The choices inside Ubuntu
Off the Beat: Bruce Byfield's Blog
Hearing that the next Ubuntu release will use Yahoo! as the default search engine in Firefox leaves me with a twinge of uneasiness. My misgiving -- and it's a small one -- is not so much with the decision as with why it was made.
In itself, the decision is trivial enough. If you dislike Yahoo!, you can easily change the default by going to the search engine field in the upper right corner and clicking on the icon and choosing Manage Search Engines from the drop-down menu.
More importantly, to my surprise, comparing half a dozen sets of search results in Google and Yahoo! suggests that Yahoo! generally returns more results than Google -- often at a ratio of three or four to one. Nor are the first page results very different in the two search engines. Yahoo!'s image searches are generally less successful than Google, but otherwise, from a practical viewpoint, the change in the default may actually be an improvement.
However, that isn't the reason the change is being made. According to Platform Team member Rick Spencer, who broke the news in an email to the ubuntu-devel mailing list on behalf of Canonical, Ubuntu's commercial arm, the change will be made because:
"Canonical has negotiated a revenue sharing deal with Yahoo! and this revenue will help Canonical to provide developers and resources to continue the open development of Ubuntu and the Ubuntu Platform. This change will help provide these resources as well as continuing to respect our user's default search across Firefox."
I am not sure that the last sentence has any meaning outside of marketing-speech, but the first sentence makes clear that the change is due to a business deal. The probable technical merits of the change aren't mentioned at all.
Business reasons vs. FOSS reasons
Some people will object to the deal automatically, because, last year, Microsoft emerged as one of Yahoo!'s major partners. As I write, I am sure that others are already reflexively ranting about how Ubuntu is inching closer to Microsoft, citing its use of Mono applications as further proof of this alleged trend.
But that seems a relatively remote concern. What makes me uneasy is that the change is apparently being done solely for business reasons.
I understand that Canonical is searching for a road to profitability. No matter how idealistic, Mark Shuttleworth can't be expected to finance Canonical and Ubuntu indefinitely. I understand, too, that without investment from corporations such as Canonical, free and open source software (FOSS) would not be nearly as advanced today as it is. All things considered, I can't blame Canonical looking for some return on its investment after five years.
But FOSS isn't supposed to be like that, and neither is Ubuntu. The main justification of the open source position is that it produces better quality software, and most of Ubuntu's other innovations seem motivated by exactly this rationale.
Perhaps at times, Ubuntu developers have been motivated by the wish to be the first to work with a new technology. Yet whether you are talking about its replacement of the Init daemon with Upstart or of GRUB with GRUB 2, or its ongoing efforts to improve its interfaces, most of Ubuntu's changes have had sound practical reasons behind them. They made Ubuntu faster or more efficient, and by extension, the free desktop as well.
As things happen, the switch to Yahoo! is probably an improvement, too. The difference, though, is that the improvement is accidental. The trouble with making changes for business reasons is that they don't necessarily coincide with technical reasons. What is good for Canonical may not necessarily be good for Ubuntu, or the GNU/Linux desktop in general.
A change of view?
I am not suggesting that Canonical has sold out, or that we should start organizing boycotts of Ubuntu because Yahoo! is replacing Google. But I do wonder whether, as Canonical becomes -- presumably -- more desperate to turn a profit, if more decisions will be based on business reasons rather than practical ones.
If so, the FOSS community may have to re-evaluate Canonical. In the past, Canonical has mostly seemed a good corporate citizen of the community. Admittedly, its use of Mono has been criticized -- and deservedly so -- but that decision seems to have as many supporters as detractors.
Possibly, the switch to Yahoo! is an anomalous decision. Yet I can't help wondering if it signals a change of direction, away from FOSS ideals towards a more hard-nosed business approach.
If so, the community may find itself re-evaluating Canonical. Instead of regarding Canonical as a firm supporter, we may find ourselves viewing Canonical more the way that many of us regard Google: As a fellow traveler and some time ally, but one that acts out of its own concerns at least as often as it acts for the good of the community.
Am I worrying about nothing? I hope so. All the same, I'll be watching -- a little sadly and reluctantly -- to see if this re-evaluation is necessary.
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reply
switching to yahoo
Ubuntu is free and probably always will be free. They simply want to make a few dollars to keep the project alive without asking for money from the users. The fact that they are upfront and tell you how to opt-out means the entire issue is a non-issue.
What is wrong with microsoft? I run Linux because it does a certain task very well for me. I do not run Linux because I hate microsoft. I wished Linux ran MS Office much better and also iTunes for my ipod (not interested in discussing alternatives - I know hem all!).
To the ubuntu team, keep those releases coming!!
not impressed... at all
microsoft is in bed with everybody
Hey, let Yahoo spend the money!
And remember, we always have the choice in Firefox to change our default search engine anyway.
So, let Yahoo/Microsoft fund Canonical, and thus Ubuntu. HALLELUJAH, I say!
not good
How much longer until we are changing everything in linux to suit corporate interests. It starts here, next thing you know there will be more concern about corporate interests than user experience and user choice.
I think this is a start to bad.
In my opinion, I think linux distros should leave the applications options/features intact as the maker of the application intended. Who is Ubuntu to decide what default search engine firefox has. But please, rape away mozillas right of distributing their product the way they intended, so canonical can make a dime.
Overconcerned
we often miss the point -what makes canonical not just a 'business'. this had been a man's, Shuttleworth's dream that he shared it with the community -and now that it's all ours to develop further. so, expecting ubuntu make profit is good. but the reason behind it is not to make 'business' but make this dream sustainable -as much as possible. so reevaluation with such a dry stance would be far too much, I believe.
marketing
Actually, Mandriva (or Mandrake as they then were) did this a long time before Canonical. What Canonical have done very well is the marketing. Much as I admire what Canonical have done with Ubuntu, it's not the on;y distribution that makes things super-easy for the noob.
Google, Yahoo does ti really matter?
M$ as usual
FOSS goals
As a sociologist, the fascinating thing about FOSS for me is how it opens the door to pursue different goals, as well as the challenge of how the community makes sense and manages those different sensibilities. However, I always get a little more pessimistic about the future of FOSS when I see that the richness of the movement is bypassed and irate and dismissive responses are the answer to very interesting and relevant questions.
Honestly it doesn't matter
On the other hand, to say Google isn't FOSS, they only take and not give...bull pucky! That's really a horribly disingenuous observation about Google. Summer of Code? 20%? Android? Any of that sound familiar? They do have folks that contribute directly to the kernel. You can complain about their cooperation with China (guess what, Yahoo and M$ are worse!) or that they won't allow a closed-source app (Google Maps for Android) be redistributed even though it was never licensed that way anyway. Get over it!
Others will say FOSS fanatics should just drop the idealism and do whatever feels good. Guess what! Pragmatism is a philosophy as well filled with the thinking that just about any other ideal that doesn't allow you to achieve a goal, ethics and morality be damned, go for it! Ends justifies the means, right?
Not in FOSS. Gonna have to deal with that, too! Don't like it? Start your own code base and make it as restrictive as your little fingers will allow.
Re: Ideology has reared its ugly head, again!
Actually, it's more about "technology over business."
Ideology has reared its ugly head, again!
other choice?
The alternate choice was to keep Google as default. Google is not FOSS. Therefore,
either they should have an agreement with Google or they would be just stupid
by not changing to Yahoo. Actually, a good idea would be to have the Google
agreement, as much more people uses Google.
From my side, I will not change the default if the Yahoo search provides good
results. I will be happy to be contributing to Ubuntu without any effort.
Why not make money
Mozilla's response?
Give me a break!
Do you not see how much Canonical + FOSS have changed the face of Linux desktop? It completely made Desktop Linux actually usable WITH some kick ass features like Ubuntu One which is free to use.
We can all download Ubuntu FOR FREE and see the source code!!! What in the hell are you worried about?
Changed a simple setting in Firefox is not Innovation as you say, but simply a way to pay for all the awesomeness that we ALL get for free.
Canonical needs to become self sustaining, and the more better it gets the better the world will be.
How can you sit there and say we should re-evalutate a company for which has GIVEN away so much for FREE?
Also, they came right out and said the change is to happen. Now if they changed it and did NOT publically mention the change THAN you can complain.
Ubuntu default search
Yahoo are wasting their money. I have already switched to Google Chrome anyway.