Mark Shuttleworth: Open Source Hero

Dear Readers,

Sorry for the delay in writing posts. I've been busy with life. Everything from school assignments to weddings. They all take large chunks of time. I hope you enjoy this article i wrote for a business class a while back. It's on the Ubuntu founder, Mark Shuttleworth. I hope you all enjoy it. My teacher did.


Mark Shuttleworth is perhaps one of the most unique entrepreneurs in the business world today. Growing up in the dusty mining town of Welkom in South Africa, Mark developed an interest for computers through the use of computer games. He obtained a BS degree in Finance and Information Systems from UCT (University of Cape Town). While at the university he came in contact with the Internet for the first time and realized the potential it had for the business world. While in his senior year at UCT in 1995, Mark started Thawte; an Internet consulting business.

Thawte quickly changed focus to Internet security for application in electronic e-commerce. This company that Mark started became the first company to develop a full-security encrypted e-commerce web server commercially available outside of the USA. This server brought the company to even greater success, as it plugged into the world of public key infrastructure. Even Microsoft and Netscape took notice, and Thawte became the first trusted third party for web certification. This made it possible for businesses around the world to accept secure transactions over the web.

Then, in 1999, the US company VeriSign bought Thawte for more than $500,000,000, making Mark a very wealthy man. But Marks business scope was far from over. He saw the potential global impact that South African entrepreneurs could have, and formed a venture capital team called HBD ( The name references the phrase “Here Be Dragon.” As legend has it, this phrase was used to describe uncharted territory on maps.). This company seeks to invest in companies, based in South Africa, that have the potential to serve a more global marketplace. The invested companies include such fields as software, mobile phone services, electronics, and even pharmaceutical services.

Mark also formed a non-profit organization, named the Shuttleworth Foundation, that supports the innovation of education in his home country. The foundation's main goal is to fund projects that have the potential to improve aspects of the education system, and works on improving quality and the reach of education in Africa. It seeks to find ideas that have the potential to dramatically change civil society for the better and funds those ideas. But Mark Shuttleworth wasn't only starting businesses and foundations right and left, he was also chasing dreams.

In 2002 Mark became the first African in space, and also the second self-funded space tourist in history. Mark even started the project that launched him into space; The First African In Space Project. He paid approximately $20 million of his own money to participate in the space flight. This included 7 months of formal training in Star City, Russia. Since he was a boy, Mark had dreamed of going into space, and while up there in space, looking down on our Earth, he had a revelation. “Going to space and seeing the Earth from a distance makes it very clear just how interdependent we are. So I wanted to do something that was really global; free software is a phenomenon that is truly global” (From an interview with Mark that Glyn Moody did for 'The Guardian'.).

Out of that revelation came an idea, and out of that idea came a new business for Mark Shuttleworth. In 2004, he founded the Ubuntu project, which is a project focused on providing a quality desktop and sever operating system that is available for free world wide. This project aims to bring the best of the free and open-source world into a Linux distribution that is available for anyone. Mark made an initial investment out of his own wallet of 10 million dollars. I use this operating system daily, and am actively involved in the community of users and developers.

In march of that same year, Mark formed a company called Canonical Ltd, that is focused on promoting and commercially supporting free software projects. This company oversees the Ubuntu project and all its derivatives. Mark is currently very involved in this company and is seeking to branch out to partner with such developers as Intel on the Moblin Project. The Moblin project is focused on creating a standardized Linux platform for mobile Internet devices.

What Makes Mark Shuttleworth An Entrepreneur

What makes Mark Shuttleworth an entrepreneur is his ability to see the potential in an arising market, and create a supply for the demand made by that market. A wonderful example of this is seen in his first company, Thawte. Mark saw the potential the Internet had to change the world, and saw a need businesses would have in this new industry. He created a company that would provide security for users of the Internet. Even before the Internet became is big as it is today, he saw the need, and created the solution. He risked his own money and time, to produce something for a market that was said to be only a “faze” but what Mark saw as a globe changing market.

He also saw the need for funding for the ideas that were not being implemented in the South African education system. Mark saw that the future of the world and the coming generations where not getting all the education that they could be getting. He saw the need, and created the supply, using his own money to start a non-profit organization.

In the same way, he started the Shuttleworth Foundation for promoting open source, open information, and open standards with the conviction that charing information leads to change and broadening horizons. And later down the road started and is actively involved in Canonical. With canonical he is using the potential of open source software, specifically Linux based operating systems, and commercially supporting them as they rise in popularity and implementation on the Internet. While some question the future of Linux, it is very clear that it's use is being widespread through more recent products. Dell is now selling computers with Ubuntu (Mark's own version of Linux) pre-installed as their Operating System. Many web surfing devices such as EEE's products, and the Acer One series, are using Linux as the default operating system.

Why I Chose Mark Shuttleworth

When first asked to choose and write about an entrepreneur I had no one in mind. I didn't want ot do the normal “Bill Gates” or “Steve Jobs” paper because, quite frankly, there are so many other amazing entrepreneurs in the technology world. So, being an Ubuntu Linux user, I decided to look into who created the Ubuntu operating system. At first I found a few pages on his involvement in Linux, and a few other software companies, then I discovered he was the first African to go to space. I was completely amazed, in fact, I double checked several times to make sure that this was the same Mark Shuttleworth who started the Ubuntu project. The more I studied and read about him, I came to the conclusion that no other entrepreneur could be chosen over Mark Shuttleworth.

Mark's achievements are not the only reasons I chose him. What made me choose him over other Linux pioneers, and computer geniuses, was his purpose in life. The purpose that overflowed into everything he did, technology wide, or world wide. Mark seeks to use his success to forward and improve the education system in South Africa. Instead of using his millions solely on himself, he funds organizations, and educational resources such as HBD, and the Shuttleworth Foundation. Mark believes that “education is the key to unlocking the creative and intellectual potential inherent in all individuals while aspiring them to believe that anything is possible.” (http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/about-us/history) What really made Mark stand out to me was his active involvement in changing the world and the economy.

So many famous people talk and talk about changing the world, but it is rare to find a person who does more doing than talking. Mark is not a famous man, in fact few know him for even his space flight, but he still uses his success to change the world. To improve the minds of the next generation. Mark wants to give South Africa the ability to connect to the outside world, and the wealth of information found on the internet.

What Mark Shuttleworth Has To Offer

In Mark Shuttleworth's first business, he offered internet security. His security server enabled other businesses and companies to share information within their industry, and not have to worry about hackers stealing their data. This is a crucial service to those companies who have much internet based transactions, and services.

With HBD Venture Capitol Mark offered investments in innovative companies based in South Africa that could potentially serve the global marketplace. This support for the smaller companies brought more services to levels that are easier to reach in the business world.
Ubuntu is an operating system that seeks to provide a free and open source operating system both for servers and desktops. It brings together the best of the open source and Linux world into a Linux distribution that is freely available to anyone in the world. It also provides an extremely dependable server platform for any company or business that hosts its own website for web application.



Works Cited

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/may/22/internet.software

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080722-mark-shuttleworth-life-on-mars-ubuntu-in-emerging-markets.html

http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org/about-us/history

http://www.africaninspace.com/home/aboutmark/index.shtml

http://www.markshuttleworth.com/biography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Shuttleworth

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarkShuttleworth

http://www.linux-mag.com/id/6385

Review of Urban Terror

Crouched behind the dumpster, with my LR-400 in hand, I wait in suspense for my enemy to come around the corner. Every sound seems amplified and heightens the suspense. I can hear a fire fight going on in the distance. One of my team mates is across from me and he makes a run for the flag, only to be taken out a few steps from his cover from a sniper in a window above. The sniper unknowingly giving away his position and enables me to prime a grenade and toss it through the open window. BOOM!!! The sniper's down and I make a dash for the flag. Gunfire opens up to my left and I take a hit in the leg, slowing me down. I spin to the left and fire a burst into the body of my blue opponent; he's out of the way.

I reach the flag just as one of my teammates takes out an opponent that had just came around the corner. Rounds of machine gun fire rip through the wall behind me as I run as more blue team members realize someone has taken their flag. My health is low and my wounded leg has slowed me down. I'm losing blood fast. BAM!! BAM!! A hidden attacker steps out of his cover from the door way to my right and pumps two Desert Eagle rounds into my chest. I'm down until I respawn in a few seconds, but my team mates catch the dropped flag and nail my assailant. They race back to our red base, winning the game for the red team, and ending another match in the game called Urban Terror.

My search for a good FPS

I've always been an In-The-Action kind of guy. I never liked being above, or on the same level as the action, I wanted to be IN and AMIDST the action. That's why I've always loved first-person-shooters (FPS): the games where you are a soldier of some sort, fighting in the heat of a battle. I've been playing these games since I was barely 6 years old.

My first FPS was a game called Duke Nukem. It was the most intense game at the time. It brought “3D” graphics and action packed missions fighting ferocious monsters, and blowing everything up with missiles and guns to your desktop. I say “3D” because the graphics back then compared to today's graphics, is like comparing a four-year-old's crayon drawing to the Mona Lisa. It was pretty much the coolest game I thought could ever be made.

Since then, computers, hardware, and software developments have improved dramatically. New games have been released with better graphics, more missions, and tons of endless action. Some of my favorite are Castle Wolfenstien: Enemy Territory, Battlefield 1942, Battlefield 2, Rainbow Six: Eagle Watch, Counter-Strike Source, Delta Force: Black Hawk Down, and many others. Each different FPS game had their pluses and their minuses, some with more minuses. With each game play (about an hour on Saturdays) I would be able to recognize what was good and what was bad in a game, what I liked and what I disliked.

One of the big factors for me was having a LOT of guns. Sure, most games have a nice selection of 5 of the most modern guns, but I needed more. I kept looking and looking for more guns. After many years of playing, I discovered Wolfenstien: Enemy Territory, a WWII geared FPS with tons of maps, and tons of gun options (most modified by players who know how to code). But, I'm a more modern warfare kind of guy, and after a while, WWII just gets old. So I decided to look for other games. In 2001, I bought Delta Force: Black Hawk Down, and it was an immediate love at first play.

The game had tons of maps, great guns, (though not much selection) and a great multiplayer feature. This game was the second multiplayer game I have ever played (Enemy Territory being the first), and loved it. Instead of just shooting up computer controlled bots, I could now battle against other human minds. It added a whole new definition to FPS, because all the players were at a different skill level, and each had a different tactic. It made the game seem more real. But alas, the game CD fell of a desk and broke, leaving me to search for a better game.

Battlefield 1942 was good but it only had one game type, limited weapons, and I couldn't get multiplayer to work. That got old fast. Battlefield 2 was cool, but the same as its predecessor, 1942. I played game after game, demo after demo, never seeming to be able to find a game I really could latch onto. I soon went back to Enemy Territory, but it got dull after a while.

After about a year, I made my switch to Linux. Enemy Territory ran natively on Linux so I was happy enough to play it for an hour a month. But Linux had its own goodies. Nexuiz, Alien Arena, and Open Arena were available and I gave each a whirl. But they are Sci-fi and I'm NOT into those genres of games.

I soon did a search online for a more modern (not future) FPS game. I stumbled across a multiplayer only game called Urban Terror and gave it a shot. The welcome screen was promising. Nothing super fancy, but not low tech. I clicked join game and a LONG list of current games going on opened up: another promising aspect. Usually when a game is bad, few people bother playing it. As I soon found out, this was far from being a halfhearted, or cheap knockoff FPS.


Why UT has surpassed other FPS games

A. Simplicity

To start playing Urban Terror (UT) there is little more to do than typing in you player name and clicking play. It's that easy. With other games, there always seemed to be some conflicting issue, or it was nearly impossible to figure out how to play the game without reading instructions. It's click and play for UT. The interface is very easy to use; while in the game you click Esc and a drop down menu will appear where you can edit your players look, weapons, and gear. With each respawn, you can either change guns, or leave everything the same. There's a red team and a blue team, and you pick one or the other. It's that simple.

B. The Options

There are numerous weapons possibilities. If you want a clean and exact kill, go for the SR-8: One shot to the body, or head will eliminate your target immediately. It also has a very high powered scope, making long range shots a breeze. Need a small, but high powered machine gun for close quarters? The MP5k is just one of the slick, modern weapons that are available to do the job. With other games, such as Delta Force, the weapons were not well designed, and didn't have the “feel” that the UT weapons have.

C. Game Types

Bomb, CTF (Capture the Flag), FFA (Free For All), Team DM (Team Death Match), etc: There are so many fun game types to play with. This is also one thing that games such as Battlefield lacked, where you only had one type of game (Take Over: which was a game where the winner took over the most landmarks on the map), and, in Counter Strike Source, you only have the Bomb game type. Unless they've changed that in the last 2 years. Unlike these other games, UT has several different games, and each one has a different approach to game play.

Capture the Flag (CTF): There are two teams, and each team has a flag at its base. The goal is to get the other team's flag all the way back to your teams base without them taking it back, or the other team stealing your flag.

Free For All (FFA): Everyone is an opponent. The winner has the most kills at the end of the game.

Team Survivor: There are two teams. The object is to eliminate all the players on the other team, and still have players on your team left alive.

Bomb: The objective is to find and defuse the bomb that the other team has planted, before it goes off.

Team Death Match (Team DM): There are two teams. The goal is to kill as many players on the opposite team before the time limit, or kill limit is reached. Once a player is killed, he will re-spawn (come back to life) and continue playing in the game. The winning team will have the most kills at the end of the game.

So, with UT, whatever game you feel like playing, you just search for the game type on the list of servers and click to play.

D. Maps

Maps, maps, and more maps. Maps are the worlds in which the games are held. I've never played a game where there are so many maps that you don't know which one is your favorite. It makes it hard to get tired of the game. Each map is like a little world, each having its own landmarks and quirky twists and turns. New maps are being continually created as well. So there's never a time where you have to say to yourself “when is the next version of this game going to come out so we have more maps?”

E. Cross Platform

One of the absolute coolest features of UT is that it is available for all three major OS's: Mac, Windows, and Linux. So you never have to say to your buddy, “I just found the awesomist game but it only works for PC.” No, now you can say “Hey dude, you gotta play this wicked game!!! You can even play it on your Mac!!!” One thing about most other multiplayer games that I really disliked was that my Mac or PC friends couldn't join in the fun. It made me feel like I was leaving them out, and that's not cool in the Ubuntu world, where everyone helps one another, like a family.

F. Graphics
While good graphics are important to some, speed is more important to me. Urban Terror has both. It provides a fun, interactive, and detailed environment,(yeah, the graphics aren't dark like in Battlefield 2142) while still keeping the memory usage to a minimum. The Battlefield games I'm going to bash a little bit here because their a good example of an overly “good” graphic game. They seem to try to make the environments look real and feel real, but this takes so much system resources that it no longer becomes a game; it becomes a resource hog that is choppy, and only fun if you have a super computer. UT looks good, and is fast, keeping you playing more, and waiting less.


Downsides of UT

I've never heard of a truly perfect game. It's sad but it's true. Seeing that these games are created by non-perfect people like me, it would be impossible to create a perfect product.

One big downside is that it's only a multiplayer game, meaning that you need the internet to play it. This can be a problem when you're bored on vacation, in the middle of nowhere, or your internet is down for a while.

Another issue that some may not find as offensive as others is that there seems to be no restrictions on player's names. This means that many of the players of the game have obscene names. There also seems to be no way to turn off the chat function on the bottom of the screen, where some players seem to abuse their right to type whatever they want. The latter can be fixed quite easily with the use of a sticky note. Just slap the note on the bottom left corner of the screen and you're safe from the chat. There may be some way to turn of the player names, but I haven't bothered looking into it. I'm usually so into the game that my only focus is what my opponents team is doing next.

Other than that, there doesn't seem to be any other downsides of the game. So happy UT'ing!!!


The Addictiveness Test

A couple months ago, while on lunch break at work, I decided to try something out. I wanted to see if , just by showing a game to someone, if I could truly get them addicted without any forcing. So, I downloaded UT onto our computer in the shipping department and, during one lunch break, decided to show my co-worker, Josh. I played for about 2 minutes before letting him take the wheel. I had no idea what I had started.
He picked up on the game very quickly and now, about 4 months later, Josh plays UT for the majority, and some times the entirety of his lunch break. My tactics worked like a charm. One afternoon, during the lunch hour, we had a UPS guy drop off a couple packages. While he was unloading the boxes, he took a moment to look over Josh's shoulder. “Nice game dude!” said the UPS guy and watched for a while. Who would have thought that a little demonstration to such a game could grab ones attention so easily. Chuckle. I still laugh when I remember that day when I first showed Josh. What a memory.

Final Evaluation

With its fast paced action, great gun selection, or easily understood interface, Urban Terror is quickly placed at the top of my list. It's a perfect game for those who love the multiplayer world, while the strategist and the computer vs. human crowd may not like it much. I love it, and play it when I can. One warning to new players: It's EXTREMELY addicting!!!!! Have fun with Urban Terror!!!

Why Ubuntu?

There are literally hundreds of different Linux distros (Distributions) out there. No kidding. If you don't believe me, take a look at this website http://distrowatch.com/stats.php?section=popularity. There are so many Linux distros that, at first glance, it would be impossible to choose one over another. What makes Ubuntu stand out from the rest? What made me never willingly look back to Windows? What made me change my mind completely about computers? Let's take a look.


How I Got Started

“$150?! What?” That was my response when I found out what it would cost to get Windows XP for my old laptop. The hard drive had died just weeks earlier, and it was time to move to a newer version of Windows than 2k. This was ridiculous. I didn't have that kind of money sitting around. My old laptop wasn't worth even that. Fortunately, I finally found an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) installer for $70 at a local computer shop. It was still pricey for what I was using my laptop for. But, I installed XP on the new hard drive, and surprisingly it ran faster then 2K. It must have been the faster HD rpm that made the OS (Operating System) perform at a faster speed.

Unfortunately, after a few weeks of updates and viruses, the laptop was getting slower. It would give me the nightmarishly scary BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) about once a week. And, it seemed like the anti-virus software wasn't working, and in fact, it seemed to be slowing the whole computer down; this was not a good thing.

Then, a couple months later in November, I decided it was time to move away from Windows. I had held off on this move for the last year because, quite frankly, I was peevish about learning a new OS. I'd been using Microsoft since the MS-DOS days. I grew up with it. I could use the computer before I could speak. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to move to a different OS. The thought scared me. But, it was the time to start OS shopping. With the release of Vista, Windows was out of the question. Far too demanding and unfriendly. What about Mac? Quite a few of my friends used Macs and were very happy. But, the OS cost more than Windows, and it only works on Apple machines, which are priced for the rich.

With Mac and Windows out of the question, what else was there? My dad, being a software engineer and programmer, often told me about the software world. I'd heard him mention Linux a couple times, and decided to get some more info. He uses Solaris at work, which is a Linux based OS. But he used it for work, and didn't seem to recommend Solaris for a home desktop system. Not what I was looking for, so I looked around some more, and soon found a list of distros. Um, there were hundreds, which was unhelpful. So I did the next best thing.

I posted “Looking for a Good Linux distro, anyone got any ideas?” on Facebook. Within a day, my friend David recommended a free distro called Ubuntu. He said that it was quite good, and once I started using it, I'd most likely never look back. He was right. I installed Ubuntu on an old machine we had lying around. And I was soon exploring the system.

Before I move on, I just want to mention that the old computer I had installed Ubuntu on had been dead the last couple of months. The computer literally took 15 minutes to boot up, and you could forget running any applications on it. That was with Windows XP installed. With Ubuntu installed, it was 90% faster. The hardware was sort of dead, so the computer wasn't able to get fully revived speed wise. But it boosted my laptop by a couple horsepower. I installed Ubuntu on my old laptop and it was back to its good old fast self.


The Price

Here is one aspect of a Linux based system that made me hesitant about the switch. It's free. Yeah, doesn't cost a cent. You just buy a blank CD, burn the ISO to the CD and install it on the computer. That's it. No licensing fees, no support fees, not a single fee. CRAZY AWESOME!!!

Not all Linux distros are free. I believe that you have to pay for RedHat Linux. But Ubuntu is completely free. Is that not incredible?! Now this is also the reason people don't switch to Linux. They may think this, “How can something free be better then something I pay $$$ for? It doesn't make sense!” I have to agree. You don't expect fine china to be sold at the Dollar Store. Or a brand new leather sofa with a free sign on it, when you drive through a neighborhood. So how does Ubuntu, a free product, raise the bar so high?


The Community

The answer to the last question is the Community. Yes, that's right. The reason it is so reliable and, simply put, amazing, is because of its community of users. “Wait,” you might say “so the reason this OS is so good is because of the people who use it? Just because Brad Paisley may drive a Masarati doesn't make the car reliable.” Well here's the deal.

Linux is open source. That means all the source code, or the code that makes the OS run, is freely available. Anyone can read, write, and edit it. There's no patents on the code. Well so.....how does this make it good? Because it enables the community, the users, to fix the problems. They don't have to wait for some high paid programmer to fix their problem. Instead, they can get help from others who use the software, and contribute themselves, even if they're no geek.

This also means that geeks, who love what they do, and know how to code, can fix and edit the code. This makes the OS better for the user, because the software gets edited with the user in mind. There's no competition or worrying over losing a job because of messing anything up. The community can fix and help in a relaxed environment. Pretty cool huh?

The other great thing about the community is that everyone wants to help everyone else. It's like a family. Can't get your graphics card to work correctly? Just head to ubuntuforums.org and ask for help. Within and an hour, or sometimes instantly, someone will have responded with some tips. I've never seen that kind of community from Microsoft or Apple. Have you?



The Interface

One of the main hesitancies that kept me from switching was the fear of a new interface. I never even though about what it would be like not to have the start button. I was afraid that it would be like learning an entire new language. And for a slow language learner like me, it terrified me.

I was quite surprised after booting into the Live CD for Ubuntu. The desktop was clean and professional looking. There where two task/menu bars. The one on the top contained the drop down menus for Applications, Places, and System and, the system tray was on the far right of that bar. On the bottom was the window bar, more commonly known as the task bar. Everything was clearly labeled and VERY user friendly. In my humble opinion, the desktop environment is easier to use then the Windows environment. Besides the layout of the standard desktop, everything else was the same as any other OS.
Now it's time to look at some of the options with applications.


The Endless Options In Software

The software options for Ubuntu are seemingly endless. Need an Office Suite? Open Office is freely available. Need a music organizer and player? Check out Rhythm Box. All the software is completely free. From video editors to games, they have any type of software you need. You can find all the options by going to “Add and Remove” at the bottom of the Applications Drop down list. Another great thing about the endless choices is that if you don't like one of the applications, but need one that does the same tasks, there are a couple different applications that you can install in its place.


The Support

For a free OS like Ubuntu, you might expect that there would be little to no support. Not so. Everything is being improved and updated regularly. Bugs will be reported, and, before you know it, it'll be fixed. There's no waiting for hours on the phone trying to get your monitor to work. You just go to the forums and post your request. Everyone is glad to help.


The Compatibility

Compatibility is another major issue when it comes to multiple OS's interacting. You might create a document on your Mac, only to find out it won't work on Windows. Or you may buy a song on iTunes, only to find you can't play it in Windows Media Player. In Ubuntu, everything is compatible, whether it's saving a document or playing a song. All file formats are supported or can be easily converted. With compatibility layers that are freely available, you can even install your Windows applications and games on Linux.


The Security

No viruses, No spyware, not hackers can get your stuff. Ubuntu is VERY secure. You don't have to worry about your data being stolen. It's safe, as safe as an OS can be. Unbelievable I know, but it's true. No kidding.


The Customibility (chuckle, there's a new word for you)

My favorite part of Ubuntu is the fact that you can make it look like anything you want. Whatever you have in your mind, you can make you desktop look like that. It's easy to customize. You no longer stuck with three color options and no room for customizing. You have an endless supply of screenlets if you're into those, special effects, window borders, and even desktop environments.


In Closing

Well, I've now finished a complete review on why I like Ubuntu. I've never looked back. It's a complete, user friendly, customizable, secure, supported, and compatible operating system. And, you don't have to pay a cent for it. One more thing about the different Linux distros is you can try them out without installing them. Most Linux distros have what is called a Live CD. It's basically an OS on a CD. You just boot into the CD and, without any change to your computer, you can explore the OS. The CD won't be as fast as when it's installed as your main OS, but it gives you a chance to really explore the environment and interface. Oh and guess what, it's all free. Happy Ubuntuing.

The Little Tin Man