Finally: free Xubuntu CDs!

Xubuntu users have long clamoured for their beloved Linux distribution to be available in Ubuntu’s ShipIt service, but to no avail: Xubuntu’s user base was too marginal and, as a community-run project, Canonical could not provide support for it. Thus, they refrained from offering free Xubuntu CDs.

They still do, but there now is an alternative! Xubuntu is from now on available under the Quick Ship service run by On-Disk.com. As listed on the “Get Xubuntu” page, shipping is available for the USA and the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, despite the CDs being free of charge, you still have to pay for shipping them (as opposed to ShipIt). Still, for people suffering from a slow internet connection this is a great alternative, and the Xubuntu developers are very pleased that this service is still being made available to users. I should mention expicitly, though, that this service is not run by the Xubuntu developers, neither is it run by Canonical. This is an independent service provided by a home-based family business with heart for the open source community. Pasi Lallinaho, who is currently “the artwork guy” of Xubuntu, has expressed interest in providing graphics for the CD to make sure they match the Xubuntu style.

Still, I think this is a great development for Xubuntu and its users, and I want to thank On-Disk.com for doing this.