Ubuntu Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Ubuntu Foundation is a purpose trust
founded by Mark Shuttleworth
and Canonical Ltd.
to ensure the long-term maintenance of the Ubuntu
Linux distribution
independently of the commercial activities of Canonical Ltd. Its initial funding commitment is $10M.
Its current advisory board
is made up of chairman Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Canonical Ltd., and representatives of the Ubuntu Community Council and the Ubuntu Technical Board.
Although it was originally announced that the Ubuntu Foundation would employ core members of the Ubuntu community as of 2008, the Foundation remains dormant. Mark Shuttleworth describes it as an "emergency fund" in the event that Canonical's involvement in the Ubuntu project ends.
Purpose Trust
A purpose trust is a type of trust which has no beneficiaries, but instead exists for advancing some non-charitable purpose of some kind. In most jurisdictions, such trusts are not enforceable outside of certain limited and anomalous exceptions, but some countries have enacted legislation...
founded by Mark Shuttleworth
Mark Shuttleworth
Mark Richard Shuttleworth is a South African entrepreneur who was the second self-funded space tourist. Shuttleworth founded Canonical Ltd. and as of 2010, provides leadership for the Ubuntu operating system...
and Canonical Ltd.
Canonical Ltd.
Canonical Ltd. is a private company founded by South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth to market commercial support and related services for Ubuntu Linux and related projects. Canonical is registered in London and employs staff around the world...
to ensure the long-term maintenance of the Ubuntu
Ubuntu (operating system)
Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu...
Linux distribution
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions are operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications...
independently of the commercial activities of Canonical Ltd. Its initial funding commitment is $10M.
Its current advisory board
Advisory board
An advisory board is a body that advises the board of directors and management of a corporation but does not have authority to vote on corporate matters, nor a legal fiduciary responsibility...
is made up of chairman Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Canonical Ltd., and representatives of the Ubuntu Community Council and the Ubuntu Technical Board.
Although it was originally announced that the Ubuntu Foundation would employ core members of the Ubuntu community as of 2008, the Foundation remains dormant. Mark Shuttleworth describes it as an "emergency fund" in the event that Canonical's involvement in the Ubuntu project ends.