No more free CDs

[Detonate]

http://blog.canonical.com/?p=551

[Telengard]

Re: No more free CDs

Sources of free Kubuntu install discs.

• Download and burn your own
• Your nearest Linux User Group
• Please add more here

Sources of purchased Kubuntu install discs.

• Canonical Shop
• Included with the Official Ubuntu Book
• Amazon.com
• LinuxCD.org
• OSDisc.com
• thelinuxshop.co.uk
• Please add more here

Kubuntu pre-installed vendors.

• zareason.com
• Your local PC shop, if you ask nicely. This worked for me
• more
• Please add more here

[perspectoff]

Re: No more free CDs

They never were free.

Canonical was paying all the postage as well as the cost of the disks. Heck, they even had "Toasters" where you could burn your own.

Amazing yet now quaint concepts -- part of the history of the Internet.

[Telengard]

Re: No more free CDs

They never were free. Canonical was paying all the postage as well as the cost of the disks.

I believe that was the means to the end. Some people lack affordable, reliable Internet access. The humanitarian part of Ubuntu's mission would fail if those people could not be reached. Various quotes demonstrating this spirit include:

• The vision for Ubuntu is part social and part economic: free software, available free of charge to everybody on the same terms, and funded through a portfolio of services provided by Canonical.
• Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to others'. It also means 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.
• [url=http://www.ubuntu.com/project/about-ubuntu/our-philosophy]. . . we are able to give access to essential software for those who couldn’t otherwise afford it – an advantage that’s keenly felt by individuals and organisations all over the world.
• Ubuntu is free. Always has been and always will be. From the operating system to security updates, storage to software.

[ardvark71]

Re: No more free CDs

How sad and unfortunate. I left a comment asking them to reconsider.

Regards...

[arochester]

Re: No more free CDs

I download
You download
He/She downloads

Burn more than one. Give them away. Post them - I have. It's not a huge cost.

How many downloads are there altogether? Could making one disk from a download be considered a waste?

[GreyGeek]

Re: No more free CDs

I download
You download
He/She downloads

Burn more than one. Give them away. Post them - I have. It's not a huge cost.

How many downloads are there altogether? Could making one disk from a download be considered a waste?

+1

I've gone through a couple "100 CD packs" doing that.

[dibl]

Re: No more free CDs

They never were free.

+1

The various definitions of "free" have never included "delivered to you at someone else's expense", AFAIK.

[Telengard]

Re: No more free CDs

@ arochester and GG,

Are you guys willing to ship Kubuntu install discs to people who ask for them at your own expense? If so then maybe we should have a list of KFN ShipIt volunteers. IMHO this might be a good way to serve our fellow users, while demonstrating the good will of our community and showing our support for the Ubuntu philosophy.

Maybe people who need a CD could ask in a dedicated thread, and then whichever one of the KFN ShipIt volunteers is first to reply can confirm with a unique numeric identifier. That way avoids duplication of effort and spreads the cost fairly among volunteers. Or maybe the volunteers just take turns in rotation to handle KFN ShipIt requests.

Just an idea. I haven't put too much thought into it, so feel free to point out any potential problems.

[GreyGeek]

Re: No more free CDs

Sure, if they are needy and not just greedy.

[claydoh]

Re: No more free CDs

@ arochester and GG,

Are you guys willing to ship Kubuntu install discs to people who ask for them at your own expense? If so then maybe we should have a list of KFN ShipIt volunteers. IMHO this might be a good way to serve our fellow users, while demonstrating the good will of our community and showing our support for the Ubuntu philosophy.

Maybe people who need a CD could ask in a dedicated thread, and then whichever one of the KFN ShipIt volunteers is first to reply can confirm with a unique numeric identifier. That way avoids duplication of effort and spreads the cost fairly among volunteers. Or maybe the volunteers just take turns in rotation to handle KFN ShipIt requests.

Just an idea. I haven't put too much thought into it, so feel free to point out any potential problems. OTOH if you just hate the idea of helping others, then please don't bother responding.

That a bit harsh, as it is obvious that quite a lot of us are here to provide help

Feel free to set something up. I have burned and delivered, shipped many cd over the many years I have used linux, and will continue to do so But to be honest, my perception is that the need for free disks isn't as large as it once was, based solely on the fact that no one has asked for one in quite a long time.....

Approved (ie actively running) LoCo teams can still get boxes of disks, so they can still be distributed by them, perhaps that is another way to get them out to those who need them. I bet a lot of the local teams in countries with limited bandwidth do exactly this.

Those disks, at least the ones I got in the past came from the UK to me here in the US, the postage and other costs must have been relatively large. While I am sad that the service has stopped, I am surprised it lasted this long.

[dibl]

Re: No more free CDs

That a bit harsh, as it is obvious that quite a lot of us are here to provide help

+1

I am able and willing to help a person who needs a CD -- just let me know. HOWEVER, I find the proposition that there are lots of people with:

(a) a usable computer (i.e. post-2000 vintage)
(b) has no OS on it already, and
(c) don't have (and can't borrow) an Internet connection

a little hard to swallow. My e-mail is on my profile -- anyone (in the USA) who needs a CD, just let me know.

p.s. I shipped a book to Switzerland last year. The book cost $20. The shipping cost $50.

[verndog]

Re: No more free CDs

At one time there was an option to donate money to help support the free service. I donated, but have since forgotten about it until now.

[Telengard]

Re: No more free CDs

That a bit harsh, as it is obvious that quite a lot of us are here to provide help

Removed as it added nothing meaningful to the topic anyway. It wasn't directed at arochester or GG. Sorry I even wrote it.

Feel free to set something up.

Which area of the forum seems most appropriate for a dedicated thread with a list of volunteers?

My idea is to open the thread with the list of KFN ShipIt volunteers. Then people can post in that thread to volunteer or to request a disc.

I still don't have a clear idea on how to spread the load fairly among volunteers. I'm leaning toward rotation, but for that to work someone will have to be responsible for keeping track of who's up next. OTOH geographic proximity might be a better idea to reduce cost.

When I open the thread, it looks like the first KFN ShipIt Volunteers will be:

• Myself (as long as my limited income allows)
• GreyGeek
• Claydoh
• Dibl

If you don't want to volunteer and your name is listed then please PM me ASAP so I can drop you before I open the new thread. I'll wait at least 12 hours before proceeding.

Approved (ie actively running) LoCo teams can still get boxes of disks, so they can still be distributed by them, perhaps that is another way to get them out to those who need them.

Where is the master list of LoCo teams? I tried to find something and failed. We need a way for people to contact them to request install discs.

[GreyGeek]

Re: No more free CDs

....
Removed as it added nothing meaningful to the topic anyway. It wasn't directed at arochester or GG. Sorry I even wrote it.
....

No offense taken.

I will be willing to send a CD to anyone living in the USA, with special regards to the elderly, the unemployed who were laid off after years of service, families of those serving in the military, etc. Those enjoying their status as second or third generation welfare recipients need not apply. I've met too many of those around here who were "too broke" to afford food, clothing or getting their computer fixed, but they always had enough money to smoke two packs a day, and for alcohol and drugs.