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Ubuntu Under Attack on Multiple Fronts

Posted by jdeslip on · 9 comments
Berkeley Linux Users Group; By Jack Deslippe 		Mail this story
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Over the past few years, Ubuntu has emerged as the champion among Linux distros. However, its standing is now under attack on multiple fronts. Windows 7 is attacking from the right, Android is attacking from the left and now Google has sent another attack right up the center: Chrome-OS.

Over the past few years, Ubuntu has slowly emerged as the champion among Linux distros – having great application support, a huge and active community and having begun making major inroads in the netbook/laptop market through the deal with Dell, UNR / Easy-Peasy remix and through an announced effort to integrate with Moblin. The only other netbook competitor being the aged Windows XP. However, Ubuntu’s standing is now under attack on all fronts from some really big names in the computer industry.

From the right, we have Windows 7, which, if tech-pundits are to be believed, is better than Vista and quite capable on running on a netbook. What does Windows have that Ubuntu doesn’t? Since 90% + of people still use windows as their primary OS, there is a certain comfort level associated with the trademark. Add to this the fact that Microsoft has longstanding relationships with retailers, and I expect this to be the option we see most on store shelves. Canonical needs to start marketing if it expects to ever be more than hobbyist OS in this arena. They need to really push/emphasize their partnership with Dell and develop many similar relationships with other manufactures. People need to hear the Ubuntu name. Hopefully, this brings in some $ for Canoncial in the form of subscription services like Ubuntu-One (hopefully there is more to come) and other support services and maybe enterprise desktops soon.

On the left side, a couple months ago we started hearing about companies shipping netbooks with Google’s Android pre-installed. I just got a G1 phone with android and love it. Because it is Linux-based and open-source, it integrates well with the current Ubuntu Linux desktop through applications like Banshee and Amarok. It has a great app store with tons of useful programs. But, I am not really pleased to see it hitting netbooks. The problem? It is not at all clear if developer efforts to write netbook apps for android will be transferable into any benefit for the greater Linux eco-system because Android is not based on the typical X.org – GTK/QT model. Sure, some Ubuntu developers have gotten Android apps to run, but it is basically an emulation that the lacks the typical Linux look and feel. So, if Android becomes too popular on the netbook front it might just end up pulling resources away from the typical Linux distros like Ubuntu. What Ubuntu needs to do to stop the Android threat is implement an app store and implement it quick. Synaptic is basically 90% there already. They just need to quickly add a way to sell proprietary apps (something like click-n-run integration). Synaptics free-software repos with the addition of an app store that contains things like World of Goo, Cedega, Codeweavers etc.. would be amazing – and would take away one of Android’s biggest advantages.

Finally, if Android is attacking from the Left and Windows 7 from the right, just yesterday we got news that Google was sending a second attack right up the center. Google is not stopping with just one OS – they are creating a second Linux based OS designed for hardware from netbooks up to desktops centered around their Chrome browser. It is not clear exactly what Linux components this OS will have, but I hope, at least, that apps written for Chrome-OS will be natively supported by Ubuntu and vice versa (i.e. they use the same components like X.org / GTK/QT etc. that other distros can use). With the name recognition of Google, Chrome-OS could quickly divert a lot of attention away from Ubuntu and further fracture the Linux eco-system. It is too soon to tell how compatible Chrome-OS will be with other Linux distros. For now, let’s hope they become a good partner in the Linux world instead of a divider.

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Comments (9)

dthacker ·
I don't agree with the use of the word "attack". I think it's a race, not warfare. We'll all win in the end, because we'll have more useful tools. Well, Microsoft may not win. They might be the next GM or Chrylser unless they get a clue.

Dave
Bob_Robertson ·
DT, with F/OSS it is even more "we'll all win", because innovations under GPL et. al. aren't lost with the "failed" organizations.

Rising tides raising all boats, and such.
flufferbeer ·
Dave, Bob, n' others, I'd wholeheartedly agree with you.

Many of us already realize how downhill-bound M$ is been with Vi$ta and its other efforts. Sure, it has who-knows how much money in the bank and its dominating influence with everyone under the sun (although maybe not Oracle's Sun ;-] ). Now with this whole maybe-good-Mono maybe-bad-Mono licensing initiative it's doing, who knows what can happen.....

Anyway, Google is certainly stepping up to the plate with the race (good word!) to market their Chrome-based OS. As much as I use Ubuntu, I CAN perceive how Canonical will fall behind with Google's OS and browser efforts from netbooks on up. One of the key points, I think, is that Google is a clearly one company that will be delivering a definite complete PRODUCT (not M$ vaporware!) fairly close to schedule. Since Canonical Inc. depends so much on the F/OSS "Community", it seems less clear from this that Canonical will be able to rapidly develop and deploy a definite product for netbooks as quickly as Google's ChromeOS or Micro$haft's Windoze 7.

Yet I'm sure we'll see much more useful tools coming out from Canonical and Ubuntu developers in this race. Maybe more such tools incorporated from Sourceforge and its ilk, and even from the better developers at distros such as Red Hat and Novell ?? Just a guess on all this.
rijelkentaurus ·
In line with "it's a race, not warfare", I don't recall there being a competition for Ubuntu to be "champion" of.

Like it would win if there was.

:^P
flufferbeer ·
Oh, and another point is that Canonical will definitely have a presence at OSCON 2009 in about two-weeks time. I would think that at least _some_ Google developers will also show up here, especially seeing that Google's Mountain View headquarter complex is a mere 20 miles Northwest of the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Methinks that an OSCON announcement about developments related to this (or lack thereof) will be forthcoming from at least Canonical.
helios ·
See, this is the prevailing attitude of many Ubuntu Princesses. They not only perceive (rightly so) competition from Redmond but from other distros as well. This is one of the main reasons I install some of the better Ubuntu derivatives on our Kid's computers. The forums there are less antagonistic and far more relaxed. You simply do not have the superiority attitudes. I've gotten some great responses from the Ubuntu forums but I've also had some nasty experiences there as well.

When a 12 year old girl identifies herself as such and is still called an "oblivious dunce"...it's a real good thing the posting coward posts from the UK.

No...Ubuntu may be the face of Linux, and that's not a bad thing...unfortunately, that face has some nasty features and it's that face that will be looked upon by the world in months to come.

It's getting obvious even in the forums that the fanboys are nervous about Chrome OS. They had their chance to advertise and get the world's attention...Canonical decided against it. Google WILL advertise and become the dominant Linux distro.

Lessons should be learned here.
jdixon ·
> Google WILL advertise and become the dominant Linux distro.

I expect so, yes. That should have both good and bad points.
Bob_Robertson ·
> Google WILL advertise and become the dominant Linux distro. I think that will depend upon how they organize ChromeOS. If they put together enough packages to make a satisfying environment, then yes it will be dominant as Ubuntu is dominant, by simple attention.

But if they don't either put a reasonably full distribution together, or at least make it package compatible with one of the biggies, people are going to be disappointed.

If it was my project, I'd put a "ChromeOS" theme on KDE and mirror Debian.
helios ·
If it was my project, I'd put a "ChromeOS" theme on KDE and mirror Debian.

That's probably the only sensible choice they have if they are going to be compatable with any distro.

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