What is the most important thing to you about Ubuntu Linux?

[Ascenti0n]

Free as in beer
Free as in Freedom
No cost software
Community


What attracted you to Ubuntu Linux and what is so important about Ubuntu/Linux that you continue to use/support it?

[Eisenwinter]

Well, I no longer use Ubuntu (haven't in over 3 months now), I use Arch Linux. But I still hang out around on these forums because they're so active, there's always something new to read here.

[HammerOfDoubt]

Ease of use and installation (both of the os and software).
Extreme Customizability.
Free (both senses of the word).

[mividaloca]

important
The OS "belongs" to me :D (something i would be happy to pay for, regardless of developer)


other things off the top of my head-

Apps do not "phone home" sending infomations about users
Enjoying professional software at no cost
Easily Customisible
Suits all needs

[gymophett]

What you listed and more.
* Free as in beer
* Free as in Freedom
* No cost software
* Community
* Highly customisable
* Stable
* Easy to use
* Easy installation

[suitedaces]

Not a Microsoft hater (love my 360), it's more the speed - ubuntu was like a laptop upgrade, and the security.

[Sealbhach]

Well, I no longer use Ubuntu (haven't in over 3 months now), I use Arch Linux.

More proof that Ubuntu is a "gateway" distro. Sure, it starts off as a bit of fun, but before you know it you'll be staying up all night compiling...:P

Also, to OP, free as in freedom and the community. I wouldn't mind paying for a good Linux product.

.

[gnomeuser]

Unlike Fedora they don't hate Mono (http://davidnielsen.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/drawing-my-own-conclusion/), seriously that is the number one reason for me to consider using Ubuntu. The only reason in fact but a really important one to me.

[dragos240]

The community, period.

[yther]

All your listed reasons are important to me, but I first tried Ubuntu for my laptop. Laptops are notorious for having poorly-supported hardware, so I did not want to spend weeks tweaking stuff to get it working. 8.04 supported 80% of my hardware and 8.10 supported 100% of it, out of the box. So the reason I chose it and will continue to use it, though I've been using Linux for almost ten years, is that it was easy to set up and keep working. :)

I cannot afford to spend lots of time fiddling with stuff on my laptop, which I use at work every day. Sure, I could tweak it and customize it more, but I'd rather have stability for this thing.

[Bart_D]

...Extreme Customizability.....

+1

I have finally got Ubuntu minimal going and it's speed and reliability simply blow the competition away.

[wgarider]

Easy to use and install
FREE !!
Makes much more efficient use of hardware
Can be installed on older hardware to give it new life
The community....I work with Windows for a living but Ubuntu has made being a geek fun again!

[elmago79]

Not a Microsoft hater (love my 360), it's more the speed - ubuntu was like a laptop upgrade, and the security.

Same here, literally. I also love my 360. But with Ubuntu my computer feels years younger.

The real thing I can't live without are wobbly windows. They feel way more natural and more fun. If an OS can't provide me with wobbly windows, I feel constricted.

[wolfen69]

Free as in beer
Free as in Freedom
No cost software
Community


What attracted you to Ubuntu Linux and what is so important about Ubuntu/Linux that you continue to use/support it?

all of the above.



The community....I work with Windows for a living but Ubuntu has made being a geek fun again!
same here.

[phaze_1]

well of course the system, but for what it stands for.

[cb951303]

PPA and getdeb :) seriously I have 20 PPA entries on my repo list

[Tmi]

Security, freedom, ease of use and no cost was what first attracted me to Ubuntu (and also continued to attract).

These day the "ease of use" has become more of a problem since I fel I no longer learned much, so now I've moved on to Arch (which to be honest is not much harder at all :P).

Still the community keeps me comming to browse these forums much rather than the arch forums.

I still also admire Ubuntu for it's ability to attract and introduce newcommers to linux.

[s.fox]

It runs very well on my ancient PC. LOL :D

[Ascenti0n]

Apps do not "phone home" sending infomations about users

Good point, though I have seen some OSS that want to send feedback info for 'development and testing purposes', but at least on the Linux platform they ASK YOU FIRST, rather than 'whether you like it or not'.

[billgoldberg]

Free as in beer
Free as in Freedom
No cost software
Community


What attracted you to Ubuntu Linux and what is so important about Ubuntu/Linux that you continue to use/support it?

At first it:

- free
- safer than Windows
- Compiz Fusion

Now:

- free
- safer than Windows
- control over the system
- terminal
- community
- choice
- ...

[HammerOfDoubt]

The real thing I can't live without are wobbly windows. They feel way more natural and more fun. If an OS can't provide me with wobbly windows, I feel constricted.

Ahh, so true. The few times I've had to boot into my Vista drive (usually when Steam is acting up) I actually get a little sad that the windows don't wobble.

[k2t0f12d]

It isn't on my machines. I don't need quite so many helping hands doing it for me.
It's there for me to put on other people's machines who do.

[Ascenti0n]

For me with regards to Ubuntu, I think it is the most 'complete' in terms of working 'out of the box', minus the fact that the pulse audio got screwed up with 8.10.

I've tried the other big 2 distros. With Fedora, it is too cutting edge, and I felt like a lab rat, there to test the new stuff as opposed to being a std user.

openSUSE, seems OK, but the Microsoft fiasco puts me off, and the fact that until the last few weeks, the devs didn't know what,if any release schedule it should work to, which spells lack of leadership and direction in my book.

PLUS, Ubuntu seems to be the distro with the momentum.

Just my two pennies worth.

[Fenris_rising]

That there is a community behind Ubuntu who are the bee's knee's!
And the wobbly windows ;D

regards

Fenris

[Ascenti0n]

yep, if you've got a spare 30 seconds, there is nothing like wobbling your windows to take the stress out of your day ;-)

oi..... keep it clean.

[xpod]

As a relative newcomer to the murky world of computers & operating systems using *buntu & Co has allowed me to learn how to use a computer to some degree instead of just learning new ways of keeping it usable......as was the case in Windows for the short while i used it.....sorry,tried keeping it usable:D

Also,with a large young family all with their own machines now(just about) i feel i have far less concerns with them all using *buntu & Co online.
Free as in beer is great too but it`s probably one of the last reasons why i ....we have continued to use,and enjoy using *buntu.

[swoll1980]

I stick with Ubuntu because I love Gnome, and the package management