Ubuntu Community Council + Kubuntu Issue Joint Statement

[lunarcloud]

"Licensing seems to be resolved with FSF months ago" But only for GPL licensed stuff. And only because the GPL forces them to stop being stupid and greedy.

If it's MIT, Apache, BSD, etc - Ubuntu still pretends to own rights to that software merely because they compile & package it.

[andre30correia]

the problem leaves and everything is ok

[Charlie68]

"Licensing seems to be resolved with FSF months ago" But only for GPL licensed stuff. And only because the GPL forces them to stop being stupid and greedy.

If it's MIT, Apache, BSD, etc - Ubuntu still pretends to own rights to that software merely because they compile & package it.

The issue is much more complex, such as one wonders why an unofficial derivative can use the canonical server without permission and free when we know that maintaining the server has a cost, not to mention the problems of clogging of the server.

[calc]

Strange that only he complains, no one else from *buntu derivatives complained about Canonical bullying them, only he enlightens the masses, maybe the guy has a big ego, he got suspended from Kubuntu Council and then he decided to leave. Well good luck to him. He now moved away from evil Canonical and can pursue his happiness somewhere else.

Or no one else is willing and/or able to be public about it. Jonathan has been involved with Kubuntu from the beginning and was one of the original Canonical employees from ~ 2004 until 2012 when they stopped officially sponsoring Kubuntu. The whole thing smells.

[Charlie68]

I do not know the reasons, but when there is a divorce from all the faults are always two sides. All helpful, no essential, when working on a project, or you are on line and you believe or is it better to leave it for the good of the project stakeholder. I hope that my English is understandable. Greetings to all.

[duby229]

I do not know the reasons, but when there is a divorce from all the faults are always two sides. All helpful, no essential, when working on a project, or you are on line and you believe or is it better to leave it for the good of the project stakeholder. I hope that my English is understandable. Greetings to all.

I think I understand. If you are working on a project then you have to work within the framework of that project and if you can't for whatever reason then it would be better for the project if you leave.

But in this case I don't fully agree. What Canonical is doing with their licensing is wrong whether JRiddle is there or not. But what was even worse was how Canonical handled it. Personally I think the whole project should have left. Not JRiddle alone, but the whole project. Kubuntu should have remained intact and forced Canonicals hands. They could have and should have. I agree it's better to leave, but it should have been the whole shebang.

[valoriez]

I think I understand. If you are working on a project then you have to work within the framework of that project and if you can't for whatever reason then it would be better for the project if you leave.

But in this case I don't fully agree. What Canonical is doing with their licensing is wrong whether JRiddle is there or not. But what was even worse was how Canonical handled it. Personally I think the whole project should have left. Not JRiddle alone, but the whole project. Kubuntu should have remained intact and forced Canonicals hands. They could have and should have. I agree it's better to leave, but it should have been the whole shebang.

Fortunately, Jonathan has not *left*, he has instead stepped down as Release Manager. He is still an Ubuntu Member, a Kubuntu Member, and a Kubuntu Developer. The Kubuntu Council values Free Software and the Four Freedoms, and agrees with Jon that the Canonical IP Policy is not in line with Ubuntu values. Disagreements with Canonical and even the Ubuntu Community Council do not keep us from working with them to provide the best software to the people of the world. Many Kubuntu users don't know they are using Kubuntu, and may not even know that they are running Linux. They just know that their computers work. And keeping Kubuntu going is the way to keep all those computers humming and productive.

Leaving Ubuntu would have left all those users behind. We simply cannot in good conscience do that.

Valorie Zimmerman, member of the Kubuntu Council

[duby229]

Fortunately, Jonathan has not *left*, he has instead stepped down as Release Manager. He is still an Ubuntu Member, a Kubuntu Member, and a Kubuntu Developer. The Kubuntu Council values Free Software and the Four Freedoms, and agrees with Jon that the Canonical IP Policy is not in line with Ubuntu values. Disagreements with Canonical and even the Ubuntu Community Council do not keep us from working with them to provide the best software to the people of the world. Many Kubuntu users don't know they are using Kubuntu, and may not even know that they are running Linux. They just know that their computers work. And keeping Kubuntu going is the way to keep all those computers humming and productive.

Leaving Ubuntu would have left all those users behind. We simply cannot in good conscience do that.

Valorie Zimmerman, member of the Kubuntu Council

Fair enough. Of course I absolutely agree with that. But now I feel conflicted because I still don't like the situation.

[Charlie68]

The licensing issues with FSF have been resolved, but I also understand the arguments of those who disagree. It should, however, realize that Canonical has to respect the GPL, but the community must understand that Canonical is a company operating in a difficult market, with the entry into the smartphone market, has to give contracts and guarantees, as well as making economic investments , then we need to find a balance.

[unixfan2001]

It's rather odd how everyone is supposed to honour and respect the GPL, yet the the GPL absolutely doesn't value the freedom of everyone else.

People are forced to change their own licensing, simply for merging with a GPLd part.
No one ever seems to question this sort of "hierarchical discrimination", where GPLd code is considered more valuable than code released under another license.