Canonical turns 20: Shaping the Ubuntu Linux world

2004 was already an eventful 12 months for Linux. As I reported on the time, SCO was making an attempt to drive Linux out of enterprise. Crimson Hat was abandoning Linux end-user followers for enterprise clients by closing down Crimson Hat Linux 9 and launching the business-friendly Crimson Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Oh, and South African tech millionaire and astronaut Mark Shuttleworth launched Canonical, Ubuntu Linux’s mother or father firm.

Little did I — or anybody else — suspect that Canonical would grow to be one of many world’s main Linux corporations. 

Additionally: The most effective Linux distros for learners: Skilled examined

Shuttleworth had made his tens of millions from founding after which promoting Thawte Consulting, a safety and main certificates authority (CA) firm. He was excited about greater than earning money. Shuttleworth had additionally been a Debian Linux developer. Utilizing the proceeds from the Thawte sale, he based Canonical Ltd. in the UK. 

Canonical’s objective, from the start, was to assist and share free software program and open-source software program. Certainly, the title of its flagship working system, Ubuntu, comes from the Zulu phrase, “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu.” Its trendy that means, outdoors of Linux’s circles, comes from the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In his ebook, No Future With out Forgiveness, he stated somebody with Ubuntu is “open and obtainable to others, affirming of others.”

Sound acquainted? When Shuttleworth introduced the discharge of the primary model of Ubuntu — Ubuntu 4.10 Warty Warthog — he wrote:

“Ubuntu” is an historic African phrase for “humanity in the direction of others”, and we expect it is an ideal title for an open supply group undertaking. In that spirit we invite you to affix, to contribute and to share Ubuntu with your individual group.

Briefly, as Ubuntu’s authentic motto stated: “Linux for Human Beings.”

Then, as now, Ubuntu was primarily based on Debian Linux. In contrast to Debian, which by no means met a supply deadline it could not miss, Ubuntu was set to be up to date to the newest desktop, kernel, and infrastructure with a brand new launch each six months. Canonical has stored to that cadence — apart from the Ubuntu 6.06 launch — for 20 years now. 

From the get-go, Canonical’s mission was audacious: To create an working system that was as feature-rich, user-friendly, and accessible as its proprietary counterparts. Launched in October 2004, Ubuntu Linux rapidly turned synonymous with ease of use, stability, and safety, bridging the hole between the ability of Linux and the usability demanded by finish customers.

Additionally: Ubuntu 24.04: Identical because it ever was, however with 5 huge enhancements

The early years of Canonical have been marked by speedy innovation and group constructing. The Ubuntu group, a vibrant and passionate group of builders and customers, turned the center and soul of the undertaking. Boards, wikis, and IRC channels buzzed with exercise as individuals from everywhere in the world got here collectively to contribute code, report bugs, write documentation, and assist one another. 

Through the years, this community-centric method has modified. Whereas Ubuntu continues to be an end-user-friendly distribution — it is the one main vendor Linux distribution that also strongly helps desktop Linux (to maintain the lights on) — Ubuntu is most used now as a cloud, server, and Web of Issues (IoT) working system.

Canonical has additionally tried, with blended success, to affect Linux’s path. In 2011, for instance, Canonical launched Unity, a brand new Linux desktop, as its default desktop.  The thought was to create a graphical interface that you can use not only for the Linux desktop however for smartphones and tablets as nicely. 

I preferred Unity rather a lot, however I used to be one of many few who did. By 2017. Canonical gave up on Unity and its associated plans for Ubuntu-powered smartphones and tablets. Whereas Ubuntu Unity nonetheless lives on — open-source tasks have 9 lives — it is now a sideline. Ubuntu renewed its dedication to the GNOME desktop.

In 2016, however, noticed the emergence of Ubuntu Snap, a containerized method to set up software program, which –along with its rival Crimson Hat’s Flatpak — helps Linux achieve some desktop reputation. Each make it a lot simpler for software program distributors to ship packages to the Linux desktop whereas serving to give customers extra software decisions. 

Additionally: Ubuntu Unity relives Canonical’s creativity and brings again top-of-the-line UIs

Canonical’s affect extends past the desktop. Ubuntu Linux, for instance, is the primary cloud working system. Ubuntu began as a group desktop distribution, however it’s grow to be a significant enterprise Linux energy. 

Trying forward, I anticipate Canonical will ultimately go public. Unusually for a tech firm, Canonical does not have any monetary must difficulty an IPO. Shuttleworth has managed to self-finance the corporate.  As Shuttleworth stated in a 2022 interview, Canonical does not want cash. Reasonably, the corporate is “looking for the stability between preserving what I believe individuals actually love about Ubuntu and Canonical and likewise persevering with to step as much as the tasks that I believe we now have within the world tech market.”

As we speak,  as Canonical turns 20, Ubuntu Linux powers tens of millions of desktops, servers, and clouds. Canonical’s journey is much from over. I anticipate its subsequent 20 years will probably be as progressive and profitable as its first twenty years.