HOME

Definitions of ubuntu on the Web: (Source:Google.com)

1. A Zulu word, literally meaning 'humanness.'
   Ubuntu is a social and spiritual philosophy serving as a framework for African society. ...
2. Ubuntu is a widely used Linux distribution predominantly targeted at personal computers. Based on Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu concentrates on usability, regular releases, ease of installation, and freedom from legal restrictions. Ubuntu is sponsored by Canonical Ltd ...

      Though both listings are relevant to Ubuntu-Linux, this article about the Debian based operating system.
The Ubuntu project is founded, (and funded), by Mark Shuttleworth of South-Africa.
Ubuntu is an Open Source/Free operating system. It’s also officially available as Ubuntu, (Gnome-desktop), Kubuntu, (KDE-environment), and several non-official derivatives like Xubuntu, (XFCE window manager),gNewSense, (only free-software), Linux-Mint, and many others.
Ubuntu is in it's ninth release - new version are released every six months. The latest version, Ubuntu 8.10, was released on October 30, 2008, (Debian, which Ubuntu is built upon, celebrated its 12th birthday this year).
As I've mentioned in the opening paragraph, Ubuntu is free. CD’s can be ordered, free of charge, from Canonical, (the company sponsoring Ubuntu), or, for those blessed with access to the Internet, a disc image can be downloaded, burned to CD, and booted on virtually any computer.
(A note to the leery – Ubuntu can be run from within MS Windows, so window-shopping, no pun intended, is actively encouraged).
Ubuntu ships with all the bells and whistles associated with modern computing. Included in the installation is OpenOffice, a fully featured office suite that's comparable to MS Office. The Gimp, (Gnu image manipulation program), provides sophisticated graphic design tools, while multi-media capabilities are provided by Brasero, Rythmbox, and Movie Player. You'll also find Pidgin for instant messaging, Evolution, a great email application, and a host of drawing and presentation programs.  And that's just for starters.   There are literally thousands upon thousands, (20,000 give or take), of additional open-source/free applications, extensions and plug-ins, available in a one, two, three-click, easy, ‘ask and ye shall receive’, software-repository.
Being a recent inductee into the Gnu/Linux-user ranks, I'm more than a little impressed.
Gnu/Linux for desktops is steadily gaining markets due largely to Linux's now legendary reliability, versatility, and, at least partially, it’s great price. (A personl note here: I think Linux gets many new customers because it’s available for free, but many of those new customers tend to stay with Linux because of the way it’s developed and licenced).
 Ubuntu, by providing a truly ‘user-friendly’ desktop environment, ease of use and well implemented features, is aiming for the mainstream home and business market, (and more recently, mobile devices).
Which brings me to my favourite Ubuntu quality; Outstanding ‘User-friendliness’.
‘User-friendliness’ is a term stemming from the relatively new paradigm know as ‘personal- computing’.   A term used to describe any operating system using "windows" as the main user-interface rather than a command-line terminal.  A term, which, for too many users, on too many levels, had lost meaning. In this, the Ubuntu developers have arguably accomplished the impossible; The rejuvenescence of the term ‘user-friendly’ to a meaningful description. The Ubuntu desktop has the unique quality of providing an exceptionally comfortable and enjoyable user-experience. It doesn’t seem to operate, or behave any differently than Windows, or Mac, or perform tasks such as emailing, word–proccesing, or web–surfing in a more efficient, or for that matter, different way;  It just seems as though it’s developers’, (The Community’s), sense of ubuntu, if I may borrow the term, is integral to the system and defines it.
In closing, I’d like to be the first to point out the flaws and shortcomings of Ubuntu, but I can’t. (if you research the topic, you'll find ample reasons not to use Ubuntu, as well as many glowing reports).
Frankly, the more time I spend using Ubuntu, the more I wish all my systems were running Ubuntu.
Consider this for a moment: Gnu/Linux developers, their communities, including companies such as Canonical, are delivering on what neither Apple nor Microsoft have even attempted; – Providing a state-of-the-art operating system that's available to everyone, regardless of who or where they are!
Having used the Ubuntu OS on my desktop PC and laptop this year, I'd say this operating system more than delivers on the warmth and usability that the slogan “Linux for Human Beings” proclaims.

    – For technical specifications, system requirements, or instructions, visit the "Ubuntu Home" site.
Some helpful sites for those considering Ubuntu, are Psychocats, the Ubuntu Team Wiki, the prolific Ubuntu community forums, and the ‘User Documentation Site’