The Open Source Advocate

Allow me to use some metaphors to explain how open source software is different than commercial software. Mabolosoft is a company that sells seedless fruit. They have orchards full of fruit trees that they have genetically-altered to be sterile, so that no seeds will be included with the fruit. Consumers want fruit, so they buy it from Mabolosoft. This fruit is seedless, so when people need more fruit they must go back to Mabolosoft. Sometimes the Mabolosoft fruit can be affected by bugs, so Mabolosoft sells an anti-bug spray that can additionally be purchased to protect your fruit. Lastly, when the fruit gets old and starts to rot, it can no longer be eaten. Once again, the consumer must purchase the newest harvest of fruit from Mabolosoft. Now, there also exists an loosely structured coop of fruit farmers who call themselves Open Seeds. This organization gives away their extra fruit, after having already fed themselves with the harvest. This fruit is quite different than the fruit so...

Ok. So you are using open source software, and you find it very useful. Perhaps you are starting to experience desires to give back to the community that provided you with this great software. If that is true, then I commend you on your giving spirit. Here are five steps that you can follow to give back to the open source community. I have listed them in order of increasing commitment. 1. Use open source It is not just the URL of this blog , it is what I recommend to everyone. Use it at home, and use it at work. Use it on your desktops, laptops, servers, hand-held devices, cell-phones, consumer devices, space ships, etc. 2. Share the love Get other people excited about open source. Show them what it is all about, how they can benefit from it, and why it makes the world a better place. Show them how to get FREE Ubuntu disks shipped to them. We should encourage our governments to take advantage of the benefits of open source. Use your vote to support open source initiatives and pr...

A few months ago, I installed Ubuntu 6.06 on my brother's computer. He likes using Linux, and he has been able to do almost everything he wants to do on it. His latest request was to help him find some fun Linux games that were free. Not wanting to let him down, I searched around and found quite a few games to install for him. Below is a list of high-quality games that I would recommend to others. If you have other games you would like to share, please post them in a comment. I also suggest looking at these sites for more information about gaming on Ubuntu: Ubuntu Games (in Spanish) includes pictures of the best Ubuntu games Jdodson's list of Ubuntu games posted on the Ubuntu Forums Ubuntu Gamers Arena Ubuntu Game List Before running any graphics-intensive games, you will probably need to install a better driver for your specific type of graphic card (ATI or Nvidia). America's Army - ( Ubuntu install ) True Combat Elite - Requires Enemy Terrritory - ( Ubuntu ins...

I posted this in response to Matt Asay's recent blog about Ubuntu . Matt, Thanks for discussing the Forbes article on Ubuntu. In your last paragraph you talk about Ubuntu needing longer release cycles (and that it is moving in that direction). I agree that longer release cycles are necessary for enterprise adoption, and I am excited to see that Ubuntu is once again pioneering the way for Linux distributions in this area. I blogged about the new release schedule in April. The main idea is that Ubuntu will continue to create a new release every 6 months or so. The great addition to this plan is that they will declare an enterprise-ready "Long Term Support (LTS)" version every 1.5 to 2 years (or 3 to 4 interim releases). This allows the individual user to try out the newest release of Ubuntu every six months, while enterprises don't have to worry about upgrading until the next LTS version is thoroughly tested and released. Ubuntu is all about great useability, a vibrant...

I have been impressed with Ubuntu ever since the very first release of Ubuntu 4.10 (Warty Warthog). I was impressed that Ubuntu could fit on a single CD, which was achieved by limiting the included software to the best application for each functional task. I was giddy with excitement to learn about the enormous (and ever growing) application repository that allows me to install over 15,000 applications with just a few clicks. Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy: Knot2) - This page describes the changes that are being made in this alpha release of the next version of Ubuntu. There will be a page like this for each alpha and beta release, so it is a great way to follow the developments and improvements being made to Ubuntu. There are many other ways to keep updated on the current developments of Ubuntu. The easiest ways to keep informed are to visit these sites: Ubuntu Weekly News - Here is the current issue Ubuntu Fridge - Official information hub for the Ubuntu community Ubuntu Planet - An ag...