I haven’t written much about software. That’s the fuel of the Information Age. If it weren’t for software even the most rudimentary the world wide web and our information culture wouldn’t exist. Since 1999 I’ve been using Linux. In fact it’s the software platform from which I do most of my work. Since my first use of Red Hat 6.0 in 1999 I’ve used Suse, Red Hat, Fedora, Mandrake, Knoppix, Debian, Mepis, and Ubuntu. I like the idea of free software and people helping people. Free software often reminds me of early Christianity and the culture of people selling what they had and putting the needs of the community above their own. That’s counter cultural in my country. As a small business owner I appreciate the ability to sell goods and services and make some money. In all my work I seek to serve others.
In the past several months I’ve been using Ubuntu Linux as my own Linux desktop operating system. I’m not a Microsoft hater, but there is something to be said for a stable operating system that isn’t especially prone to viruses and spyware. To be sure there are some applications that only exist on the Microsoft Windows platform, but I’ve found suitable work arounds using Open Office and Firefox on a Linux platform. Ubuntu is billed as “Linux for Human Beings.”
The Ubuntu Philosopy can be be summarized:
Ubuntu is a community driven project to create an operating system and a full set of applications using free and open source software. At the core of the Ubuntu Philosophy of Software Freedom are these core philosophical ideals:
- 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.
“Ubuntu” is an ancient African word, meaning “humanity to others”. Ubuntu also means “I am what I am because of who we all are”. The Ubuntu Linux distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world. For more information visit Ubuntu’s website.
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