I was navigating deep into the open source universe when a link brought me to the Ubuntu webpage. At first the word sounded strange for an operating system. But in no time I found out that its name is actually purposeful and pregnant with meaning.

“Ubuntu” is an ancient African word which means "I am what I am because of who we all are". In the open source territory, Ubuntu is a complete Linux-based operating system that is built on the idea “that software should be available free of charge, that software tools should be usable by people in their local language and despite any disabilities, and that people should have the freedom to customise and alter their software in whatever way they see fit”.

That’s what I love about Linux and open source – the complete freedom they give you.

In the Windows landscape all you see is a series of fortified walls, locked doors, well-armed sentries, and other impenetrable restrictions. Before you accuse me of being anti-Bill Gates, let me remind you of the Microsoft Terms of Service: “You may not modify, copy, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell any information, software, products or services obtained from the Services.”

A friend once told me that the Chinese will never adhere to copyright restrictions imposed by Microsoft and other American software companies. He says that they will only honor copyright laws when the Americans pay a royalty for every noodle and other Chinese food they eat. Only then will the Chinese also begin paying a royalty for every software they use.

I dream of a day when open source becomes the norm – when communities develop their own softwares and share them with other communities free of charge – when everyone is free to customise whatever way they see necessary. Only then can we really begin to talk about sustainable development. In the meantime, all I can do is hope that the other software companies’ Terms of Service will be patterned after the public commitment the Ubuntu team professes:

(a) Ubuntu will always be free of charge, and there is no extra fee for the "enterprise edition", we make our very best work available to everyone on the same Free terms.

(b) Ubuntu includes the very best in translations and accessibility infrastructure that the Free Software community has to offer, to make Ubuntu usable by as many people as possible.

(c) Ubuntu is released regularly and predictably; a new release is made every six months. You can use the current stable release or the current development release. Each release is supported for at least 18 months.

(d) Ubuntu is entirely committed to the principles of free and open source software development; we encourage people to use free and open source software, improve it and pass it on.

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