Linspire and Freespire are designed exclusively for desktop use. (Ubuntu is also designed to work for servers.) Linspire and Freespire designed their user interface to feel comfortable for users familiar with or migrating from Microsoft Windows. Linspire and Freespire include proprietary codecs, drivers and applications for out-of-the-box hardware and multimedia support. Linspire and Freespire are targeted at non-technical users and accordingly take ease of use to an extreme.

Work on the changeover will begin immediately. The next versions of both Freespire (ver. 2.x) and Linspire (ver. 6.x) will be based on Ubuntu. Yes, Freespire 2.0 was originally slated to be finished Q1 2007, but will shift slightly to Q2 of 2007 to allow the necessary time to complete this transition and to follow the official release of Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn) in April.

Linspire is known for its ease of use and consumer focus. Freespire, by comparison, is designed with the Linux community and developer in mind. The Freespire project is also the baseline for Linspire development, and is more experimental (read: at times unstable) in nature. Here are some example differences between Linspire and Freespire: Mostly open source but with the option of proprietary drivers, codecs and applications or 100% open source

Ubuntu defaults to GNOME, but also supports KDE. (Kubuntu is a KDE-based version of Ubuntu.) Linspire still prefers, and will continue defaulting to, the KDE desktop environment for target users of the Linspire and Freespire operating systems. Linspire will also continue making the numerous enhancements it does to KDE that make it more ideal for their target users.

Yes. The Linspire/Freespire Roadmaps will be updated in the near future to reflect any expected changes.

with all Linux distributions, Linspire and Freespire are created from the work of hundreds of individuals and open source projects. Linspire takes this baseline of work, and then supplements it with thousands of lines of additional code to glue everything together in a way consistent with their intended audience. In the past, the Linspire and Freespire operating systems have been based directly on the Debian Linux distribution.

No...not any more than Linspire/Freespire looks like a pure Debian distribution now. Linspire will continue doing all the unique things that are important to its target users (ease of use, CNR, proprietary drivers and codecs, OEM program, etc.). This change is more at the underlying, core level rather than the UI. By working together with the Ubuntu community, we can better focus our collective resources on the common issues of hardware support, networking, installing, applications, etc.

Simply put - to get farther, faster. As mentioned previously, Linux distributions are simply variations on core Linux packages and technology. The Ubuntu community has done an exceptional job of utilizing the Debian system and creating a solid foundation for desktop Linux, with fast-paced development cycles, significant programming tools, and an active developer community.

There are several different versions of Ubuntu, some with a different desktop and others for a specific market. Here is some information about them. Kubuntu is an official derivative of Ubuntu using the KDE environment instead of GNOME. It is part of the Ubuntu project and uses the same underlying system. It is an exciting distribution that showcases the full potential of the KDE desktop. Kubuntu shares the same repositories as Ubuntu, and relies on the same underlying architecture.

Linspire has been a long-time supporter of many open source projects, such as: Debian, Mozilla/Firefox, Nvu, Lsongs, Lphoto, libipod, ReiserFS, GAIM, KDE, KDE-look, Kopete, K3B, and so on. (Visit www.linspire.com/opensource for a complete listing.) Linspire wanted to extend that work to the entire operating system by creating a community-driven project to help us with our work. Work that goes into Debian, Ubuntu, Freespire, and so on, all finds its way into our commercial Linspire product line.

No. Freespire's site is a "dot org," not "dot com." The owner of the "dot com" site is not anyone affiliated with this project or Linspire. Retrieved from "http://wiki.freespire.org/index.php/FAQ_Category:_About_Freespire_and_The_Freespire_Project"

Ubuntu is a complete Linux-based operating system containing the very best free and open source software applications you need to work and play. With Ubuntu you can surf the web, read email, create documents, presentations and spreadsheets, edit images and more.

From the time Linspire was founded, about 5 years ago, they have been very busy laying the groundwork with the OEM and retail channels with their commercial, consumer-focused Linspire product. Linspire wanted to make sure that they had a sound and viable business model before exposing the community to another open source project.

No. Because Freespire is a community project, everyone can help with testing, have access to all releases, and so on.

Early Alpha releases of Freespire 2.x, based on Ubuntu, are expected in Q1 2007 (as early as February). Linspire 6.0 will be released soon after the stable version of Ubuntu 7.04 this April.

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You can get advice and help on using Ubuntu from the Ubuntu community, or buy professional support from Canonical and a range of local companies.

Ubuntu is community developed. You can interact with the Ubuntu community including developers, translators and technical support activists through our mailing lists and IRC channels: There are several mailing lists that you can join. Some of these receive very high traffic so you may prefer to use a web forum.

Linspire, previously known as LindowsOS is a Linux distribution based on Debian. Linspire's focus is on easy-of-use for the home, school and business markets.

Freespire is a community-driven, Linux-based operating system that combines the best that free, open source software has to offer (community driven, freely distributed, open source code, etc.), but also provides users the choice of including proprietary codecs, drivers and applications as they see fit. With Freespire, the choice is yours as to what software is installed on your computer, with no limitations or restrictions placed on that choice.