Ubuntu : Google bounced in favour of Yahoo!

For the Ubuntu Linux distribution, the default search engine in Firefox will now be Yahoo! replacing Google. The user will nevertheless be able to change this setting.

The official sponsor the Ubuntu Linux distribution, Canonical, has decided to link with Yahoo!. Rick Spencer, manager of the development team handling Ubuntu for desktop computers warned developers through a group message. By signing a revenue sharing agreement, of which the terms haven’t been released, changes will be made to the future Ubuntu 10.04, alias Lucid Lynx, planned for release in April 2010.

The agreement allows Canonical to assure the open development of Ubuntu and their platform. As for the changes, these will be visible in the version of Firefox provided with Ubuntu. The search field will by default be set to Yahoo! and no longer Google. The previous financial arrangement with Google was surely trumped by a more lucrative deal from Yahoo! The default home page will also display this search field by default.

These are the default options, bit of course the user is able to easily change these if they wish so that they can keep the current Google setting, if they desire.

The announcement was greeted with surprise by the Ubuntu community. Some put forward that Google is the most widely used search engine, and that Ubuntu should reflect this fact. Others have also started to spread controversy by reminding others that Yahoo! has signed an agreement with Microsoft in relation to the Bing search engine from which results are provided. Due to this, it could be said that Microsoft are supporting Ubuntu...