Kubuntu chief’s head placed on cloud-based, open source spike

[securitybreach]

A storm of accusations, claims, and furious counterclaims has hit the Ubuntu penguins, with a community cleaved of its head following allegations of unsavory behavior.

 

Long-time Kubuntu dev Jonathan Riddell has been dismissed as head of Kubuntu and removed from all positions of responsibility within the Ubuntu community.

 

The dismissal was issued by the Ubuntu Community Council (UCC) but executed by Ubuntu creator Mark Shuttleworth after Riddell refused to relinquish his role.

 

The precise reasons for the dispute are not clear but seem to be rooted in a long-running dispute over licensing of Ubuntu packages, with Riddell seemingly pursuing the licensing question for at least three years.

 

UK-based Canonical, owned by South African Shuttleworth, leads the development of Ubuntu, the Linux OS based on free software.

 

Riddell, who developed Kubuntu, one of a clutch of Ubuntu derivative distros, is still allowed to contribute to development, though. Kubuntu is sponsored by Blue Systems, who employ Riddell.

 

According to a set of emails said to have been sent between Riddell, the UCC, Shuttleworth and community members — reproduced here by Kubuntu community participant Scott Kitterman — the UCC claimed there was a growing clash of personalities in the last 12 months.........

 

It is ... not a question of whether or not you accept the CC request to step down. This is a statement from the CC that we no longer recognise you as the leader of the Kubuntu community.....

 

http://www.theregist...eworth_riddell/

[ebrke]

I'm a little confused after reading the link--he's "pursuing the licensing question". Is is trying to get Mint to license or is he against it?

[V.T. Eric Layton]

I prefer Benevolent Dictator For Life types running my Linux.

[Hedon James]

I guess "benevolent" is one of those ambiguous terms of relativity like "normal." What is "normal" to the spider is chaos to the fly. And so I suspect it is with "benevolent"...

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Benevolence is in the eye of the potato.

[securitybreach]

I'm a little confused after reading the link--he's "pursuing the licensing question". Is is trying to get Mint to license or is he against it?

 

And that is why I think Canonical/Ubuntu will be proprietary eventually. It is one thing to license your logo and name but to license your packages when they are all mostly GPL'd anyway is ridiculous and goes against the whole idea of open source and community. Shame on your Canonical for making up your own license for open source software.

 

http://fridge.ubuntu...kage-licensing/

[securitybreach]

BTW Eric is referring to Patrick Volkerding:

Patrick Volkerding (born October 20, 1966) is the founder and maintainer of the SlackwareLinux distribution. Volkerding is Slackware's "Benevolent Dictator for Life" (BDFL), and is also known informally as "The Man."[

https://en.wikipedia...rick_Volkerding

 

Benevolent dictator for life (BDFL) is a title given to a small number of open-source software development leaders, typically project founders who retain the final say in disputes or arguments within the community.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benevolent_dictator_for_life

[abarbarian]

[quote name='securitybreach' timestamp='1432783743' post='422106']
[quote name='ebrke' timestamp='1432771191' post='422098']
I'm a little confused after reading the link--he's "pursuing the licensing question". Is is trying to get Mint to license or is he against it?
[/quote]

And that is why I think Canonical/Ubuntu will be proprietary eventually. It is one thing to license your logo and name but to license your packages when they are all mostly GPL'd anyway is ridiculous and goes against the whole idea of open source and community. Shame on your Canonical for making up your own license for open source software.

[url="http://fridge.ubuntu.com/2014/02/13/community-council-statement-on-canonical-package-licensing/"]http://fridge.ubuntu...kage-licensing/[/url]
[/quote]

I have always been sceptical about the buntu's. Why jump out of the Windows frying pan into the Ubuntu fire ? An that world wide furore about where to place a button several years ago just turned me completely off the whole buntu world.