The word of Ubuntu is very difficult to explain in one word in English. Some people say it means "humaness, to be human", some describe it as "Humanity in humility".
A person with Ubuntu is open and
available to others, affirming of
others, does not feel threatened that
others are able and good, for he or
she has a proper self-assurance that
comes from knowing that he or she
belongs in a greater whole and is
diminished when others are humiliated
or diminished, when others are
tortured or oppressed.
and
One of the sayings in our country is
Ubuntu - the essence of being human.
Ubuntu speaks particularly about the
fact that you can't exist as a human
being in isolation. It speaks about
our interconnectedness. You can't be
human all by yourself, and when you
have this quality - Ubuntu - you are
known for your generosity. We think
of ourselves far too frequently as
just individuals, separated from one
another, whereas you are connected and
what you do affects the whole world.
When you do well, it spreads out; it
is for the whole of humanity.
Nelson Mandela describes it as
A traveler through a country would stop
at a village and he didn't have to ask for food
or for water. Once he stops, the people give him
food, entertain him. That is one aspect of Ubuntu
but it will have various aspects. Ubuntu does not
mean that people should not enrich themselves.
The question therefore is: Are you going to do so
in order to enable the community around you to be able to improve?
Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to others'. It also means 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.
Our work is driven by a belief that software should be free and accessible to all.
We believe that every computer user:
Should have the freedom to download, run, copy, distribute, study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees.
Should be able to use their software in the language of their choice.
Should be able to use all software regardless of disability.
Our philosophy is reflected in the software we produce, the way we distribute it and our licensing terms, too - Ubuntu Licence Policy.
Install Ubuntu and you can rest assured that all our software meets these ideals. Plus, we are continually working to ensure that every piece of software you could possibly need is available under a licence that gives you those freedoms.
Free software
Ubuntu software is free. Always was, always will be. Free software gives everyone the freedom to use it however they want and share with whoever they like. This freedom has huge benefits. At one end of the spectrum it enables the Ubuntu community to grow and share its collective experience and expertise to continually improve all things Ubuntu. At the other, we are able to give access to essential software for those who couldn’t otherwise afford it – an advantage that’s keenly felt by individuals and organisations all over the world.
Quoting the Free Software Foundation's, 'What is Free Software,' the freedoms at the core of free software are defined as:
The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
The freedom to study how the program works and adapt it to your needs.
The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others.
The freedom to improve the program and release your improvements to the public, so that everyone benefits.
Open source
Open source is collective power in action. The power of a worldwide community of highly skilled experts that build, share and improve the very latest software together - then make it available to everyone.
The term open source was coined in 1998 to remove the ambiguity in the English word 'free' and it continues to enjoy growing success and wide recognition. Although some people regard ‘free’ and ‘open source' as competing movements with different ends, we do not. Ubuntu proudly includes members who identify with both.
The word of Ubuntu is very difficult to explain in one word in English. Some people say it means "humaness, to be human", some describe it as "Humanity in humility".
See the discussion in the ubuntu forum
Bishop Tutu has describe Ubuntu as:
and
Nelson Mandela describes it as
found in wikipedia
To quote the About Ubuntu page on the website:
To quote Benjamin Mako Hill:
And finally, to quote Mark Shuttleworth himself in the Ubuntu 4.10 Warty Warthog announcement:
Hopefully, these quotes help clear up any confusion about the name, 'Ubuntu', that you might have had.
Don't forget the humorous definition! :)
Ubuntu is an ancient African word that means "I can't configure Slackware"
When I started using Ubuntu I have also found this definition:
Slightly shorter than the previous answer ;-)
And the name was chosen by SABDFL.
Ubuntu means: "A man can't be a man without the help of other men"
Ubuntu:
"I am Because we Are"
i also find it a great slogan for Ubuntu.
Our work is driven by a belief that software should be free and accessible to all.
We believe that every computer user:
Should have the freedom to download, run, copy, distribute, study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees. Should be able to use their software in the language of their choice. Should be able to use all software regardless of disability. Our philosophy is reflected in the software we produce, the way we distribute it and our licensing terms, too - Ubuntu Licence Policy.
Install Ubuntu and you can rest assured that all our software meets these ideals. Plus, we are continually working to ensure that every piece of software you could possibly need is available under a licence that gives you those freedoms.
Free software
Ubuntu software is free. Always was, always will be. Free software gives everyone the freedom to use it however they want and share with whoever they like. This freedom has huge benefits. At one end of the spectrum it enables the Ubuntu community to grow and share its collective experience and expertise to continually improve all things Ubuntu. At the other, we are able to give access to essential software for those who couldn’t otherwise afford it – an advantage that’s keenly felt by individuals and organisations all over the world.
Quoting the Free Software Foundation's, 'What is Free Software,' the freedoms at the core of free software are defined as:
The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
The freedom to study how the program works and adapt it to your needs. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others. The freedom to improve the program and release your improvements to the public, so that everyone benefits.
Open source
Open source is collective power in action. The power of a worldwide community of highly skilled experts that build, share and improve the very latest software together - then make it available to everyone.
The term open source was coined in 1998 to remove the ambiguity in the English word 'free' and it continues to enjoy growing success and wide recognition. Although some people regard ‘free’ and ‘open source' as competing movements with different ends, we do not. Ubuntu proudly includes members who identify with both.
http://www.ubuntu.com/project/about-ubuntu/our-philosophy