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October 28th, 2008

Ubuntu's Shuttleworth: "I don't think anyone can make money from the Linux desktop"

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 11:34 am

Categories: Linux

Tags: Ubuntu, Linux Desktop, Linux, Desktops, Open Source, UNIX, Operating Systems, Software, Hardware, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Mark Shuttleworth, the guy behind the most popular Linux distro (Ubuntu), bursts a bubble during yesterday’s press call:

“I don’t think anyone can make money from the Linux desktop.”

Rather than making money from the desktop OS, Shuttleworth believes that the direction to go is for-cost services:

“The only way to build business around software is with services.”

That statement leave me with one question - what services? And who will pay? End users? Advertisers? Companies?

Can anyone make money from the Linux desktop?

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Ubuntu is unique in that is has Shuttleworth paying the bills. This is a guy that can afford to keep Ubuntu alive simply as a side project (when you can afford to pay your way as a space tourist and own you own jet, backing a Linus distro really can’t be that expensive). And it seems that this is what Shuttleworth will do. I really don’t think that he’s in the least bit worried about Ubuntu making any money.

That said, I think that it’s interesting that he said “Linux desktop” rather then “Linux,” and I wonder whether he feels that while the desktop is not the place to make money, that Ubuntu as a mobile platform might not turn out to be a money-maker. While it would certainly be interesting to have had a mobile version of Ubuntu, I can’t help but feel that the iPhone and Android have made the market far too difficult for another player to enter into it, certainly in the short term.

Another problem is perception - the idea that “Linux = Free.” Now I know that in this world there’s no such thing as a free lunch and that someone, somewhere, is picking up the tab. Open source wouldn’t exist without people’s willingness to give up their time and skills for free. Linux freedoms come from someone else picking up the bill. I’m not sure how mixing money into this ecosystem would work. Would the community as a whole accept a slow (and small) shift to commercialism?

So, is there money to be made from the Linux desktop? Should money even come into it? Thoughts?

Adrian Kingsley-HughesAdrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations

Want to get in touch? Got a tip? Feel free to drop me a note! I ALWAYS respect anonymity. I'm also on Twitter (@the_pc_doc)

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  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 225 Talkback(s)
USTechHead.....are you feeding the trolls? wink
wouldn't have known the one is among those with multiple nics just playin' games apparently, if someone hadn't pointed it out.... (Read the rest)
Posted by: xuniL_z Posted on: 12/02/08 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
Linux will not earn profit because the community believes profit is evil  T1Oracle | 10/28/08
Nice straw man  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/28/08
Different communities  Anton Philidor | 10/28/08
Straw man - Part II  MisterMiester | 10/28/08
Choice or inevitability  Anton Philidor | 10/28/08
Need to tractorcade people's gardens too  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
Wickard vs Filburn  Anton Philidor | 10/28/08
I think the case was wrongly decided, of course  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
@Anton  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
What you describe can only occur ...  MisterMiester | 10/28/08
You're making two assumptions.  Anton Philidor | 10/28/08
@Anton - No assumptions are made with any ...  MisterMiester | 10/28/08
I think...  Dr. John | 10/29/08
Anton should be pleased to know then  hkommedal | 10/30/08
Linux is used because Linux is free. End game. Lights out. Go home.  Cayble | 10/29/08
"Easy" is in the eye of the beholder  MaddJoka | 10/30/08
People want a nerf computer  psion@... | 10/31/08
psion. What's pathetic about it?  xuniL_z | 12/01/08
You are 100% correct but....  GetReal-mac.com | 11/01/08
Examples?  MaddJoka | 11/01/08
Only the extremist nut jobs like  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
If you don't think ....  ShadeTree | 10/29/08
MS makes $ off Windows, all right.  gypkap@... | 10/29/08
So... "It's the Applications, stupid.."?  Wolfie2K3 | 10/29/08
More than a grain of truth.  Cayble | 10/29/08
BINGO! - nt  USTechHead | 10/29/08
And can you guess who will respond to this? I have bets out right now - nt  USTechHead | 10/29/08
What will it take to make a better product  dannyrnj | 10/29/08
You and everyone else  daengbo | 10/29/08
no you dont need money to lure developers  onepersonsopinion@... | 11/21/08
Bill Gates told you so.  LBiege | 10/28/08
Neither does Microsoft ...  MisterMiester | 10/28/08
And that stool is wobbling, hence the cloud hype now ...  fr0thy2 | 10/29/08
Ifa woulda coulda shoulda  CrashPad | 10/29/08
Uh?  MisterMiester | 10/29/08
Bill Gates would charge you for each breath if he could  fr0thy2 | 10/29/08
Wrong Frothy, or ist it DonnieBoy  CrashPad | 10/29/08
Sorry, frothy is absolutely correct ...  MisterMiester | 10/29/08
Frothy is not alone  Ole Man | 10/29/08
You bone heads crack me up...thanks I needed a laugh today - nt  USTechHead | 10/29/08
Some knuckle heads make it so easy  Ole Man | 10/29/08
re: Ole' agreed -cheap entertainment -nt  USTechHead | 10/29/08
USTechHead.....are you feeding the trolls? wink  xuniL_z | 12/02/08
Uhhh...not sure about your point. Get real.  Cayble | 10/29/08
And?  MisterMiester | 10/29/08
Boy you sure lit his fuse  Ole Man | 10/30/08
Balanced?? You?? It seems terribly not so.  Cayble | 11/16/08
Both! - nice glad it's becoming apparent. - nt  USTechHead | 10/29/08
Linux Is Not A Mirror Image  jabailo1 | 10/28/08
Exactly, its not about making money.  T1Oracle | 10/28/08
Do tell  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/28/08
And other communities.  Anton Philidor | 10/28/08
Please explain ...  super_J | 10/28/08
Actually they make 0 profit off Linux.  wolf_z | 10/28/08
Which distributions employ you as their auditor?  Ole Man | 10/29/08
Nothing to brag about...  Marty R. Milette | 12/01/08
For your information:  hkommedal | 10/30/08
Repeat it again and again and you will...  robsku | 11/02/08
Envy, Jealousy or just a plain Moron?  SaKiwi | 11/25/08
Why doesn't anyone get this?  MisterMiester | 10/28/08
That's is correct. There is no bill when its a shared effort. nt  T1Oracle | 10/28/08
No  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
Correction  frgough | 10/28/08
Assumption without evidence in fact.  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
Even a group  frgough | 10/28/08
To follow up  frgough | 10/28/08
So, the ideal society is...  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
Well for a group that is not "directed"  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
It's not Linux's fault on  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
Group effort  ticthak@... | 10/29/08
Just once  djchandler | 10/29/08
Tell us about your time in Iraq agian...  User07734 | 10/29/08
Absolutely Correct!  InAction Man | 10/28/08
Many understand, just greedy filth don't see how THEY benefit.  fr0thy2 | 10/29/08
So you don't have a job live on the free ...  USTechHead | 10/29/08
You're kinda on the right track...  Wolfie2K3 | 10/29/08
Re; he lives in mom and dad's basement.  hkommedal | 10/30/08
Hear, hear!  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
This analogy is completely flawed  frgough | 10/28/08
Actaully you are wrong...  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
Wrong again  frgough | 10/28/08
Are you sure your view can explain the Amish?  zkiwi | 10/28/08
Of course it can't  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
We're all adults here ...  MisterMiester | 10/28/08
Of course, labor is capital...  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
What about prison labor? You know that multi-billion dollar industry?  T1Oracle | 10/29/08
I'd agree...  John L. Ries | 10/29/08
Criminal prisoner = legal slave labor???  dominigan | 10/29/08
Any profits from prison labor ...  MisterMiester | 10/29/08
re:dominigan - AMEN! nail on the head! - nt  USTechHead | 10/29/08
@ USTechHead NT  Ole Man | 10/29/08
Excellent analogy (nt)  djchandler | 10/29/08
I have a friend who works for beer...  Marty R. Milette | 10/29/08
Open Source is Corporate Play / Ploy  PMC-CON | 10/28/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  mitechie | 10/28/08
Not take over  daengbo | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  Loverock Davidson | 10/28/08
You obviously haven't used a recent distro of Linux let alone Ubuntu  GoPower | 10/28/08
I have  Loverock Davidson | 10/28/08
Loverock lost in space  super_J | 10/28/08
Competency...  User07734 | 10/29/08
You live in the stone age when it comes to knowledge about Linux.  Predator106 | 11/01/08
Ubuntu installs faster than XP  robsku | 11/02/08
Red Hat is NOT doing fine  de-void | 10/28/08
Red Hat gross  ticthak@... | 10/29/08
hey...  mrdt | 10/28/08
Oh look  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
Switch off!  InAction Man | 10/28/08
Got that right  Kaiwai | 10/29/08
Kaiwai you and Lovernut are both on drugs for  lightingrod | 10/29/08
Exactly what are your issues?  B.O.F.H. | 10/29/08
Well Said -nt  USTechHead | 10/29/08
Competency...  User07734 | 10/29/08
Ubuntu is hoping for server income.  Anton Philidor | 10/28/08
The Free stuff  Maarek | 10/28/08
Google vs Ubuntu... Or Apples vs spatulas.  Wolfie2K3 | 10/29/08
Absolutely evil...  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
Intended to respond to Anton...  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
Payment does not equal professional  frgough | 10/28/08
If you say so  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
Directorless?  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
So tell me  frgough | 10/28/08
Well lets just start with  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
That's pretty weak.  ye | 10/29/08
No  Linux User 147560 | 10/29/08
Linux is a kernel.  daengbo | 10/29/08
Ye, shut up. You're stupid.  bmerc | 10/30/08
Then there's this:  rikasa | 10/29/08
Expression does not equal intelligence, either  Ole Man | 10/29/08
John, you're missing the main point  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/28/08
I think we're in general agreement  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
Desktop Linux failed because desktop users don't contribute back  Zukuzu | 10/28/08
Works on my desktop quite nicely (NT)  John L. Ries | 10/28/08
Commercialism?  People | 10/28/08
Very true  frgough | 10/28/08
Really?  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
A complete lack of understanding  frgough | 10/28/08
Profit selling services.  People | 10/28/08
Nope...  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
What a waste.  People | 10/28/08
I am voting Libertarian...  Linux User 147560 | 10/28/08
They are all crap in my opinion with popular one  USTechHead | 10/29/08
re:Linux User - Sorry but that's an Urban Legend, and full of false info -  USTechHead | 10/29/08
this country is about to take a lurch to the left  bmerc | 10/30/08
Clarification  daengbo | 10/29/08
Informative post; thanks! (nt)  djchandler | 10/29/08
GPL has no limitations on payment  ticthak@... | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  super_J | 10/28/08
To summarize  frgough | 10/28/08
Re: To Summarize  super_J | 10/28/08
Fluendo Codecs  daengbo | 10/29/08
Knock, knock... can anyone say HARDWARE wink  palmwarrior | 10/28/08
Bingo!  super_J | 10/28/08
We are talking desktop Linux...  palmwarrior | 10/28/08
Linux desktops?  beoz | 10/28/08
Hey, I contributed back  softdrat@... | 10/28/08
Thanks, softdraft  RandallR | 10/29/08
The reason our Microsoft lackey "friends" are mad at Linux  Ole Man | 10/28/08
Even the best Linux desktop distros cannot do the job  kushykush | 10/28/08
I sorry everything isn't picture perfect for you  lightingrod | 10/29/08
Nothing can do the job  Ole Man | 10/29/08
ZING! (nt)  djchandler | 10/29/08
Ouch - similar experience but - ouch - nt  USTechHead | 10/29/08
hmmmmm ....  morph000 | 10/29/08
Ubuntu has ubuntuforums.org for help  djchandler | 10/29/08
Flash player does not work...  bmerc | 10/30/08
???? Huh  USTechHead | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  kushykush | 10/28/08
No problems with windows, eh?  Ole Man | 10/29/08
interesting...  rtk | 10/29/08
Yes, I see exactly what you did  Ole Man | 10/30/08
Ubuntu is more bloated than XP.  kraterz | 10/28/08
You make all your assumptions based on a Beta version, give  lightingrod | 10/29/08
Ubuntu is more bloated than XP  Daedalu | 10/29/08
Lots of money to be made on applications  terry flores | 10/29/08
Shuttleworth might be right...  Henrik Moller | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  L8erG8er | 10/29/08
RE: But the world runs better  perspectoff | 10/29/08
Double negative...  plino | 10/29/08
Only one negative  rtk | 10/29/08
No libertarian  People | 10/29/08
While you may  Linux User 147560 | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  tymiles | 10/29/08
your point about a video professor is a key point  lightingrod | 10/29/08
A "linus distro", heh  DonRupertBitByte | 10/29/08
Desktop distros are a service  Rambo Tribble | 10/29/08
Linux never was a money maker  gene_fitz@... | 10/29/08
the government should fund Linux development  Linux Geek | 10/29/08
Government?  jw@... | 10/29/08
We the people?  dominigan | 10/29/08
Now be careful - while Socialism is a 4 letter word - you will offend some  USTechHead | 10/29/08
And screw up even longer...there's not a goverement  USTechHead | 10/29/08
You don't get something for nothing.  Dr_Zinj | 10/29/08
RE: Business Problems Confound Techies?  The Management consultant | 10/29/08
This is News? FOSS Has Always Been About the Value-Add  dumptux | 10/29/08
I'm sorry... "Bad News"...  Fred_NYC | 10/29/08
More "Bad News"...  Fred_NYC | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth: Wording  infoz | 10/29/08
Linux has potential, but not like Windows.  joe.smetona@... | 10/29/08
Thank goodness for that!  Ole Man | 10/29/08
Duh.  aureolin@... | 10/29/08
Yeah, its much easier to make money  Ole Man | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  tymiles | 10/29/08
"The video professor idea is a key"  Ole Man | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth: - Holy Crap this is going to be fun to read - nt  USTechHead | 10/29/08
NT  Ole Man | 10/29/08
Selling (good) support  emenau | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  jorjitop | 10/29/08
MONEY: Can't take it with ya!!! wink n/t  btljooz | 10/29/08
Please proof read your column  mccracky@... | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  ariscanete@... | 10/29/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  nospam@... | 10/29/08
Linux should remain FOSS.  djchandler | 10/29/08
Amen!  Ole Man | 10/30/08
That attitude will never gp anywhere  proton_z | 11/08/08
The secret is.........  Ole Man | 11/13/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  lobogabs | 10/30/08
What's in it for you?  robsku | 11/02/08
RE: MS makes $ off Windows, all right.  robsku | 11/02/08
The Value of Community:  jdubow@... | 11/04/08
Linux no, but money on the Linux Desktop yes.  snaresV64 | 11/05/08
Actually, RedHat DO charge for Linux....  MarkHarrison | 11/05/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  gtemedtk1@... | 11/05/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth: Partially right  gtemedtk1@... | 11/05/08
RE: Ubuntu's Shuttleworth:  Chris BW | 11/06/08

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