Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Development
    • Development

    Kubuntu Linux Emerges From Ubuntu’s Shadow

    By
    Sean Michael Kerner
    -
    September 3, 2013
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Thanks to support vendor Emerge Open, the Kubuntu Linux distribution now has its own commercial support for those users and enterprises that need or want it. Kubuntu is the KDE desktop version of the Ubuntu Linux distribution that is commercially supported by Canonical. The primary Ubuntu Linux distribution is based on the GNOME Linux desktop.

      “Canonical used to provide a commercial support service for Kubuntu but dropped it last year,” Kubuntu developer Jonathan Riddell told eWEEK.

      Riddell explained that Kubuntu is one of the flavors of Ubuntu and, along with the flagship Ubuntu Desktop, it gets server infrastructure to build packages and host Kubuntu distribution.

      “Canonical provides a lot of staff for the wider Ubuntu project who do work, which makes Kubuntu possible. They also have the trademark which we have been licensed for this support offering to Emerge Open,” he said.

      Emerge Open is a company based in the United Kingdom that is focused on enabling organizations to more easily use open-source technologies. Riddell noted that when Emerge Open heard about Canonical dropping commercial support for Kubuntu, it saw a business opportunity that could help the project and phoned him to see what they could do.

      The commercial support offering from Emerge Open includes options for a single hour of support time, a day rate as well as tailored service-level agreements. While Emerge Open is in the United Kingdom, Riddell noted that it is happy to work with 24-hour support if anyone needs it.

      “Support is currently English language, but if there’s demand for other languages they will be happy to look into that,” Riddell added.

      One thing that Emerge Open’s Kubuntu support will not initially be including is some form of server system management solution. As part of Canonical’s commercial support for Ubuntu, there is a technology known as Ubuntu Landscape that enables organizations to manage multiple systems and servers. Riddell is optimistic that in time Kubuntu and Emerge Open will have something similar.

      “At the moment, the support office will set you up with a VNC (Virtual Network Computing) or other login as appropriate to be able to diagnose problems,” Riddell said. “We’re now looking [to see] if Puppet would be a suitable tool to manage systems for support.”

      Puppet is a popular open-source configuration management and automation solution.

      Challenges

      Getting commercial support for Kubuntu has been an effort over a year in the making and one that has had its fair share of challenges.

      “At first we had to fight hard to get Canonical to allow us to use the trademark,” Riddell said. “They’ve scaled back a few of their open-source projects recently, and I think they were surprised to find that in Kubuntu there is an enthusiastic user and developer community who want it to continue.”

      Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.

      Sean Michael Kerner
      Sean Michael Kerner is an Internet consultant, strategist, and contributor to several leading IT business web sites.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×