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Ukuu, or Ubuntu Kernel Update Utility, a fairly popular unofficial GUI tool for easily installing the latest mainline Linux kernel on Ubuntu-based distributions, has moved to a paid ($11) licensing model with its latest 19.01 release.
Ukuu displays the list of kernels available in the Ubuntu Mainline kernel website, allowing users to easily download and install the desired version. The utility can also remove installed kernels, display the changes in the selected Linux version, display notifications when new kernels are available, and so on.
With the 19.01 release of Ukuu, the application requires a personal license which costs $11, and the source code is no longer available. Tony George, the application developer, notes the reason for this being the lack of donations, with alternatives being stopping the development or requiring a paid license:
"The last version of this app (v18.9) had 60,000 downloads, yet only 12 users have donated over the last 2 years. It was not possible for me to continue working on this application for free, and making it paid seemed like a better alternative than discontinuing the project."
https://www.linuxuprising.com/2019/01/ubuntu-kernel-update-utility-ukuu-moves.html
(Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 09 2019, @04:55PM (2 children)
unfortunately, it is more likely that this tool will also be removed due to a lack of incentive. Someone else with a different mousetrap may eventually arrive, everyone will hail that person as a hero, and then he (or she) too will learn that praise only pays so many bills. A 'crude' tool will be the free one that remains free.
the difference between ubuntu and windows will be that windows updates whether you want it to or not and ubuntu simply won't unless you pay a ransom.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Sunday February 10 2019, @02:50PM (1 child)
There are several errors in your assessment of this story. Firstly, Ubuntu aren't charging anything. Ubuntu software will continue to update for free as it always has done.
Secondly, this is a private individual who has produced something which was initially free and now he has decided to charge for it. The 'advantage' of the private offering is that it is a GUI for those who are more pointy/clicky oriented.
Thirdly, there are other ways of doing exactly the same thing from the command line by typing "sudo purge-old-kernels" at the command line, using a utility which is entirely free and supplied by Ubuntu. How much you think that the GUI is worth is entirely up to the user.
(Score: 2) by dry on Monday February 11 2019, @01:44AM
It's been awhile but there used to be a relatively easy way to make a versioned kernel deb package as well. It did mean compiling it yourself.