Debian / Ubuntu
From SPARK
Summary
Background information about open source software.
Philosophy and Technology
Written and presented by: Benjamin Mako Hill E-mail: canonical.com mako
Web: Gnubies New York GNU/Linux Beginners Group
Wednesday, October 13, 2004 IBM building 590 Madison Ave
Introduction
Ubuntu is an African concept of humanity toward others:
A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.
Ubuntu is about sharing, working together, and engaging in profound and meaningful collaboration. Ubuntu is a distinctly ethical and philosophical position. In this way, it provides an interesting way to introduce the role of philosophy and ethics in the Free Software movement.
The History and Philosophy of Free Software
- The freedom to run software, for any purpose
- The freedom to study how software works, and adapt it to your needs
- The freedom to redistribute copies
- The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits
Connected to Free software is the idea of copyleft. Copyleft basically says:
- the only thing you are restricted from doing, is making this software less free.
This does not preclude commercial development. Free Software is an ethical position. It is all about freedom. It turns out that freedom makes software that is also better than proprietary software. This makes sense: unrestricted collaboration will be more productive than secrecy and reproduction of labor.
As a result of the better software, another group of programmers created a new term," Open Source," to make the Free Software model more attractive to people and businesses who might be scared off by talk of freedom. The differences are ultimately political and some, but not all, see them as contradictory.
The Debian Project
- Excellent package management tools apt-get as one example
- A huge list of packages
- A consistent (and enforced) distribution-wide policy
- A huge volunteer base
- A commitment to Free Software philosophy
Debian has also developed a reputation for some things it has historically not done very well. These include:
- Releasing frequently and/or predictably
- Accountability (in the corporate or institutional sense)
- Ease of use (especially the installer) for beginners
- Tight desktop integration
Ubuntu
Enter… The Ubuntu GNU/Linux Distribution! Ubuntu is a Debian-based distribution. Ubuntu starts with Debian and then narrows it down to a manageable number of packages—and then works on making those easy to use, integrated, and bug free. All of the other bits are still available through Ubuntu's universe component which is a snapshot of Debian. Ubuntu then is able to release predictably and frequently (every six months). Ubuntu is able to create an OS that is easier to install and use (less questions in the installer, etc), integrated GNOME environment.
- be run for any purpose
- be modified when bugs are fixed
- be copied and given to others
- can be derived and resold or redistributed without permission
