“Mark Shuttleworth is the founder of Thawte, the first certification authority to sell public SSL certificates. After selling Thawte to Verisign, Mark moved on to training as an astronaut in Russia and visiting space. Once he got back he founded Ubuntu, the leading GNU/Linux distribution. He agreed on releasing a quick interview to Free Software Magazine.” One of the more interesting quotes: “With Ubuntu, it’s still too early to say we’ve been successful. My personal goal is to make the distro sustainable – then there will be a team that pays its own way and can focus on producing the best free software desktop on the planet without my interference!”
Interview: Mark Shuttleworth
36 Comments
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2006-02-21 8:08 am
Moulinneuf“I’m not a big fan of extremism.”
Extremism is when you remove choice , its when you dont allow other to install side by side , its when you make contract where only you profit from the deal. It swhat Microsoft and Apple do.
What Ubuntu does is humanitarian , they offer choice and they offer something free ( as in freedom and price ) to all of us regarles of who we are. With Ubuntu as default someone can install Windows if they whant to. same with Apple. Why should Proprietary and closed software be the fault and primary choice at all time ?
“Replace “Ubuntu” with “any one of a number of free *nixen””
You cant replace Ubunutu , Ubuntu is unique , there is also no free Nixx , there is only GNU/Linux an ex NIX who learned from the nix fatal mistake.
” and “1. A majority of the PC’s for sale should include only free software” ”
Yes , because then people see that windows as a real cost , if people really whant windows they will go and buy it if its the best for them. Its equal for all , because there is a lot of people who cant legally afford Micorosft windows and the software who can be installed on it. Finally its also legal to install Windows side by side with free software , free software allow it Windows dont allow it.
“”1. A majority of the PC’s for sale should support a multitude of os options, free or not” ”
They already do to a point.
“and I’ll take it seriously.”
Your opinion and views and value are not important at all , when a fight come will you defend them ? will you try and stop Ubunutu from doing what it does , do you think you can really stop them ?
“Note that I’m not saying things like Ubuntu necessarily should include non-free software”
They already do , its just not the primary choice and only option. Which means that you dont know your subject at all.
“Just that we can’t outlaw non-free software in general.”
Yes we can , non-free software tried to outlaw free software too , guess what ? That’s what will do in the long run , not by law but by everyday usage and by offering more and more and more every day. Even by law in some country who really believe in equality and freedom for all humans.
Have a nice day sir.
2006-02-20 7:06 pm
netpython
This quick interview isn’t by far as good as the one being held in LXF (Linux Format).It says more about the interviewer than the person being interviewed in my opinion.
Ubuntu wasn’t my favorite in the beginning but that rapidly changed lately.They manage to add a lot of improvements with every release.Especially Dapper Flight 4 is impressive,very few bugs that i could find at first sight.Much better than anything,exept SuSE 10 retail,that i have tested in a long time.
Man what a contrast with Mandrake 2006 and the butt ugly Fedora 5 test3 i tested yesterday,yum yet another dependancy problem.
My guess,Both SuSE and Ubuntu are very serious contenders to give vista some serious beating in the nearby future.Especially now knowing MS will bring out several Vista versions so people will see them being forced to upgrade for a consideral amount of money after having bought a new PC.
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Moulinneuf
“as the one being held in LXF (Linux Format).”
Link to it or submit as a story if you really believe its better.
“Man what a contrast with Mandrake 2006”
Next time try Mandriva 2006 or Mandriva cooker those exist in real life. Its always funny for me to read totally stupid people comment on things they know nothing about. 😉
SUSE only recently did a 180 but thats after it whent banckrupt because of it closed and somewhat proprietary way and that IBM sold it to Novell. Its Novell who is good not SUSE.
“My guess,Both … in the nearby future.”
Wow , what a uber load of bulshit , in order for Ubuntu , because we all know that Novell ( that’s SuSe for you idiot ) aint targeting the general market Vista is in , to put a dent in Vista it as to be default and primary and and alone on the new computer on order to replace Vista shipment on every hardware as default.
Reality is that when people are offered the choice and told about GNU/Linux they will choose it , the problem the hardware maker almsot never offer that choice or make it availaible , hence the dominance of Microsoft continues.
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netpython
“Man what a contrast with Mandrake 2006”
Next time try Mandriva 2006 or Mandriva cooker those exist in real life. Its always funny for me to read totally stupid people comment on things they know nothing about. 😉
Perhaps my bad,i just think Mandrake was a good enough name to stick with.
-Mandi doesn’t work in Mandriva 2006 free edition.
-You get the opportunity to change the overall system security that msec is going to take care of.But,there’s no control button in control panel after reboot.Now i allways got the impression Mandrake (read:Mandriva) targeted ease of use.Is it a cheap free edition cutt-off or is it the prime to go CLI and play a little with msec from the terminal (not that msec is accessible from CLI)?
SUSE only recently did a 180 but thats after it whent banckrupt because of it closed and somewhat proprietary way and that IBM sold it to Novell. Its Novell who is good not SUSE.
Didn’t Mandrake face bankruptcy?
Novell has better sales people,but the majority of the better hardcore developers are genuine SuSE.Not the wankers who left the ship when the weather was a bit more rough than usual.
I agree with you though,Novell does a very good managing job.
“as the one being held in LXF (Linux Format).”
Link to it or submit as a story if you really believe its better.
That would be illegal,there’s something called copyright.
But feel free to order a past issue,here’s the link:http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&f…
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Moulinneuf
“i just think ”
No , you dont 😉
“i just think Mandrake was a good enough name to stick with. ”
Who care about your little opinion a court of law decided that the name Mandrake belonged to another company ( Hearst Holdings ) , your personnal preference is irrelevant in this case. Its now Mandriva live with it.
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/linux/2005/0502linux2.html?…
“-Mandi doesn’t work in Mandriva 2006 free edition.”
Whats Mandi ?
“-You get the … accessible from CLI)? ”
Search for Mandriva and MSec in Google , there is enough how-to on the subject that you only need to read them , dont try what you know on Mandriva its a superior system. It also as more then one way or option to do things.
“Didn’t Mandrake face bankruptcy?”
Nope , Cessation des paiements is not the same thing as Being Bankrupt ( what suse whas ) or in Bankrupty protection its three level above it. Its actually used quite often in Europe to just readjust the company and hold paiement of creditors or illegal financial tactics.
“Novell has better …rough than usual. ”
No , Thats why SuSe is now a portfolio of Novelll and not the other way around , Novell is a conglomerate , there is a lot of talent there. SUSE developper never where wankers either , just there management tactics whas totally dumb , If they had been open Source and GPL from the start they would have killed Mandriva and Red Hat probably.
“That would be illegal,there’s something called copyright. ”
No , but you have to ask permission if its only in print , I tought it whas online on there site , sorry my mistake :
http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=…
Frankly there is not much one cant get with :
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=mozclient&scoring=d&ie=utf-8&…
Its also an Ubuntu Topic , so the above is why Ubuntu is more popular : less problem then Mandriva , better management 😉 thats all I will say about it.
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2006-02-21 1:58 pm
hyperfrenchman defending a french company in every possible way. how nice. do you work for them?
if i were you, i would use more gentle words, because right now your comments become useless after they get moderated down :]
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Moulinneuf
“frenchman defending a french company”
I am a real American from CANADA , thats why I use my real name , aint a coward or a whannabe like some 😉
You cant be me , I dont fear modding down , nor do I care about it , only the truth and facts interest me. If I where working for them I would proudly wear a signature that would clearly say so , absolutely no shame in that , If I owned share I would also divulgate that fact too.
I dont see the point in lying about Mandriva in order to make Ubuntu look good , Ubuntu hard work , dedication and numerous contribution stands on its own.
Both company are under attack by cowards who like to spread FUD. In both cases its an honor defending those humanitarians who give so much.
You cant understand 😉
2006-02-20 7:17 pm
Jezza
This wasn’t an interview, it was some guy kissing MarkS’s ass…
I use Ubuntu, but I don’t see it as perfect, and I don’t see MarkS as a God.
This interviewer spent far too long sucking up to Mr.Shuttleworth and not long enough asking about stuff that matters.
It’s nice to see that Shuttleworth hasn’t let the fame go to his head, he seems like a very well-grounded chap!
2006-02-20 7:22 pm
Celerate
That review was short, in fact if you were to strip out the advertisements and large quotes it wouldn’t even fill a page. There’s only six questions and at least one has a one line answer. More content would have been nice.
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Celerate
I meant to say interview instead of review, but I’m tired from being sick and taking flue meds so I failed to realize my mistake until after posting. Too bad I couldn’t find the edit option, it seems to have gone.
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2006-02-22 12:20 pm
fsmdave“He agreed on releasing a quick interview”
It was said right up front…again in case you missed it:
“He agreed on releasing a quick interview”
2006-02-20 9:32 pm
djst
Mr. Shuttleworth seems to be an amazing person. I for one liked the interview, it had a personal touch and wasn’t only about technical stuff. It’s clear the interviewer likes Ubuntu, but who doesn’t?
2006-02-20 9:34 pm
barkley
When the interview talks about Ubuntu giving Microsoft “the finishing stroke” then you know you can’t take the magazine seriously. Too bad.
2006-02-20 10:00 pm
unrequested username
I think ubuntu needs to hit Mepis’s level of ease before it can take on microsoft. I’m especially talking about installing the propreitary crap and making it much more accessible. This guy is competing as practically a one man operation(on the back of debian of course). I personally don’t use Mepis but I’ve seen what it does. It does what the common user wants.
The proprietary stuff is against Ubuntu’s policy. Which I strongly agree with. I don’t need that crap. But a distro to compete with windows will need the structure and marketing force of Ubuntu and the dirty touch Mepis.
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2006-02-20 10:19 pm
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2006-02-21 1:42 am
abhaysahaiAutumatix —
It even installs Firefox 1.5. I have it.
That apart
Though I feel that due to the lage number of Linux distributions present, no single distro would become a sole representation of Linux and eventually pose a big threat to MS. All major distributions have mutually incompatible packages, well we can install rpm in debian, but still it is not recommended. Some other prominent formats like tar.gz (slackware and Arch) are totally incompatible with Debian (including Ubuntu & Mepis) and rpm based ( Fedora,SUSE, Mandriva etc).
Also users of each distribution like their own format ( Is is easy to convince a gentoo fan to use Mepis ? ).
Compare this with Windows were MS is the only player. All the programs made for windows have a single install and run mechanism, and they all do their assigned task, very little configuration is required.
No doubt Ubuntu is good and newbie-freindly, but to say the Ubuntu will reach a level where windows is and that MarK S will be the next Mr. Gates is a little too much.
Lets just stick to our short term goals and make linux as usable as possible and indeed Ubuntu is a good effort in that direction.
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2006-02-21 1:50 am
sirideWhat difference does it make if some distros use different package management systems? If you can always get most of the software through your distribution’s package management system (which is generally really easy, point and click in Synaptic, for example), then who cares? Third-parties can either take the extra time to build RPMs alongside DEBs or use something like autopackage or klik to package their software. Some, like Java and other big third-party software titles have their own installers that work like in Windows. And finally, third parties don’t have to target every little distribution. If they hit Red Hat, SuSE, Ubuntu/Debian and Mandriva, they’ve covered most everybody. People using more obscure or difficult to use distros like Gentoo are already savvy enough to do the tricks necessary to install software meant for another distribution.
People like to bitch and moan about different package formats, but in reality, it’s not a problem.
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2006-02-21 2:01 am
elsewherePeople like to bitch and moan about different package formats, but in reality, it’s not a problem.
Yes, but it’s a refreshing change from the constant bitching and moaning about mp3 support dooming linux to failure.
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netpython
[1]Yes, but it’s a refreshing change from the constant bitching and moaning about mp3 support dooming linux to failure.[/i]
Linux is an eco-system of distributions.As such it will most likely not disapear.
If you think they ¨moan and sigh¨ about wether mp3 is included or not you missed a crucial part of the equation.Linux and OSS in particular is about the indiscriminate freedom of choice.In this case the freedom to include propietary content or not.It’s still not possible to get mp3 support included legally,even if you are prepared to pay.
My guess:Time limit patents to max 10 years or so.
This way OS’s vendors can compete more on OS specific merits than included propietary stuff alone.
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abhaysahai
I was referring to different package format from the point of view of a new user, but its amazing that an experienced user like you finds gentoo “Obscure” ( it is in top 10 on distrowatch) and difficult to use when you yourself write
“I can also easily try out very experimental software, even through portage (which is a real plus). It doesn’t always work, but I find it’s easier to deal with the resulting breakage on Gentoo than on other systems. ”
http://osnews.com/permalink.php?news_id=13361&comment_id=87591
Please decide if you find gentoo easy to use before posting.
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2006-02-21 5:53 am
BeresfordCompare Windows to a distribution not to Linux in general. Suse is a different OS than Ubuntu, kernel comes from the same source but has been built differently, packages come from the same source but are built and installed differently, directory structures are different (not sure on this)…..
A program designed for Suse 10 will work with Suse 9, same way a program designed for Windows XP will work with Windows 2000 (most of the time, there are exceptions in both camps).
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2006-02-20 11:11 pm
TerracottaLike archiesteel said: easyubuntu is the thing they need: it takes the user to click the action, and after that it just installs, no legal problems for shuttleworth, and the end-user is easier/better off than with windows.
2006-02-21 2:15 am
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2006-02-21 3:26 am
kamperWhat qualifies it as leading. I would say popular distro.
I’m tempted to reply “just the author’s fanboyism” but in reality, it’s probably the fact that it’s distrowatch.com’s most popular item by a mile. I’ll give Ubuntu credit for not just being a distro-of-the-month and then fading into obscurity among the hundreds of others.
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Moulinneuf
“I’m tempted to reply “just the author’s fanboyism” ”
Which show that your totally clueless and uninformed.
“but in reality”
You live in your own special bubble , your reality is not what’s the reality.
“the fact that it’s distrowatch.com’s most popular item by a mile.”
Distrowatch is tottally irrelevant in everything GNU/Linux , Distrowatch dont contribute code , Distrowatch dont pay anything with its own money , Distrowatch dont send free CD , distrowatch dont support anything GNU/Linux. Distrowatch dont make any distribution. Distrowatch dont encourage others to participate in GNU/Linux. I will add that Ladislav Bodnar is a proven scam artist.
Ubuntu is popular :
– Because they support there community directly.
– They are inclusive
– They are respectfull.
– They give everyone there best.
Ubuntu is leading because :
– All the others are unresponsive or have dropped general users.
– They are cutting edge and dont listen to what Red Hat say and does.
– There Beta testing is open to all , and they invite everyone to contribute and test it.
– They acknowledge problem and fix them.
Who else in GNU/Linux is going to ship you a free CD of there best and latest distribution for you to use and share ? Only Ubuntu.
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abhaysahai
Dear Sir,
With all due respect to you and Ubuntu.
I do acknowledge that Ubuntu is a great distribution, I currently have Ubuntu on my thinkpad. I am trying to be an active member on ubuntu forums, just my way of contributing to the excellent Ubuntu community. In fact the more I use Ubuntu, the more I love it. Ubuntu simply works.
However, I strongly object to your comments regarding Distrowatch.
Here is what I find Offending
1) Distrowatch is tottally irrelevant in everything GNU/Linux or distrowatch dont support anything GNU/Linux.
Please read the distrowatch Title/logo
“Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD”.
Please do read the FAQ at distrowatch..
“First and foremost, news about release announcements of Linux distributions and *BSDs (both stable and development) are published on the main page.”
If this means that distrowatch does not support GNU/Linux, the I need to take a beginer’s course in English.
2)Distrowatch dont pay anything with its own money
I just happen to come across this page
http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20060206#donation
er
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is our pleasure to announce that we have just broken our all-time donation record. Thanks to the increasing number of visitors and a growing demand for advertising on this site, we have been able to set aside a total of US$500 for donations in January!
3) I will add that Ladislav Bodnar is a proven scam artist.
This is your personal view and you have the right to have a view, but does this mean that you can violate the modesty of anyone ?
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Moulinneuf
“However, I strongly object to your comments regarding Distrowatch. ”
I whas not commenting. Sorry if the truth offend you.
1) Distrowatch is tottally irrelevant in everything GNU/Linux. In the same way that a sport journalist is irrelevant to a sport team. The journalist can stop reporting and the team will go on without him. because he reports on what the team does , he never get directly involved and does not affect the game or the team in anyway. even if he pay is own ticket to go see the matches.
2) The donation come from a percentage the site income ( advertisement , publicity ) make which is made by the community browsing the site. Its exactly like your government paying for something with your taxes.
I will add that I have no problem with people making money off GNU/Linux or not giving back money when they sold something GNU/Linux.
3) “This is your personal view”
No. I dont make that type of accusation for fun and without behing able to back myself up.
” but does this mean that you can violate the modesty of anyone ?”
You mean reputation , I will say yes when that reputation is based on lies and taking money he promise himself to give. He clearly said he would give 10% of the advertisement profit of Distrowatch after backing down from 100% since he work on it full time and need an income.
Take this :
http://distrowatch.com/awstats/
multiply by this :
http://distrowatch.com/././dwres.php?resource=advertise
Tell me what 10% is …
Look up all the donation too , almost the same number everytime but the site as increased in visits.
I dont like the guy for other reason , I dispise him for is scamming.
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2006-02-21 5:05 pm
ankitmalik“Distrowatch is tottally irrelevant in everything GNU/Linux , Distrowatch dont contribute code , Distrowatch dont pay anything with its own money , Distrowatch dont send free CD , distrowatch dont support anything GNU/Linux. Distrowatch dont make any distribution. Distrowatch dont encourage others to participate in GNU/Linux.”
Doesn’t Distrowatch’s non participation in any distro making make their rankings more relevant and neutral????
I mean isn’t it better for a non- participating entity to bring out the results of a contests… Imagine Ubuntu/Red Hat releasing a top 10 distro ranking list!
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Moulinneuf
“Doesn’t Distrowatch’s non participation in any distro making make their rankings more relevant and neutral????”
Normally yes , exept the Distrowatch site maintainer aint neutral or impartial. But the Grand parent post said that Distrowatch whas a factor in Ubuntu popularity and existance which is not the case at all.
I do think now that Disrowatch as value in some people eyes , but not of real value , Because even do the maintainer say its to be taken with a grain of salt , but since Ubuntu is at the top , he cant stop talking about it , in praise. Hence it become a nagging factor for some people. Including myself. Not that Ubuntu dont deserve its first place I just know that Distrowatch Hit per day is not an accurate representation of what people decide to use and get as distribution.
2006-02-21 6:47 am
byrc
Ubuntu is not going to “beat” vista, nor is SuSE or Fedora, and not because windows is superior (i do not think it is) but because of the fact that most people don’t care. They will use whatever the vendor has installed on their computer and be happy with that. And lets face it, most vendors are not about to switch to linux as the default OS.
2006-02-21 11:32 am
da_Chicken
Shuttleworth seems like a nice guy and a businessman with a vision but he’s not my hero. There seems to be a wide-spread opinion among GNU/Linux users that GNU/Linux should replace Microsoft, and also that only big businesses and multimillionaires can sell GNU/Linux to the great bulk of computer users who don’t really care what operating system runs their computers.
Well, I don’t think the world would become any better place if all the people suddenly started using GNU/Linux. I kind of like the way things are right now: there aren’t too many viruses or malware in the Free/Libre/Open Source Software world, mainly because there aren’t too many people using it. GNU/Linux is currently only used by people who really want something better than Microsoft’s offerings. I see GNU/Linux as an alternative OS that shouldn’t strive to replace MS Windows. I find it a very happy situation when most of the people use Windows or Mac and some of us (who know better) use GNU/Linux or BSD. A little bit wider user-base would be very nice, because that generally ensures better hardware support. But I REALLY don’t wish GNU/Linux to become mainstream.
My heros are the people who actually write the Free/Libre/Open Source Software programs that I use and then give them for others to modify and use, free of charge. My heros are also the people who make the GNU/Linux & BSD operating systems available by packaging this software for distribution. But I don’t care much about big companies or multimillionaires. Ubuntu is a nice Debian based distro but the world wouldn’t lose much if Ubuntu didn’t exist — we’d still have all the other distros. And Mark Shuttleworth is not my hero, although he surely seems like a very nice chap.
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ankitmalik
Yeah! When I met Mark Shuttleworth, I told him I was really thankful for bringing out such a great distribution. And he immediately said, dont thank me, rather thank the people who actually contribute to this project by writing code…
So yeah even he agrees they are the real heroes although his funds are indeed great help to the project!
Ubuntu is in my opinion the distribution that will give Microsoft the finishing stroke.
I was taking it seriously until I read that from the interviewer :p. Fortunately, Shuttleworth seemed to have his head screwed on a little bit straighter.
As an observative reader noted, Shuttleworth always had clear mission statements no matter what he did. I wouldn’t take lightly what he says given that he has already created successful companies from scratch and has flown into space – all because of this man’s resolve. Never underestimate a man that has shown such determination in his life. To be frank I got the feeling that he would have said that about MS (somewhere) by merely reading this guy’s bio. I don’t mean to give a wild flight of fancy but his bio is one very inspiring read.
Ubuntu is in my opinion the distribution that will give Microsoft the finishing stroke.
I was taking it seriously until I read that from the interviewer :p. Fortunately, Shuttleworth seemed to have his head screwed on a little bit straighter.
Have you seen Bug #1?
https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bug/1
Have you seen Bug #1?