My reason for optimism comes after spending some time with two of the latest and greatest in Linux desktop distributions, Ubuntu Linux 4.10 and Fedora Core 3. These two operating systems are developing an idea that has the greatest potential of catapulting Linux into mainstream usage on the desktop. That idea is community. Not the buzz word you read about on open source websites, but a vibrant ecosystem where people are contributing time, effort, and money towards a common goal, namely the advancement of Linux on the desktop. A community where people are helping each other derive maximum benefit from using their computers. A place to obtain software, create software, and learn about software. A resource that can be used by anyone, even computer novices, to get more out of their computer. These two distributions are each developing a vibrant community of users, developers, and packagers, that provide unparalleled depth to their platform.

The Power of Community on the Linux Desktop