Definition: Ubuntu

A popular Linux distribution that is noted for its ease of installation and use. Pronounced "oo- buhn-too" and based on Debian Linux, Ubuntu was introduced in 2004 and is sponsored by Canonical Ltd. There are about a dozen derivatives of Ubuntu that are recognized by Canonical and hundreds of unofficial versions.

Packaged with a variety of open-source applications, including Firefox and LibreOffice, Ubuntu also comes pre-installed on laptops, desktops and servers. For example, System76 has been selling Ubuntu machines since 2005, and Dell introduced Ubuntu laptops in 2007.

Ubuntu can also run from a CD, which enables the OS and applications to be tested before being installed (see LiveCD).

Kubuntu, Edubuntu and Xubuntu Variations
Ubuntu comes with the GNOME desktop, but "Kubuntu" is Ubuntu with the KDE desktop. "Edubuntu" includes extra applications for setting up a classroom, and "Xubuntu" is a more efficient version for low-powered machines. Xubuntu uses the Xfce desktop rather than GNOME or KDE.

From the Zulu and Xhosa Philosophy
The name Ubuntu comes from the African Zulu and Xhosa cultures, which espouse the concept that we derive our individuality from all people: "We are what we are because of everyone else." Nelson Mandela's father was a Xhosa chief. See Linux, Debian, Linspire and System76.

A Ubuntu Laptop

In 2005, System76 was the first hardware vendor to offer packaged Ubuntu laptops, desktops and servers. This laptop came with a variety of applications that people use all the time. (Image courtesy of System76.)