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Canonical asks desktop users to “pay what you think Ubuntu is worth”

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Re: Canonical asks desktop users to “pay what you think Ubuntu is worth”

#41

Post by mekoka »

ivansavz wrote: post #23
akurilin wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you explain the reasoning behind that?

To many people, Ubuntu represents nothing but a shiny front end build on top of the years of hard work spent on building Debian, the universal OS. These people (we) are willing to use Ubuntu, since it is pretty much the same thing, but they (we) will never go out and actively support the Ubuntu project as we believe that Debian is more deserving of our support.

I think I (sorta) understand your reasoning, but it doesn't make much sense to me. When I write some application that makes it easier for my clients to do some previously complex tasks and I ask them to tip me, I don't expect them to tell me that the previous system or database did most of what made my work possible.

These "donations" aren't just there to thank developers for past works, but also to equip the distro so that it can improve and continue to push the envelope its way.

Ubuntu's users chose to download and install Ubuntu, not Debian, probably because they like whatever Ubuntu does that you find so insignificant and that other distros aren't doing. I suspect that you too are running Ubuntu, not Debian, for the same reasons.

When Ubuntu asks for money, that's because Ubuntu needs it to keep doing those insignificant Ubuntu stuff, that made you choose to install it, not Debian. So, don't bring up Debian.

When Linux Mint started their own distro, they didn't go all the way down to Debian. Ubuntu probably did something worthwhile, that Mint would rather not do themselves. But people who installed Mint didn't install Ubuntu, so when Mint asks for donations, it's for Mint stuff. Let's not bring up Ubuntu.

This is written on Debian's donation page (http://www.debian.org/donations):

While all donations are welcome, it is especially hoped that any businesses that make money through Debian (CD manufacturers, support companies, or even businesses that rely on Debian for day to day operations) will contribute a percentage of their profit to help make Debian the best OS it can be.

Get it? help make Debian the best OS it can be. Let's not bring up GNU or Linux.

Re: Canonical asks desktop users to “pay what you think Ubuntu is worth”

#44

Post by njharman »

ilaksh wrote: post #28
batgaijin wrote: post #3

I'd like to, but I think if anything I'd donate to Debian first.

Maybe Canonical should add an option on that screen to donate to Debian?

or Kernel devs or GNU or any of the others who've done/do 95% of the work.

Re: Canonical asks desktop users to “pay what you think Ubuntu is worth”

#46

Post by dholowiski »

fingerprinter wrote: post #4

Holy freakin' hell that is an awful headline. This is a DONATION, nothing more. Canonical is not asking people to pay, it is asking people to donate if they are so inclined. The press releases states that Ubuntu is and always will be free. Use Ubuntu and want to give some money for it? Great. Donate. Now there is a way where previously there was none. Use Ubuntu and don't want to give money? Great. Don't donate. Don'…

I don't use Ubuntu and I am carrying on.

But... that download page http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/questions?distro=desk...

A) makes it a pain to drag everything to $0 (8 sliders to drag) B) makes it seem like you're getting a t-shirt too C) makes me feel bad for downloading it for free. D) is any of that money going to the Linux Foundation? It's not clear - if not, shame on them.

Re: Canonical asks desktop users to “pay what you think Ubuntu is worth”

#47

Post by citricsquid »

dholowiski wrote: post #46
fingerprinter wrote: post #4

Holy freakin' hell that is an awful headline. This is a DONATION, nothing more. Canonical is not asking people to pay, it is asking people to donate if they are so inclined. The press releases states that Ubuntu is and always will be free. Use Ubuntu and want to give some money for it? Great. Donate. Now there is a way where previously there was none. Use Ubuntu and don't want to give money? Great. Don't donate. Don'…

I don't use Ubuntu and I am carrying on. But... that download page http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/questions?distro=desk... A) makes it a pain to drag everything to $0 (8 sliders to drag) B) makes it seem like you're getting a t-shirt too C) makes me feel bad for downloading it for free. D) is any of that money going to the Linux Foundation? It's not clear - if not, shame on them.

You can just click "Not now, take me to the download ›" at the bottom

Re: Canonical asks desktop users to “pay what you think Ubuntu is worth”

#48

Post by gizmo686 »

dholowiski wrote: post #46
fingerprinter wrote: post #4

Holy freakin' hell that is an awful headline. This is a DONATION, nothing more. Canonical is not asking people to pay, it is asking people to donate if they are so inclined. The press releases states that Ubuntu is and always will be free. Use Ubuntu and want to give some money for it? Great. Donate. Now there is a way where previously there was none. Use Ubuntu and don't want to give money? Great. Don't donate. Don'…

I don't use Ubuntu and I am carrying on. But... that download page http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/questions?distro=desk... A) makes it a pain to drag everything to $0 (8 sliders to drag) B) makes it seem like you're getting a t-shirt too C) makes me feel bad for downloading it for free. D) is any of that money going to the Linux Foundation? It's not clear - if not, shame on them.

The linux foundation is responsible for a very small portion of Ubuntu, and is probably one of the most funded parts. When I donate to Canocial to support ubuntu, I expect that money to go to where it will be most useful to making a good product.

Re: Canonical asks desktop users to “pay what you think Ubuntu is worth”

#49

Post by re_todd »

Wilduck wrote: post #26
systematical wrote: post #19

Not a bad idea. The areas where I have the biggest problems with Ubuntu is hardware support and new updates just breaking my system. It's so bad that I REALLY want to just go to Debian Stable as my primary OS. I just can't handle that much downtime to switch over at home and the office. I'm a developer. I don't give a shit about a fancy desktop. I just want my hardware to work good with the O.S. and for updates not t…

I used Debian stable as my primary OS for a couple of years. While I was just fine without the fancy desktop, at the time Firefox was stuck on version 3.0 even though 3.6 was available. I don't know what the situation is like now, since I haven't used linux on my laptop for a couple years, but if I were to go back, I would want something like Debian stable, but with an updated browser.

Debian's idea of stable really means super duper rock-solid extremely stable. Which is ok, but I had a hard time running newer software on it. I now use Debian Testing, which is most people's idea of stable. Several debian-derived distros are based on Testing, so it's probably ok.

Re: Canonical asks desktop users to “pay what you think Ubuntu is worth”

#50

Post by thaumaturgy »

madrona wrote: post #40

I would like to pay the folks that manage the wonderful apt software repository. Not one red cent to the Unity team, though. I don't like where they are taking Linux.

The repository maintainers seem pretty shy, but I'm pretty sure that the original author behind apt is this guy: https://github.com/jgunthorpe, and you could send him a few dollars using gittip: https://www.gittip.com/
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