PC Pals Forum

Technical Help & Discussion => Apple, Linux & Open Source Software: Help, News & Discussion => Topic started by: Simon on September 23, 2008, 21:58

Title: Ubuntu loses its virginity, turns commercial
Post by: Simon on September 23, 2008, 21:58

From the time the Ubuntu distribution was first released nearly four years ago, the people behind it have tried to never put a foot wrong. Every single decision about the distribution has been geared to try and satisfy both their own brand of users and the general FOSS community.

Last week, however, Mark Shuttleworth, the head of Canonical, the firm that runs the Ubuntu project, made a decision that he will come to regret: to sell proprietary codecs for the distribution. Let me say it again - Shuttleworth will come to rue this move.

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/20762/1090/

Title: Re: Ubuntu loses its virginity, turns commercial
Post by: sam on September 23, 2008, 22:29

I wont pay for it... if needs be I'll go over to Debian... a proper and completely open source distro.

Title: Re: Ubuntu loses its virginity, turns commercial
Post by: Simon on September 24, 2008, 00:17

Isn't it going against the whole principal of open source, to start selling it?

Title: Re: Ubuntu loses its virginity, turns commercial
Post by: Reno on September 24, 2008, 03:17

Open source has more to do with fixing bugs and making sure those fixes are shared rather than buying and selling.

Title: Re: Ubuntu loses its virginity, turns commercial
Post by: sam on September 24, 2008, 08:09

Quote from: Simon on September 24, 2008, 00:17

Isn't it going against the whole principal of open source, to start selling it?

well yeah, but its not really selling the whole OS just proprietary software on top of that, I guess its like install photoshop, which of course you pay for...  :)x