Tuesday, 10 April 2007

Canonical Wants Open-source Cooperation

Canonical, the Ubuntu Linux supporter has rolled out a beta version of its Launchpad service. This initiative is to make open-source programming methods a better match for Microsoft.

Launchpad is a web site that gives a base for Ubuntu's cooperative programming projects, with features for tracking bugs, managing source code repositories, and planning new features.

"Microsoft has an efficient core infrastructure that allows developers from one part of the company to connect with a developer on another," Canonical Chief Executive Mark Shuttleworth said. "In a free software world, if we want to match that, we have to crank up the level of collaboration."

Shuttleworth added, "We're not trying to convince people to switch off their own infrastructure and adopt Lanchpad wholesale".

Shuttleworth believes that Launchpad will become completely open source one day.

"I won't commit to a date for open-sourcing Launchpad. I think it's inevitable," he said.