To Fork Or Not To Fork
Lessons From Ubuntu and Debian

Benjamin Mako Hill

mako@ubuntu.com

Ubuntu Project

Canonical Limited

Debian Project

Overview I

Big Questions and Context

Why derive?

What is forking?

Difficulties of forking and derivation

Case Studies

Debian and Ubuntu

Applicability

Overview II

Approaches

Derivation and Problem Analysis

Distributed Source Control

Problem Specific Tools

Social Solutions

The World of Debian Customizers

There are 129 distributions derived from Debian.

AbulÉdu • Adamantix • AGNULA GNU/Linux Audio Distribution • ANTEMIUM Linux • Arabbix • ARMA aka Omoikane GNU/Linux • ASLinux • Auditor Security Linux • Augustux • B2D Linux • BEERnix • Biadix • BIG LINUX • Bioknoppix • BlackRhino • Bluewall GNU/Linux • Bonzai Linux • BrlSpeak • Càtix • CensorNet • Clusterix • ClusterKNOPPIX • Condorux • Damn Small Linux • Danix • DebXPde • eduKnoppix • ERPOSS • ESware • Euronode • FAMELIX • Feather Linux • Flonix • Vital Data Forensic or Rescue Kit (FoRK) • Freeduc-cd • GEOLivre Linux • Gibraltar Firewall • GNIX-Vivo • Gnoppix Linux • gnuLinEx • GNU/Linux Kinneret • GNUstep Live CD • grml • Guadalinex • Helix • Hiweed Linux • Impi Linux • Julex • K-DEMar • Kaella • Knoppix Linux Azur • Kalango Linux • KANOTIX • KlusTriX • knopILS • Knoppel • Knoppix • Knoppix 64 • Knoppix STD • KnoppiXMAME • KnoppMyth • Kurumin Linux • LAMPPIX • Libranet GNU/Linux • LIIS Linux • LinEspa • Linspire • Linux Live Game Project • Linux Loco • LinuxDefender Live! CD • Linuxin • LiVux • Local Area Security Linux (L.A.S.) • Luinux • Luit Linux • MAX: Madrid_Linux • Mediainlinux • MEPIS Linux • Metadistro-Pequelin • MIKO GNYO/Linux • Morphix • Munjoy Linux • Nature's Linux • NordisKnoppix • OGo Knoppix • Oralux • Overclockix • Quantian • Penguin Sleuth • PHLAK • PilotLinux • Progeny Debian • Rays Linux • ROSLIMS Live CD • Salvare • Santa Fe Linux • Shabdix GNU/Linux • Skolelinux • Slavix • Slix • Slo-Tech Linux • Soyombo Mongolian Linux • SULIX • Tablix on Morphix • Tilix Linux • TupiServer Linux • Ubuntu Linux • UserLinux • WHoppiX • X-evian • Xfld • Xandros Desktop OS • Xarnoppix • ZoneCD • Zopix

One Size Does Not Fit All

Fork Is a Four Letter Word

FORK

1

2

3

4

Debian

Ubuntu

Ubuntu Derivation Model

What About My Project

What do distributions have to do with me?

‽

Look at the Types of Changes

Software selection

Presentation/Installation

Configuration

Code-Level

Distributed Version Control

That's going on the cover of my new book “'Arch is Easy' and other lies the developers may have told you."

-- Scott James Remnant

Problem Specific Tools

HCT

Social Solutions for Social Problems

Conclusions

Ubuntu is an experiment with both successes and failures

Patience and creativity on all sides is important

Together we can all achieve more

2004-06-03T08:52:33