Ubuntu: Patent Policy and Private Support
Ubuntu has introduced a new Patent Policy to help developers and rights holders deal with software patent issues. With the Private Support, Canonical hopes to improve its revenue.
Canonical's shop now offers three support packages for the desktop version of Ubuntu. The basic package, Starter Support, comes with extensive installation support via telephone and email and costs around $55 for one year. Advanced Support contains the same service features but covers more than just installation issues. One year will cost about $115. The Professional package costs almost $220 and comes with support for installation and application, covers virtualization issues and Windows network integration.
All three packages come complete with free upgrades and security updates. As an alternative to the one-year packages three year packages are also available at a slightly reduced price. The support packages are valid world-wide.
Profits from the shop could help Canonical with patent problems. Its new Patent Policy is designed to avoid such problems as far as possible. The policy lists the steps developers and rights holders should take when faced with a possible breach in patent. One clause contained in the policy states that, if Canonical has not heard from the alleged rights holder for an extended period of time and the patent is near expiration, the code will continue to be shipped as normal.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
openSUSE Joins End of 10
openSUSE has decided to not only join the End of 10 movement but it also will no longer support the Deepin Desktop Environment.
-
New Version of Flatpak Released
Flatpak 1.16.1 is now available as the latest, stable version with various improvements.
-
IBM Announces Powerhouse Linux Server
IBM has unleashed a seriously powerful Linux server with the LinuxONE Emperor 5.
-
Plasma Ends LTS Releases
The KDE Plasma development team is doing away with the LTS releases for a good reason.
-
Arch Linux Available for Windows Subsystem for Linux
If you've ever wanted to use a rolling release distribution with WSL, now's your chance.
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.