They have created tools for the success of Thawte

Mark Shuttleworth is a South African entrepreneur of thirty-three years, which sold his company of security on the Internet Thawte to VeriSign in 1999 for 575 million. Since then, Mark Shuttleworth has created the free operating system Ubuntu, whose slogan is "Linux for human beings humans", and founded the company Canonical. It is also famous for having been the second tourist to go into space aboard the international space station ISS.

You have created Ubuntu in 2004, but at the time, there were many versions of Linux as Red Hat, SuSe, Mandriva.... Why have decided to create yet another

At the time, there were 450 different versions of the Linux operating system, but none of them was really intended for general public PC. I wanted to create a version of Linux that is entirely free and free with the possibility for companies to pay for services and technical support. Then Ubuntu, a not-for-profit corporation, was born while my other company, Canonical, was created to sell service and technical support around Ubuntu. Today, I spent about 20 million in this project, and I will continue as long as it has not found a way to suffice to himself.

For me, it is also a way to make the community of developers that she gave me. If I could sell my old company, Thawte for 575 million, it is through this community of free software. They have created tools for the success of Thawte. Moreover, all the big companies of the Internet, Salesforce, Amazon, eBay, and especially Google, very well understood that free software could provide. If they could exist, it is free software. Google, in its infancy, could never have to pay Windows licenses on all its machines.

The manufacturer of Dell computers selling since late may three PC equipped with Ubuntu. Do you think that other manufacturers will follow

Dell asked its consumers what they wanted to have on a computer. The first application was the installation of the Linux operating system, and especially Ubuntu. Manufacturers of PC market is very difficult to penetrate, these companies are very conservative and reluctant to offer a different from that of Windows. I think that this will take time for that other manufacturers follow, and it before Dell demonstrates that there are opportunities for Ubuntu on a PC.

Today, more than 8 million people have already downloaded our operating system and, if you add our other versions (Kubuntu and Xubuntu, which have different interfaces, Editor's note), we expect between 12 and 15 million downloads. We do not present only on the PC but also in the world of servers. So, our goal is not to replace Microsoft or Red Hat.

In France, the National Assembly prepares to equip more than 1,000 PC with Ubuntu instead of Windows. Is this the case in other countries

These are services in France companies which are occupied for this project. We have learned after the signing of the contract. For us, this is very good news that parliamentarians have confidence in our operating system. The France is ahead of all other European countries on the adoption of free software. Other parliaments in Europe will follow. The Switzerland should be the next country, but once again, these are local partners involved in this project.

Microsoft said that the world of free software violated 235 patents. Fear of being attacked by justice

Microsoft is well kept detail what patents had been violated. This is a company that asks for money without demonstrating the harm that was done. But I am not worried. Microsoft is itself attacked all time for patent infringement. There is a wrong perception of what is a patent in the world of software. Many believe that this allows companies to monetize their innovations. However, if I discover an invention "A", someone could make a new element by adding an innovation "B". But if my invention "A" is protected by a patent, it blocks any improvement. I think that Europe has been more wise than the US pushing software patents.

You develop a mobile version of Ubuntu. A what type of devices will be designed

We are working with Intel to develop a mobile operating system for the future ultra-mobiles PC. But for the moment, we did not have discussions with manufacturers to integrate in terminals. On the other hand, we are working with Nokia on a shelf touch, similar to the Nokia Tablet, equipped with Ubuntu.

Your operating system does not offer 3D effects as in Vista or Mac OS x will you propose in the next version of Ubuntu

There are two free technologies for 3D, Compiz and Beryl, effects from merge. We hope to incorporate them in our next version, scheduled for October this year.