Comments on: Ubuntu's 'feisty' spin on virtualization

The Linux variant is taking a different tack on the multi-OS tech as it vies with offerings from Red Hat and Novell.

[thedreaming]

Ubuntu

I ike ubuntu, it's definately a step closer to the dream of a linux desktop should be. It's not there yet. When it's as popular as windows and carries the same muscle as windows with OEMs, then things will get interesting!

[hack311]

Well...

Linux has had much time to claim its throne and to step up to the desktop world... but still it's not there... so when will it be?

[demner]

Xubuntu

I use Xubuntu and like it much better than the Gnome and KDE variants. Hopefully they continue to support it...

[Razzl]

Don't turn down this dead end

"That version will have a new variant, an as-yet unnamed version for open-source and free software purists that's free of proprietary software such as video drivers, Shuttleworth said in a mailing list announcement about Gutsy Gibbon. The Gibbon variant will take an "ultra-orthodox view of licensing: no firmware, drivers, imagery, sounds, applications, or other content which do not include full source materials and come with full rights of modification, remixing and redistribution,"

Great, a distribution that's guaranteed not to work on any computer and potentially turn off anyone from the general public who might be confused about what it is. There are vast numbers of linux distributions that "purists" can use, why lose focus catering to this? Ubuntu has rightly been developed to work in the real world, where the hardware that people have to buy in order to use computers will always have proprietary drivers and proprietary softwares. There would not be any personal computers or software for them if not for the profit motive, let's not waste any more effort catering to impossible utopian visions.

This is a critical moment in the history of personal computers, with a free linux distribution ready to take its place as a competitor against the Microsoft monopoly, and I for one don't want to see a single ounce of its precious resources squandered on pointless distractions like divided Beryl/Compiz or this idea of a "pure open source" variant. Keep your eyes on the prize...

[Orion Blastar]

Consider alternatives to Unbuntu like Linspire

Linspire is a commercial Linux with software written to work like Windows does at a fraction of the price of Windows.

End Users don't really care if part of the OS is not open sourced or that only most of it is opne sourced. They just want something that works and is easy to use. Now professional users and developers and IT experts want a complete open source Linux distro so they can "tweak" it themselves and hack away at it.

Now then Linspire has Freespire for those open source purists who want everything open sourced and the OS available for download for free.

[zboot]

Microsoft Monopoly

On what? No such thing exists. Perhaps we can say they have a monopoly on an easy to use operating system that runs on the widest variety of machines.

[wangbang]

loot

If Shuttleworth wants to get rid of his loot, I would be happy to take some of it off of his hands.

[MSSlayer]

Ubuntu

I do not know why Ubuntu is so popular. It is so far behind Fedora and SuSE in every category you want to name. It is not user friendly, has a poor permissions system, and is too windows like: ie hides important details.

Ubuntu has promise but it is years away from being the real top distro. Right now, openSuse 10.2 is rock solid, has more packages then just about anyone else, has a detailed(something Ubuntu is sorely lacking in) yet simple install routine. It is so easy a total computer neophyte can use it, and be secure without having to add in a bunch of third part apps. Anyone with a little experience on Windows could easily install it and be up and running in under an hour with little to no problems. With Wine, very few windows games won't run well on Linux either. In fact, on my dual boot system, I get better gaming performance and latency in Linux on games made for windows.

If Suse or Fedora had the hype that Ubuntu gets, then Linux would be much further along in gaining desktop market share.

If Debian

[Vegaman_Dan]

And this is why Linux keeps failing

There are too many factions all supporting conflicting versions of Linux out there, each adamant about why their version is superior to everything else.

It's hard to get any real development done when these folks are busy sticking their fingers in their ears whenever someone dares to say anything different than their religious dogma.

Once these folks get some sort of common direction going instead of the infighting they are currently involved in, then perhaps they may make some inroads on OSX and Windows. Until then, they will always be an isolated group.

[quasarstrider]

I used to use Fedora

Then I got tired of rpm and yum. I prefer apt-get. rpm sucks with circular dependencies and crap like that. Plus there is a lot of stuff that does not come in their repository which I had to get from external sources. This is quite cumbersome to do, and third-party packages often botched up my install.

I tried Debian but their release cycle was too slow for my taste. Ubuntu had a faster release cycle. It also had Debian's vast repository of apps, so I stuck with it. I still think Fedora's installer was better, but Ubuntu's is good enough.