Mark Shuttleworth: “Blasting Past” Apple and not Forgetting Windows
In his keynote at OSCON (O'Reilly Open Source Convention) in Portland (Oregon), Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth talked about his vision of a future Linux.
"The great task in front of us over the next two years is to lift the experience of the Linux desktop from something that is stable and robust and not so pretty, into something that is art," Shuttleworth said. He called to developers to not just emulate Apple but to “blast past” on the design front. He praised the iPhone, saying that it was a “pure software experience”, and pointing out the need for beautiful and elegant software. Having regular release cycles also helped software development he said.
At the same time, Shuttleworth opposed advertising banners in free software, saying: "I don't believe advertising will power free software applications; I think the emerging emphasis on services will help support that."
The Ubuntu founder also went on to talk about competitor Microsoft, calling on developers to pay attention to compatibility with Microsoft's products, even if they don't use them themselves, and that platform tolerance is necessary as many users work on multiple platforms.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.