desktop
environment. That derivative was released as Xubuntu 6.06 and was the
first official release of Xubuntu. Jani has since moved on to create
Kiwi, a derivative of Ubuntu for Romanians, and is working with the
Ubuntu ARM team.

As an supported, official derivative of Ubuntu, Kubuntu has paid
developers. That gives them the right to whine when Canonical forgets
them.

I appologize, this became much longer than I intended. I hope it does
explain a little about these items, though.


[1] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/OneiricOcelot/TechnicalOverview

- -- 
Charlie Kravetz 
Xubuntu Project Lead
Linux Registered User Number 425914          [http://counter.li.org/]
Never let anyone steal your DREAM.           [http://keepingdreams.com]
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.11 (GNU/Linux)

iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJOO+zRAAoJEFNEIRz9dxbAEvUH/As494JWAsAXSp9AKZtk/EMD
Fyedk06B8K1PCNHIU16BaEUAG2kJ9h5UzdgBb1OKuGqN/gXxQQyN/XW9DuiuwL08
WE2HWar12JY1vPk3nvKKnhWO0dC7+54L+ocTl0EwFzFjx12uFELQAoA7N1N08wR9
RcsTrRM8YNx/WMh7kK8I/+FXhDW7I66ORx6K0irEbxK/ri2BEH3BrQcrtbjsu70M
NDqTk0RhehFNbLM1wgrp7dXfK43nDoJtybAKeyFkoR9yHiH7D/PzOqQRYuykFyeq
npnFfoyyLIcAf0w2DGqYk6RHuMRJ94TZlVcx7FFIwxacYw7Zk9bWwK181EexMSs=
=D774
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----