Articles about Canonical

When it comes to Linux on the desktop, I am primarily a Fedora user. Sure, I like trying out other distributions for fun, but I always return to the wonderful Fedora. Heck, I even mess around with Ubuntu on occasion, although I am not a huge fan of Unity -- I love GNOME. With that said, when Mark Shuttleworth, Ubuntu founder, recently announced that he was killing the Unity desktop environment and embracing GNOME, I was quite happy. It signaled less fragmentation and division in the Linux community.

My happiness was short lived, however, as Mark Shuttleworth has been insulting the free software community on social media. Over on Google+, he even goes so far as to compare the hate for the MIR display server to the debates on gun control and climate change. Really, Mr. Shuttleworth? In his vulgarity-laced rant, he even calls members of the free software community "deeply anti-social types." Gee, thanks a lot.

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Unity is a fine desktop environment, but many users of Ubuntu hate it. In fact, due to how much negativity there is towards the DE, Linux Mint has experienced popularity thanks to Cinnamon and Mate. Quite frankly, maintaining Unity has been somewhat foolish for Canonical -- a waste of resources and money when there are plenty of wonderful existing environments.

Today, the company admits that it is throwing in the towel on Unity, as well as its vision for convergence with devices like phones and tablets. Starting with Ubuntu 18.04, the wonderful GNOME will once again become the default desktop environment!

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When someone is interested in trying a Linux-based desktop operating system for the first time, they often choose Ubuntu. This is a smart choice, as it is easy to use, well supported, and quite beautiful. Even if you don't like the Unity desktop environment, there are several other DEs, or flavors, from which to choose -- GNOME, KDE, and Xfce to name a few.

Today, the Final Beta of Ubuntu 17.04 'Zesty Zapus' becomes available for download. While it is never a good idea to run pre-release software on production machines, Canonical is claiming that it should be largely bug free at this point. In other words, if you understand the risks, it should be fairly safe. Home users aside, this is a good opportunity for administrators to conduct testing prior to the official release next month.

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On April 25th, Ubuntu Linux 12.04 LTS will no longer be supported by Canonical. Why? That is the 5 year anniversary of the release, which is the amount of support time given to an LTS (Long Term Support) version of the Linux distribution.

For many home users, this really doesn't matter, as they have probably already upgraded to a newer version. Unfortunately, some businesses do not upgrade as regularly. In fact, some organizations may not be ready to move on from Ubuntu 12.04. Tough luck? Not at all. Today, Canonical introduces Ubuntu Linux 12.04 ESM. This "Extended Security Maintenance" release is not free, however -- organizations must pay for the extended support.

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In computing, convergence -- having a single device to serve many roles -- is a popular idea. Using the power of a smartphone to serve as a desktop, for instance, is a great way to save money and reduce waste. Unfortunately, there really have not been any successful convergence devices in practice. Microsoft famously tried with Windows 10 Mobile, but consumers didn't seem to care about Continuum.

Luckily, Canonical seems fairly unfazed, as the company continues to see Ubuntu as an operating system that can run on phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, and more. Like Windows 10 Mobile, Ubuntu phones have failed to pique the interest of consumers, but Linux-based solutions are arguably more appropriate for convergence thanks to the kernel's ability to work well on ARM. To highlight the success of Ubuntu in this regard, Canonical has been given an award at Mobile World Congress 2017.

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One of the best things about the Linux kernel (and associated operating systems) is the ability to work on various hardware types, including ARM. Microsoft's operating systems, by comparison, are far more narrow. True, there is the lightweight Windows 10 IoT for ARM boards, but it is hardly a factor nowadays.

Today, Ubuntu Core comes to the i.MX6-based and ARM-powered TS-4900 Computer on Module. While Android and other Linux options were already available for the IoT-friendly CoM, Ubuntu Core is still a major win. Canonical's revolutionary snap packages should work beautifully here.

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Linux is arguably the most successful open source project in all of history. The success of the kernel -- and operating systems that use it -- are not due to any one man or woman. Actually, the achievements are thanks to the Linux community. In other words, it is a team effort -- developers, users, and more.

For a Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu, to continue its progress, Canonical needs developers to remain interested -- this includes getting new people involved and educated. This week, the company launched Ubuntu Tutorials -- based on Google's open source Codelab. No, it is not self-learning for new workstation users, but for programmers and developers.

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If you like macOS, you buy an Apple computer. Fans of Windows 10 can choose a Surface, HP, Toshiba or something else. If you are an Ubuntu user, and you want a machine pre-loaded with the operating system, however, what do you do? For those in the know, there is a company that caters to Linux users' needs -- System76. The company sells desktops, laptops, and servers running Canonical's Linux-based OS.

Not only are System76 computers both affordable and powerful, but they come with excellent support too. It is because of these things that the company has built a solid reputation and gained many fans. In 2015, System76 held a special "Superfan" event at its Denver headquarters. To pick attendees, it held a contest where fans could win a trip there. Because of the event's popularity, the company is hosting another. Dubbed "Superfan II", System76 is once again holding a contest, with up to eight trips to Denver (hotel and airfare) as the prize.

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Last month, Canonical released a beta of Ubuntu Core 16. This is not a typical Linux distribution, but instead, one that is focused on Internet of Things and the cloud. What makes the operating system particularly interesting is the use of "Snaps" -- an ingenious modular way of handling software. It combines applications and dependencies into one convenient package.

Today, Ubuntu Core 16 achieves final release status. You can download it immediately for free for PC, Raspberry Pi, and more. With all of the IoT-related botnet news nowadays, this is arriving at the perfect time.

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Linux-based desktop operating systems are better than Windows because they are free, right? Whoa there, folks. Neither are necessarily better or worse -- it really depends on your needs. Cost-free operating systems, such as Ubuntu and Fedora, are definitely great for home consumers looking to breathe new life into old machines. With that said, the benefits of Linux extend beyond money and cost-savings.

Linux being free is sort of misleading when it comes to business use too. While a small business with a few employees can sometimes get by without paying for support, larger companies would be crazy to go it entirely alone -- paid support is a necessity for success. Today, Canonical releases a well-designed infographic that explains the benefits of its paid support, called 'Ubuntu Advantage'.

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Linux 4.0 introduced a wonderful feature for those that need insane up-time -- the ability to patch the kernel without rebooting the machine. While this is vital for servers, it can be beneficial to workstation users too. Believe it or not, some home users covet long up-time simply for fun -- bragging rights, and such.

If you are an Ubuntu 16.04 LTS user (with generic Linux kernel 4.4) and you want to take advantage of this exciting feature, I have good news -- it is now conveniently available for free! Unfortunately, this all-new Canonical Livepatch Service does have a catch -- it is limited to three machines per user. Of course, home users can register as many email addresses as they want, so it is easy to get more if needed. Businesses can pay for additional machines through Ubuntu Advantage. Want to give it a go? Read on.

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Linux distributions and silly names go together like peanut butter and jelly. For whatever reason, the maintainers of these operating systems seem to enjoy having fun with what they call them -- some argue it is childish. Even Google -- a billion dollar company -- uses sugary dessert names for the Linux-based Android operating system.

One of the most well-known Linux distributions to use funny names is Ubuntu. It famously uses the convention of an adjective and a lesser-known animal, each starting with the same letter. The letter is chosen sequentially by alphabet. For example, Ubuntu 16.10 uses the letter "Y" -- "Yakkety Yak". The next version of the operating system will use the letter "Z". While many folks hoped for "Zebra", that would be too obvious. Instead, Canonical has chosen "Zesty Zapus". Don't know what a zapus is? Neither did I. It is apparently a type of jumping mouse. The selection was not made at random, however, as the company has an explanation for the decision.

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Ubuntu Core is a very different operating system than traditional Ubuntu. While both are Linux distributions, "Core" takes a different approach to package management, using modular "snaps". This way of computing is quite brilliant, as it removes dependencies and keeps everything in its own sort of sandbox. While the focus of Core seems to be the cloud and IoT devices, some people -- including yours truly -- see the writing on the wall. The Core design may eventually become the foundation of regular Ubuntu too.

Today, Canonical announces the latest Ubuntu Core 16 beta with feature freeze. If you are a home desktop Linux user, this is definitely not for you. Instead, this should be tested by developers and those that have a genuine use for Core.

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When you want a laptop running Ubuntu, you can always purchase a Windows machine and replace the operating system. Why bother with that hassle, though? Instead, it is smart to buy a machine pre-loaded with a Linux-based operating from a company like System76.

While System76 sells brilliant Ubuntu-powered laptops and desktops, it is not the only game in town. Actually, believe it or not, Dell has long been a proponent of Linux, even before 'Project Sputnik'. Its Ubuntu-powered XPS 13 Developer Edition laptops have been quite popular, and for good reason -- they are built well and are very beautiful. Today, Dell announces a refresh with 7th-gen Intel Kaby Lake processors. The 13-inch laptop even gets a new color option -- rose gold.

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Next month, one of the most important desktop operating systems will get a major update. No, I am not talking about Windows or macOS; I am referring to Ubuntu. True, from a market share perspective Linux-based desktop operating systems are rather insignificant, but for those in the know, Canonical's open source OS is quite brilliant. Its fans and users are very loyal and passionate.

Today, the final beta of the upcoming Ubuntu Linux 16.10 becomes available. While this version -- dubbed 'Yakkety Yak' -- will not reinvent the wheel, it should offer enough to delight existing users of the open source operating system. Hey, if it's not broke, why fix it, right? That is a lesson Microsoft learned the hard way with Windows 8, but I digress.

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