Is Ubuntu dying?

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gamerperson

Is Ubuntu dying?

Post by gamerperson »

I have been noticing that Ubuntu seems to be dying. First, the Ubuntu One service has stopped completely, making several tasks impossible, but most noticeably, you can no longer review applications. Second, applications have disappeared from the software center, making some of my favorite apps inaccessible. Also, their tablets and smartphones are nowhere to be seen anymore, and I don't think they were on sale for that long. So, do you think Ubuntu is dying?
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MintBean

Re: Is Ubuntu dying?

Post by MintBean »

No, not at all.

I'm pretty sure there's still a way to review applications although it's not something I've tried. Canonical made a number of mis-steps chasing portable devices and at the end of the day didn't deliver, which in turn diverted efforts away from development of the Unity desktop. So, Unity is no longer developed by Canonical and they're focusing on the Enterprise/Server space. On the upside, Canonical is financially sound and there are a wide range of desktops in fine form for use on a Ubuntu base, including Gnome Shell (the default in the next release), a wide range of official 'flavours' including MATE, Budgie, LXDE, and KDE and a bunch of other desktops on projects using a Ubuntu base such as Cinnamon on Mint.

In any case, if by some miracle Ubuntu went out of production tomorrow Mint could continue on a Debian base.
lmintnewb2

Re: Is Ubuntu dying?

Post by lmintnewb2 »

Nah, I'm not that lucky. :P Messing around but truthful answer is no. Sure Ubuntu has taken it's hits with projects here and there. Remember it was briefly being offered out-of-box on laptops in some big places ( Dell ?), that evaporated, smartphone offering, yep ... seems it has too. Efforts to commercialize gnu/Linux aren't so much a wham, bam ... thanks for all the demand from consumers and now let me rake in the cash proposition.

Someone like da mighty GOOG!, more so ie: Android and ChromeOS, chromebooks etc but they've got MUCHO cash and clout behind them. Haven't checked in awhile but was 20+ BILLION a year and Google Inc no doubt has some of the best techies and marketing talent on the planet. Sheesh not too longish ago remember reading Redhat had just passed the 1 billion in annual earnings mark and yep also don't doubt the people over at Redhat are some of the best of the best in terms of tech.

So if Canonical Inc thinks it's going to muscle in on such and it's going to be an easy deal. M$, Apple, GOOG! and Redhat. They better think again. Guessing Ubuntu is alive and well if not somewhat frustrated at their as yet inability to rake in oodles of ca$h. :D Oops, they've still got some of the open source pie going for them. Donations from the userbase, merchandising, getting license to various software developed for them. Among no doubt other revenue streams. How far it's ( Canonical Inc) in the red or black, have no idea.
MintBean

Re: Is Ubuntu dying?

Post by MintBean »

lmintnewb2 wrote:Remember it was briefly being offered out-of-box on laptops in some big places ( Dell ?), that evaporated,
You may wish to inform Dell of this; clearly they didn't get the memo. :wink:
http://www.dell.com/learn/uk/en/ukbsdt1 ... aignTabs-1
lmintnewb2

Re: Is Ubuntu dying?

Post by lmintnewb2 »

Looks like it didn't totally evaporate after all. Just googled dell with ubuntu and several models are/were supposed to be ( or coming )on offer as of 2017. Yikes ! How much (if anything) Canonical Inc gets in terms of software licensing dunno. Maybe they're not out of it yet, they've built up quite a userbase and thus brand in the gnu/Linuxsphere.

Seems got dropped 2010ish or so here. One of endless similar links. Remember at the time I'm talking about didn't last long. Another link 2015ish on again/off again relationship and now many of the Google returns saying it's going to be offered again on Dell systems.
PS, which btw ... wish them well in the endeavor. Anything that encourages better penetration of gnu/Linux into personal computing and better support for it (hopefully all of open source) is great. Whatever brings well deserved and long overdue credit to all the amazing people who've contributed to open source, can't help but think is AWESOME. Guess that link Mintbean furnished answers the OP, nope Ubuntu is still alive ... unfortunately.

Goes back to plotting the utter destruction of Canonical Inc. Mwahhhhhaaaha ! :twisted:
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Mick-Cork
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Re: Is Ubuntu dying?

Post by Mick-Cork »

Canonical IPO firmly on the horizon according to FOSS (https://itsfoss.com/canonical-ipo/) so looks like it'll be getting additional funding in the future. Presumably this will raise the profile of Ubuntu so can't see it dying anytime soon. What influences on direction outside investors might bring though time will tell?

I also see that the codename for Ubuntu 18.04 LTS has just been announced - 'Bionic Beaver' - which I'm sure will bring a smile to anyone familiar with British slang :twisted:
sphyrth

Re: Is Ubuntu dying?

Post by sphyrth »

Ubuntu is well-known for its hit-and-miss releases. So, no. It's not dying.
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catweazel
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Re: Is Ubuntu dying?

Post by catweazel »

MintBean wrote:Canonical made a number of mis-steps chasing portable devices and at the end of the day didn't deliver, which in turn diverted efforts away from development of the Unity desktop. So, Unity is no longer developed by Canonical
Canonical dropped Unity because it isn't something that will money for investors. Canonical will soon issue an IPO and become a fully commercial operation.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
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