

Shuttleworth steps down as Ubuntu CEO - ilamont
http://blogs.computerworld.com/15275/shuttleworth_steps_down_as_ubuntu_ceo

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dagw
This could be a good thing for both Ubuntu and Canonical. From what I've
seen/read/heard Shuttleworth never showed much interest in Canonical the
company and spent all his time evangelizing Ubuntu the distribution. By
getting someone with more interest in the business side of things running the
business side things hopefully Canonical can grow into whatever it was hoping
to grow into.

This will also leave Mark with more free time to focus on what he seems to be
passionate about. All in all this could turn out to be exactly what Canonical
and Ubuntu needs.

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jrockway
Or Canonical will do to Ubuntu what Novel did to SuSE. Ever hear of SuSE
anymore? Neither has anyone else...

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dagw
I actually use OpenSuSE as my main distro of choice, but I get your point. The
problem was that once Novell swallowed SuSE there was no one around to really
push or advocate SuSE. Novell took the bits they needed and spat out the rest
for the "community" do to what they want with. No one at Novell really had any
interest in SuSE Hopefully Mark continuously advocating and fighting for
Ubuntu and still being closely involved with (and, for that matter, owning)
the company will prevent Canonical from cannibalizing it for a quick buck.

~~~
kajecounterhack
I too use OpenSuSE, though lately I upgraded to a mbp. I might switch back to
Ubuntu (I used it for 3 years). Everywhere I go, whenever I say I am a linux
user, the first thing people say is, "Oh, Ubuntu?" When I tell them I use SuSE
a lot of them are like "what's that?"

Which is surprising given that SuSE used to be big...and I thought it still
was, sort of.

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mark_l_watson
As a Linux user since 1992, Ubuntu is my favorite distro, out of many great
distros. Mark Shuttleworth has really done the whole world a great service,
definitely someone who has given something back to the world. I use Ubuntu on
all of my servers, most of my customers' deployments, and boot it on my
MacBook. I hope that Shuttleworth keeps putting a lot of energy into promoting
Ubuntu.

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Zilioum
For me this move makes sense. I'always saw Shuttleworth as the head of the
Ubuntu Community and not as the CEO of a company. I'really believe that doing
what he will be doing in the future suits him better.

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motters
Also see <http://blog.canonical.com/?p=307>

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elblanco
Too bad, his vision has really dramatically changed the desktop linux
landscape. For many users, Desktop Linux _is_ Ubuntu.

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RyanMcGreal
FTA:

> Shuttleworth added that he will not, in any way, shape, or form be leaving
> Ubuntu. In an interview, Shuttleworth said that he's will stay head of the
> Ubuntu Community Council and the Ubuntu Technical Board. [...] "I will be
> spending more time on the areas that interest me the most and where I feel I
> can do the most good." [...] Neither Ubuntu nor Canonical will be changing
> its direction. Looking ahead Shuttleworth will still set the overall goals,
> but Silver will be in charge of implementing the strategy to reach these
> goals and day-to-day business management.

~~~
elblanco
Well, we'll see.

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redstripe
Damn shame because 2011 is going to be the year of linux on the desktop for
sure.

~~~
jhancock
I'm pretty sure Shuttleworth has clearly stated he never sees a profitable
business model around Desktop linux.

~~~
TrevorBramble
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desktop_Linux#Year_of_Desktop_L...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desktop_Linux#Year_of_Desktop_Linux)

