Comments on: Ubuntu 9.04 Arrives, But Where Are the Channel Partners? http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/ Channel News, Reseller News and Channel Partner Programs Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jef Spaleta http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/comment-page-1/#comment-99366 Jef Spaleta Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:26:07 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/#comment-99366 You'll note from shuttleworth's latest blog entry that 10.4 is not a guaranteed LTS target. http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/288 "In conversations with Steve McIntyre, the current Debian Project Leader, we’ve identified an interesting opportunity to collaborate. Debian is aiming for an 18 month cycle, which would put their next release around October 2010, which would be the same time as the Ubuntu 10.10 release. Potentially, then, we could defer the Ubuntu LTS till 10.10, coordinating and collaborating with the Debian project for a release with very similar choices of core infrastructure." Regardless of the release date of the next LTS...the real question is why wait? Why not start rebuilding a channel solution around the current LTS which still has multiple years of Canonical support ahead of it. At the rate things are going Turnkey linux (which has offerings derived from Ubuntu) is actually going to have a stronger ISV partnership program with its customized application images than Canonical itself before the 10.10 or even the 10.04 release. It looks to me like Canonical is placing its near term bets on desktop oriented web services as a revenue generator with its still yet to be unveiled "Ubuntu One" project work. I would expect to see the fruit of that effort up and running as a revenue stream before a significant overhaul of the ISV relationship beyond the existing services listed at http://www.canonical.com/services/packaging -jef You’ll note from shuttleworth’s latest blog entry that 10.4 is not a guaranteed LTS target.
http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/288

“In conversations with Steve McIntyre, the current Debian Project Leader, we’ve identified an interesting opportunity to collaborate. Debian is aiming for an 18 month cycle, which would put their next release around October 2010, which would be the same time as the Ubuntu 10.10 release. Potentially, then, we could defer the Ubuntu LTS till 10.10, coordinating and collaborating with the Debian project for a release with very similar choices of core infrastructure.”

Regardless of the release date of the next LTS…the real question is why wait? Why not start rebuilding a channel solution around the current LTS which still has multiple years of Canonical support ahead of it. At the rate things are going Turnkey linux (which has offerings derived from Ubuntu) is actually going to have a stronger ISV partnership program with its customized application images than Canonical itself before the 10.10 or even the 10.04 release.

It looks to me like Canonical is placing its near term bets on desktop oriented web services as a revenue generator with its still yet to be unveiled “Ubuntu One” project work. I would expect to see the fruit of that effort up and running as a revenue stream before a significant overhaul of the ISV relationship beyond the existing services listed at http://www.canonical.com/services/packaging

-jef

]]> By: Joe Panettieri http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/comment-page-1/#comment-99365 Joe Panettieri Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:18:01 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/#comment-99365 Matthews: Great points all around. Let's hope Canonical has a polished partner program ready to go for the 10.04 Long Term Support launch (April 2010). Matthews: Great points all around. Let’s hope Canonical has a polished partner program ready to go for the 10.04 Long Term Support launch (April 2010).

]]> By: Matthews http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/comment-page-1/#comment-99364 Matthews Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:41:22 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/#comment-99364 @ FreeBooteR If anyone ISV's or Resellers were likely to wait for anything it would by the 10.4 which following Ubuntu's current path should be the next Long Term Support. Few ISV's are likely to want to write applications just to have to modify it to run on the next version in 6 months. Also in terms of easy for reseller 6 month updates is probably harder to train for and support than LTS. Ubuntu should already be working on their strategy for 10.4 no one but us crazy Linux enthusiasts want anything to do with the six month releases. @ FreeBooteR

If anyone ISV’s or Resellers were likely to wait for anything it would by the 10.4 which following Ubuntu’s current path should be the next Long Term Support.
Few ISV’s are likely to want to write applications just to have to modify it to run on the next version in 6 months.
Also in terms of easy for reseller 6 month updates is probably harder to train for and support than LTS.

Ubuntu should already be working on their strategy for 10.4 no one but us crazy Linux enthusiasts want anything to do with the six month releases.

]]> By: The VAR Guy http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/comment-page-1/#comment-99359 The VAR Guy Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:36:20 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/#comment-99359 FreeBooteR@3: This isn't a matter of resellers/VARs waiting for 9.10. It's more a matter of Canonical developing a compelling partner program that rewards solutions providers ... though The VAR Guy doesn't want to speak for Joe (the blog author) on this matter. FreeBooteR@3: This isn’t a matter of resellers/VARs waiting for 9.10. It’s more a matter of Canonical developing a compelling partner program that rewards solutions providers … though The VAR Guy doesn’t want to speak for Joe (the blog author) on this matter.

]]> By: The VAR Guy http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/comment-page-1/#comment-99358 The VAR Guy Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:35:00 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/#comment-99358 JJ: The VAR Guy is traveling this week but will look into this and get back to you. Either way, he'll make sure the Google Homepage request gets fulfilled. JJ: The VAR Guy is traveling this week but will look into this and get back to you. Either way, he’ll make sure the Google Homepage request gets fulfilled.

]]> By: JJMacey http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/comment-page-1/#comment-99356 JJMacey Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:24:28 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/#comment-99356 VAR Guy, Rather than try your RSS I want to add you to my Google Homepage. Do you have a Google Gadget going? VAR Guy,

Rather than try your RSS I want to add you to my Google Homepage. Do you have a Google Gadget going?

]]> By: FreeBooteR http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/comment-page-1/#comment-99355 FreeBooteR Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:15:01 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/#comment-99355 More than likely they will want to wait for a more stable 9.10 version. More than likely they will want to wait for a more stable 9.10 version.

]]> By: Joe Panettieri http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/comment-page-1/#comment-99347 Joe Panettieri Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:07:18 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/#comment-99347 UbuntuVAR: When you're ready to brag about some customer wins let us know. We'd like to learn more. And you raise some good points. Canonical has developed OEM relationships that other companies envy. Surely those OEMs count as channel partners. And over time, those OEMs could help Canonical line up more VARs and integrators. But I was surprised when Shuttleworth had nothing to really share about how Ubuntu 9.04 could potentially gain traction in the channel. UbuntuVAR: When you’re ready to brag about some customer wins let us know. We’d like to learn more. And you raise some good points. Canonical has developed OEM relationships that other companies envy.

Surely those OEMs count as channel partners. And over time, those OEMs could help Canonical line up more VARs and integrators.

But I was surprised when Shuttleworth had nothing to really share about how Ubuntu 9.04 could potentially gain traction in the channel.

]]> By: UbuntuVAR http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/comment-page-1/#comment-99346 UbuntuVAR Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:10:55 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/04/20/ubuntu-904-arrives-but-where-are-the-channel-partners/#comment-99346 Yes, I support Ubuntu deployments. You are correct to point out that there aren't many of us out here. But it seems to me Canonical's step one partner strategy involves mostly OEMs. Those hardware suppliers have their own VAR and partners networks that can take Ubuntu to market. Don't underestimate the Ubuntu OEMs. Yes, I support Ubuntu deployments. You are correct to point out that there aren’t many of us out here. But it seems to me Canonical’s step one partner strategy involves mostly OEMs. Those hardware suppliers have their own VAR and partners networks that can take Ubuntu to market. Don’t underestimate the Ubuntu OEMs.

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