Ubuntu is a complete open source operating system built around the Linux kernel. The Ubuntu community is made up of software developers, translators, folks who love to write documentation, and most importantly the people who use Ubuntu every day. We invite you to join this community and help to make Ubuntu the operating system your family and friends and office colleagues will love to use. Help to translate Ubuntu into your own language, test it on new laptops, servers and other exciting hardware, improve the web site with hints, tips and FAQ's, or help to define the set of software that is installed by default for future Ubuntu releases.
The Ubuntu community is built on the ideas enshrined in the Ubuntu Manifesto: that software should be available free of charge, that software tools should be usable by people in their local language and despite any disabilities, and that people should have the freedom to customize and alter their software in whatever way they see fit. For those reasons:
Ubuntu will always be free of charge, and there is no extra fee for the "enterprise edition," we make our very best work available to everyone on the same Free terms.
Ubuntu includes the very best in translations and accessibility infrastructure that the Free Software community has to offer, to make Ubuntu usable for as many people as possible.
Ubuntu is released regularly and predictably; a new release is made every six months. You can use the current stable release or the current development release. Each release is supported for at least 18 months.
Ubuntu is entirely committed to the principles of open source software development; we encourage people to use open source software, improve it and pass it on.
Find out more at http://www.ubuntulinux.org/ or take a look at some of the following:
The Ubuntu Mailing Lists, where the community discusses new ideas and issues with Ubuntu.
The Ubuntu Wiki, where we collaborate on the policies and strategy documents that define the direction Ubuntu will follow.
Chat with the community on Freenode IRC Channel: #ubuntu .
Access Ubuntu's local on line help by clicking the life preserver icon on the top panel of your desktop.
The Ubuntu Documentation Web Site.