Why does Ubuntu have so many forks?
Why do you need to fork an entire distribution to change the window manager, like Xubuntu, or to make the default KDE like Kubuntu? Ummm, could you just make it user configurable instead of duplicating this amount of effort? Guys, really? Really? Really?
Comments
Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Edubuntu are not fork of Ubuntu, they're using a different DE but are all supported by Canonical(the company behind Ubuntu) except Xubuntu which is only community supported. Different brands don't always mean fork.
The former comment is right. Technically the main difference is the window-manager meta-package. This is "user configurable", you can install at the same time ubuntu-desktop, xubuntu-desktop and kubuntu-desktop. The user can choose before login is favourite window manager.
Having a different name, a different website and a different ISO to download make it significantly different enough for me that I consider it a fork. Whether it is supported or not is irrelevant.
I accidentally downloaded Kubuntu instead of Ubuntu and wasted 4 gigs of download and a DVD-R before realizing the mistake. Made me sad as I prefer Gnome over KDE. You could fit both on one DVD quite easily.
> Having a different name, a different website and a different ISO to download make it significantly different enough for me that I consider it a fork
Except it's not, please read the definition of a fork again. The only thing which differ is the packages installed by default, you can easily install Ubuntu on Kubuntu(just install the package "ubuntu-desktop" and choose "Gnome" at startup in the login manager menu) and vice-versa. And nobody prevents you from making a DVD with both Gnome and KDE if you want.
They're not forks, they're all the same thing. The only difference is what's included on the CD/DVD, and installed by default. You mention "window manager", but the actual difference between each disk is supposed to be "desktop environment." There definitely isn't enough space to include all the GNOME and KDE desktop environment applications on the same disc, along with a LiveCD environment. Maybe this will change when Blu-ray ISO images become available.
That said, it is user-configurable: you can install Kubuntu from within Ubuntu (sudo aptitude install kubuntu-desktop), and vice-versa (sudo aptitude install ubuntu-desktop). Same for the other Ubuntu derivatives. You don't download 4 GB again, only 300-400 MB or so of new packages. Kubuntu is also just as easily removed.
Meh, I stand by my statements. If I were to do this, I would have Ubuntu KDE Edition, or Ubuntu Education Edition, etc, not separate websites and separate ISOs, and separate packaging. Redundant dudes!
I'm not sure how you'd get around not having multiple ISOs--the problem is that there just isn't enough space on CDs or DVDs. Fitting multiple DEs onto one disc, you'd have to sacrifice something.
The website and naming thing... I suppose is marketing. I agree it's a little confusing too, but if that's the way the developers/community want to express themselves more power to them.
Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Edubuntu are not fork of Ubuntu, they're using a different DE but are all supported by Canonical(the company behind Ubuntu) except Xubuntu which is only community supported. Different brands don't always mean fork.