Canonical To Develop Some Ubuntu Features In Private

Some features of Ubuntu 13.04 won't be openly developed by the Ubuntu Linux community but rather in a more covert approach by Canonical and select Ubuntu developers. Mark Shuttleworth calls these new features "some sexy 13.04 surprises" but he was sure to reinforce that the overall Ubuntu Linux development approach isn't changing.

After announcing that Ubuntu 13.04 is codenamed the Raring Ringtail, he wrote another blog post about "community skunkworks" projects that provide a "high 'tada' value" will not be widely developed or known until being ready to be formally unveiled.

Mark says they are not wanting to "spoiling the surprise when we think the piece is ready." Areas to be worked on in this new skunkworks manner include "projects range from webby (javascript, css, html5) to artistic (do you obsess about kerning and banding) to scientific (are you a framerate addict) to glitzy (pixel shader sherpas wanted) to privacy-enhancing (how is your crypto?) to analytical (big daddy, big brother, pick your pejorative)." So basically the projects could be pretty much across the board.

In yet another blog post by Mark that was posted today, Mark says that Ubuntu isn't becoming any less open with these "secret projects" but he proclaims that Ubuntu has set a standard for transparency. "Ubuntu set the standard for transparency a long time ago, when we invited anybody who showed a passion and competence to have commit and upload rights, a strong contrast with the Fedora policy of the time, which required you to be a Red Hat employee. We continue that tradition with a leadership Community Council that has no requirement of Canonical employment, unlike our competitors."