Canonical (company) explained
Canonical Ltd. |
Type: | Private company limited by shares[1] |
Industry: | Computer software |
Founder: | Mark Shuttleworth |
Location: | London, England, UK |
Area Served: | Worldwide |
Services: | Landscape, Ubuntu Advantage |
Revenue: | (2023)[2] |
Operating Income: | (2023) |
Net Income: | (2023) |
Assets: | (2023) |
Num Employees: | >1000 (2023) |
Subsid: | Canonical Group Ltd Canonical USA Inc. Canonical China Ltd Canonical Brasil Ltda Canonical Canada Ltd Canonical Ltd Taiwan Br. |
Footnotes: | Formerly "M R S Virtual Development Ltd"[3] |
Canonical Ltd.[4] is a privately held computer software company based in London, England. It was founded and funded by South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth to market commercial support and related services for Ubuntu and related projects. Canonical employs staff in more than 70 countries and maintains offices in London, Austin, Boston, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Tokyo and the Isle of Man.[5] [6]
Projects
Canonical Ltd. has created and continues to back several projects. Principally these are free and open-source software (FOSS) or tools designed to improve collaboration between free software developers and contributors. Some projects require a Contributor License Agreement to be signed.
Open-source software
- Ubuntu,[7] a Debian-based Linux distribution with GNOME (formerly with Unity) desktop
- Ubuntu Core, tiny, transactional version of Ubuntu
- GNU Bazaar,[8] a decentralized revision control system
- Storm, an object-relational mapper for Python,[9] part of the Launchpad code base
- Juju, a service orchestration management tool
- MAAS, a bare-metal server provisioning tool
- cloud-init, the de facto standard for the initial setup of virtual machines in the cloud
- U1DB is a cross-platform, cross-device, syncable database application programming interface (API). It allows applications to store JSON documents and synchronize them between machines and devices.[10] [11]
- Upstart, a discontinued event-based replacement for the init daemon
- Quickly, a framework for creating software programs for Linux
- Ubiquity and Subiquity (operating system installers for Ubuntu)
- Mir display server
- MicroK8s an implementation of Kubernetes (since December 2018[12])
- Snap, a package management system for Ubuntu and other Linux operating systems
- Snapcraft, Python-based tool for packaging software
- Launchpad[13] [14] a centralised website containing several component web applications designed to make collaboration between free software projects easier:
- PPA, a special software repository for uploading software packages to be built and published as an APT repository,
- Blueprints, a tool for planning features of software,
- Code, hosting of Bazaar branches,
- Answers, support tracker,
- Rosetta, an online language translation tool to help localisation of software (cf. the Rosetta Stone),
- Malone (as in "Bugsy Malone"), a collaborative bug-tracker that allows linking to other bug-trackers,
- Soyuz, a tool for creating custom-distributions, such as Kubuntu and Xubuntu.
Other projects and services
- Landscape,[15] a proprietary web service for centralized management of Ubuntu Linux systems
- Ubuntu One, a discontinued service since 2014 for file synchronization and other uses
- Ubuntu Advantage, a commercial support service that covers Ubuntu and other Canonical products
- Multipass,[16] [17] launched in 2019, provides a command line interface to launch and manage virtual machine instances of Linux in Windows, macOS and Linux.
Joint ventures
Business plans
In 2007, Canonical launched an International online shop selling support services and Ubuntu-branded goods; later in 2008 it expanded that with a United States-specific shop designed to reduce shipment times.[19] At the same time, the word Ubuntu was trademarked in connection with clothing and accessories.[20]
In a Guardian interview in May 2008, Shuttleworth said that Canonical's business model was service provision and that Canonical was not yet close to profitability. Canonical stated that it would wait three to five years to become profitable. Shuttleworth regarded Canonical as positioning itself as demand for services related to free software rose. This strategy has been compared to Red Hat's business strategies in the 1990s. In an early-2009 New York Times article, Shuttleworth said that Canonical's revenue was "creeping" towards, the company's break-even point.[21]
Canonical achieved a small operating profit of $281,000 in 2009, but until 2017 struggled to maintain financial solvency and took a major financial hit from the development of Unity and Ubuntu Touch, leading to an operating loss of $21.6 million for the fiscal year 2013.[22] The company reported an operating profit of $2 million in 2017 after shutting down the Unity development team and laying off nearly 200 employees. The company now plans to focus on its server and professional support solutions, which have proved to be most profitable. Through this, Canonical plans to maintain solvency and achieve long-term profitability.[23] [24] In 2022, Ubuntu made a profit of £0.52m on revenues of £14.31m. [25]
Canonical reported a revenue of $175M in 2021. [26]
Subsidiaries
- Canonical Group Ltd is located in London.
- Canonical USA Inc. is located in Boston, Massachusetts and Austin, Texas.
- Canonical China Ltd is located in Shanghai and Beijing.
- Canonical Ltd Taiwan Branch is located in Taipei.
- Canonical Limited is located in Isle of Man and Tokyo (Japan).[6]
- Canonical Brasil Ltd is located in São Paulo (this office is no longer listed on their website).
- Canonical Canada Ltd is located in Montreal (the office is no longer in service[27]).
Employees
Canonical has more than 1200 employees.[5] The head office is in London on the 5th Floor of the Blue Fin Building, Southwark Street,[28] having previously moved from the 27th floor of Millbank Tower.[29] In the summer of 2006, Canonical opened an office in Montreal to house its global support and services operation.[30] Taipei 101 is also home to a Canonical office.[31] There was formerly an OEM team in Lexington, Massachusetts, United States.[32]
Current
Notable current employees of Canonical include:
- Mark Shuttleworth, CEO and founder of the Ubuntu project, former Debian maintainer of Apache and founder of Thawte Consulting (2004–), CEO until March 2010 and from July 2017 to present
- Jane Silber, Board of Directors,[33] formerly CEO (March 2010-July 2017); formerly COO and leader of the Ubuntu One project
Past
Notable past employees:
- Ben Collins, former Debian Project Leader and kernel developer (2006–2009)
- Jeff Waugh, employee no. 3, GNOME and Planet aggregator developer, Business Development (2004–2006)
- Benjamin Mako Hill, core developer and community coordinator (2004–2005)
- Ian Jackson, developer of dpkg and former Debian Project Leader (2005–2007)
- Lars Wirzenius, first contributor to the Linux kernel and Linus Torvalds' former office mate (2007–2009)
- Scott James Remnant, formerly a Debian and GNU maintainer of GNU Libtool and co-author of the Planet aggregator (2004–2011)[34]
- Matt Zimmerman, formerly of the Debian security team – worked at Canonical as Ubuntu Chief Technical Officer (2004–2011)[35]
- Stuart Langridge (2009–2013)
- Jono Bacon, Ubuntu community leader (2006–2014)
- Björn Michaelsen, founding member and director at The Document Foundation, LibreOffice contributor (2011–2017)[36]
Notes and References
- The Isle of Man Companies Registry, Annual Return 2005 for Company no. 110334C (non-distributable, available for a fee of £1.00)
- Web site: Canonical Group Limited . Canonical Group Limited: Report and Financial Statements: Year Ended 31 December 2023 . 6 July 2024.
- Web site: Company no. 110334C. The Isle of Man Companies Registry. [Previous names: ] M R S VIRTUAL DEVELOPMENT LIMITED [Name type: ] PREVIOUS. 18 May 2005. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110721145447/http://portal.gov.im/pvi/CompanyDetails.aspx?company=110334C. 21 July 2011.
- UK registered trademark
- EU004059218
"CANONICAL", filed 29 September 2004.
- Web site: About Canonical. Canonical Ltd. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100821203717/https://canonical.com/about-canonical. 21 August 2010. 20 August 2012. We've come a long way since our launch in 2004. We now have over 800 staff in more than 42 countries, and offices in London, Austin, Boston, Taipei, Montreal, Shanghai, São Paulo and the Isle of Man..
- Web site: Canonical | Contact us .
- UK registered trademark
- EU004059119
"UBUNTU", filed 29 September 2004.
- UK registered trademark
- EU005152467
"BAZAAR", filed 21 June 2006.
- Web site: Canonical Releases Storm as Open Source . Ubuntu.com . 9 July 2007 . 27 September 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071126071222/http://www.ubuntu.com/news/storm-python-orm-open-sourced . 26 November 2007 .
- Web site: U1DB — u1db 0.1.4 documentation . Pythonhosted.org . 2014-03-03.
- Web site: Conflicts, Synchronisation, and Revisions — u1db 0.1.4 documentation . Pythonhosted.org . 2014-03-03.
- Web site: Canonical. 2018-12-06. Canonical launches MicroK8s – deploy Kubernetes in seconds. 2021-08-13. Snapcraft. en.
- UK registered trademark
- EU006251219
"LAUNCHPAD", filed 4 September 2007.
- Web site: Canonical releases source code for Launchpad. Canonical Ltd.. 18 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110308073021/http://www.ubuntu.com/news/canonical-open-sources-launchpad. 8 March 2011. dead. dmy-all.
- UK registered trademark
- EU005152418
"LANDSCAPE", filed 21 June 2006, published 6 August 2007.
- Web site: Canonical. 2018-12-06. Canonical launches MicroK8s – deploy Kubernetes in seconds. 2021-07-27. Snapcraft. en.
- Web site: Multipass - wikieduonline. 2021-08-13. www.wikieduonline.com.
- Web site: Windows 10 will receive an Anniversary Update with Linux support, Xbox One compatibility, and more - ExtremeTech. www.extremetech.com. 2019-10-23.
- Web site: Canonical launches U.S.-based shop.ubuntu.com in time for holiday season. Canonical Ltd.. 20 November 2008. 28 June 2015. Canonical launched today an U.S.-based on-line shop for Ubuntu-branded merchandise and software. With a new fulfillment house in St. Louis, Missouri, shipments are faster and less expensive for Ubuntu users and enthusiasts in the U.S. Ubuntu Insights.
- Web site: UK registered trademark #EU007426265. UK Intellectual Property Office. 27 November 2008. 9 February 2009. Mark text: UBUNTU ... Class 16: Stationery; ... Class 18: Luggage; ... Class 25: Articles of clothing ... CANONICAL LIMITED.
- News: A Software Populist Who Doesn't Do Windows . The New York Times . 11 January 2009 . 8 November 2010.
- Web site: CANONICAL GROUP LIMITED - Filing history (free information from Companies House). beta.companieshouse.gov.uk.
- Web site: 2017-06-19. Does Canonical Have Enough Technical Assets to Attract Investors?. 2021-08-13. The New Stack. en-US.
- Web site: Vaughan-Nichols. Steven J.. Mark Shuttleworth sees increased demand for enterprise Ubuntu Linux desktop. 2021-08-13. ZDNet. en.
- Web site: CANONICAL UK LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK . 2024-01-17 . find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk . en.
- Web site: Canonical now hopes to IPO in 2023 . en.
- Web site: "LOCO Team Portal: Canonical Offices Montreal" . Canonical . 4 June 2016.
- Web site: Ways to contact. Canonical. 27 September 2013. 29 September 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120929175611/http://www.canonical.com/about-canonical/contact. dead.
- Web site: ("Where?") . Bazaar-vcs.org . 18 May 2007 . 27 September 2013 . 28 March 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090328112157/http://bazaar-vcs.org/SprintLondonMay07 . dead .
- Web site: Shankland. Stephen. Canonical seeks profit from free Ubuntu. C|NET. 6 October 2006. 19 October 2007. 30 August 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080830083631/http://www.news.com/Canonical-seeks-profit-from-free-Ubuntu/2100-7344_3-6123249.html. dead.
- Web site: Canonical Taiwan Branch @ Rm D, 46th floor, Taipei 101 building | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Flickr. 26 February 2009. 27 September 2013.
- Web site: Ubuntu for Android. Canonical Ltd.. 21 February 2012. We have over 500 staff in more than 30 countries, with offices in London, Boston, Taipei, Montreal, Shanghai, and São Paulo.. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120223030248/http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android. 23 February 2012.
- Web site: A new vantage point . 12 April 2017 . 12 April 2017.
- Web site: Remnant. Scott James. Leaving Canonical. 22 January 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110126075341/http://netsplit.com/2011/01/11/leaving-canonical/. 26 January 2011.
- Web site: Matt Zimmerman leaving Canonical . 6 May 2011 . 7 April 2013.
- Web site: Canonical unterstützt LibreOffice. 22 February 2011 . 12 June 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161130102900/https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Canonical-unterstuetzt-LibreOffice-1194699.html. 30 November 2016.