12 May 2009 Burgundavia   » (Journeyer)

Spot the differences


1) Company releases closed-source web-based software to allow users to keep files synced between computers
2) Company releases closed-source web-based software to allow users to keep files synced between computers

or


2004 - Canonical releases closed-source web app to improve collaboration between Open Source teams. Promises to release source "soon" and is roundly (and correctly) lambasted for continued failure to do that.
2009 - Canonical releases closed-source web app to allow users to keep files synced between computers. No promise of opening source (or even of roadmap)

Ugh. So we have a non-innovative project that is closed source and, IMHO, violates the spirit of the Ubuntu trademark agreement. (It doesn't violate the letter because Canonical owns the copyright. No other company could do this.)


Yes, I am talking about UbuntuOne. Oh, and they bloody spammed me via Launchpad. Sigh....

Benjamin Franklin (or Mark Twain or Einstein or perhaps nobody) comes to mind: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Update

Apparently I was not explicit enough. UbuntuOne != Ubuntu. It should not be using the Ubuntu copyright. Please see this Launchpad bug

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