A South African internet mogul (who made his fortune selling his company to VeriSign for around $500 million) decided it was time for a more user friendly Linux. He took the Debian distribution and worked to make it a more human friendly distribution which he called Ubuntu.

What is the purpose of Ubuntu?

Ubuntu is a Linux-based operating system. It is designed for computers, smartphones, and network servers. The system is developed by a UK based company called Canonical Ltd. All the principles used to develop the Ubuntu software are based on the principles of Open Source software development.

Why is Linux called Ubuntu?

Ubuntu is named after the Nguni philosophy of ubuntu, which Canonical indicates means “humanity to others” with a connotation of “I am what I am because of who we all are”.