Why Ubuntu is Important

Jono Bacon has a very interesting and thought provoking article regarding what Ubuntu really means and why it is important. It’s well worth a read.

Ubuntu Linux

… So, today I would like to ask each and every one of you reading this to do one simple thing to help us all reconnect and share our ethos. If you have a blog or use Twitter or identi.ca, I would like to ask you to take five minutes to write down why Ubuntu is important to you, and what aspect of our ethos attracts you and motivates you about Ubuntu. How does our ethos around freedom excite you about the project? If you don’t have a blog, use IRC, mailing lists or anything else you can think of. The key point here is in sharing with others about what Ubuntu means to you. If we work together to continue to share our ethos, it will not only be healthy for our community, but also healthy for the next important chapter in the Ubuntu story.

Why is Ubuntu important? What does it mean to me?

In a word: Freedom.

In several words: Ubuntu is tremendously important. It not only provides a great and free software environment in which to do things on my computer hardware, it also provides a connection between me and many millions of other users. And that connection is something you can’t buy. It is based on enthusiasm,  collaboration, desire and many other fantastic attributes that we – the Ubuntu Community – share. It doesn’t matter how much you contribute, it doesn’t matter if you are young or old, male or female. What matters is that you care. Every time I talk to someone who is unaware of FOSS I have to check myself and control that enthusiasm (especially when it is a professional conversation). But it is, nevertheless, infectious. And when I see the “penny drop” the eyes light up and the smile appear on their face I know that there is a new community member in the making. You don’t get that with Windows…

That’s why it is important.

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