Why Canonical is Not a Friend of GNU/Linux Freedom and Mentioning WSL/systemd Helps Windows

Summary: Ubuntu’s promotion of WSL is a disgrace and a reminder that we should no longer recommend Ubuntu to anyone; there are many other GNU/Linux distributions which are vastly more deserving of users and some new ones reject systemd as well

THE news is both tragic and sad. I’ve watched very closely for nearly a week how Microsoft-centric sites and even some GNU/Linux sites almost celebrated Ubuntu’s promotion of Windows (WSL). I did not add a single one to our Daily Links for the simple reason that we’re a GNU/Linux site, not a Windows site, but I made mental notes of names (all those who helped this agenda and how they presented it). Some of them are named in the video above (in passing, nothing formal but purely informal). They know who they are…

“Our response to this should be assessed in light of Ubuntu’s own founder (Mark Shuttleworth) and his sheer hypocrisy.”The key point is, Canonical is rapidly becoming akin to Novell of 2006-2010; it’s just so desperate for cash that it is willing to suck up to Microsoft. Our response to this should be assessed in light of Ubuntu’s own founder (Mark Shuttleworth) and his sheer hypocrisy.

Below we have two well-documented quotes; that’s what he said after Novell had colluded with Microsoft to benefit Microsoft. What does that make him now? █

“That’s extortion and we should call it what it is. To say, as Ballmer did, that there is undisclosed balance sheet liability, that’s just extortion and we should refuse to get drawn into that game.”

–Mark Shuttleworth

“Microsoft is asking people to pay them for patents, but they won’t say which ones. If a guy walks into a shop and says: “It’s an unsafe neighbourhood, why don’t you pay me 20 bucks and I’ll make sure you’re okay,” that’s illegal. It’s racketeering.”

–Mark Shuttleworth