Ubuntu and Debian
Balancing Forking and Collaboration

Benjamin Mako Hill

mako@canonical.com

Ubuntu

http://www.ubuntulinux.org

Debian Project

http://www.debian.org

General Overview of Debian

Debian contains what is approaching 15,000 packages (and growing by 5 each day)

Debian involves the work of 1,000 official developers and many others

Debian includes the work of many companies and organizations

Debian is 100% free software

Things Debian Does Well

There are some things Debian does very well:

Supporting many packages

Involving a huge volunteer base

Strong commitment to Free Software philosophy

Excellent package management tools: apt-get, synaptic, etc.

Consistent and enforced policy

Things Debian Hasn't Done Quite As Well

Releasing

Being easy to use (especially the installer)

Consistent desktop installer

Responsibility (in the corporate or institutional sense)

One Size Does Not Fit All

The World of Debian Customizers

There are 115 distributions derived from Debian.

AbulÉdu • Adamantix • AGNULA GNU/Linux Audio Distribution • ANTEMIUM Linux • Arabbix • ARMA aka Omoikane GNU/Linux • ASLinux • Auditor Security Linux • Augustux • B2D Linux • BEERnix • Biadix • BIG LINUX • Bioknoppix • BlackRhino • Bluewall GNU/Linux • Bonzai Linux • BrlSpeak • Càtix • CensorNet • Clusterix • ClusterKNOPPIX • Condorux • Damn Small Linux • Danix • DebXPde • eduKnoppix • ERPOSS • ESware • Euronode • FAMELIX • Feather Linux • Flonix • Vital Data Forensic or Rescue Kit (FoRK) • Freeduc-cd • GEOLivre Linux • Gibraltar Firewall • GNIX-Vivo • Gnoppix Linux • gnuLinEx • GNU/Linux Kinneret • GNUstep Live CD • grml • Guadalinex • Helix • Hiweed Linux • Impi Linux • Julex • K-DEMar • Kaella • Knoppix Linux Azur • Kalango Linux • KANOTIX • KlusTriX • knopILS • Knoppel • Knoppix • Knoppix 64 • Knoppix STD • KnoppiXMAME • KnoppMyth • Kurumin Linux • LAMPPIX • Libranet GNU/Linux • LIIS Linux • LinEspa • Linspire • Linux Live Game Project • Linux Loco • LinuxDefender Live! CD • Linuxin • LiVux • Local Area Security Linux (L.A.S.) • Luinux • Luit Linux • MAX: Madrid_Linux • Mediainlinux • MEPIS Linux • Metadistro-Pequelin • MIKO GNYO/Linux • Morphix • Munjoy Linux • Nature's Linux • NordisKnoppix • OGo Knoppix • Oralux • Overclockix • Quantian • Penguin Sleuth • PHLAK • PilotLinux • Progeny Debian • Rays Linux • ROSLIMS Live CD • Salvare • Santa Fe Linux • Shabdix GNU/Linux • Skolelinux • Slavix • Slix • Slo-Tech Linux • Soyombo Mongolian Linux • SULIX • Tablix on Morphix • Tilix Linux • TupiServer Linux • Ubuntu Linux • UserLinux • WHoppiX • X-evian • Xfld • Xandros Desktop OS • Xarnoppix • ZoneCD • Zopix

The World of Debian Customizers

The most recognizable include:

Knoppix

Linspire/Lindows

MEPIS

Ubuntu

UserLinux

Xandros

Goals of Customizers Overview

The goals and problems of customizers include:

Custom software selection

Custom software configuration

Software replacement

Custom installers/environments

Plus:

Gain from others work

Share your work

To Fork or Not To Fork

Case Study: Ubuntu

Meanwhile...

(My Boss is a Cosmonaut)

Ubuntu is born...

Ubuntu In a Nutshell I

Based of Debian unstable (sid)

Frequent, predictable releases

We give back to Debian as we go (not only at release time)

Corporate/instituational accountabililty

Ubuntu in a Nutshell II

GNOME Desktop

Consistency + Simplicity + Usability

Strong commitment to Free Software philosophy, localization, and accessibility

Working With Debian: Size

“If you can't beat them, join them!”

You can't be bigger than Debian.

2,000 Supported Packages

Everything else in Debian in universe

Working on a multiverse for a few packages that aren't even in Debian!

Working with Debian: Philosophy

Ubuntu participates in the Debian Community and borrows the Community Model. We believe that:

Every computer user should have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees.

Every computer user should be able to use their software in the language of their choice.

Every computer user should be given every opportunity to use software, even if they work under a disability.

More About Debian and Ubuntu

There are other aspects of Debian we like to keep (and help Debian improve):

Policy

Package management tools

More!

A Fork?

Not your average fork:

Many patches back to Debian

Canonical hires many Debian Developers

We realize we depend on Debian

Summary

Problem: Debian is great -- But can't be everything everyone wants it to be at once.

Answer: Balance the global and local in creating infrastructure to select, configure and replace software.

Ubuntu:

Diverging and building on Debian

Working to collaborate where possible

A single united goal of inter-project and inter-distribution collaboration and Total World Domination.

Getting Debian and Ubuntu

Get Debian:

http://www.debian.org

Download Ubuntu:

http://www.ubuntulinux.org/download

Order gratis pressed CDs shipped to you:

http://shipit.ubuntulinux.org

2004-06-03T08:52:33