But--unlike micro$oft--it's completely user-controllable.
It's fully configurable, but probably most users just leave things on defaults.
I think I know what Canonical might be wanting though, based on their apparent partnerships with Amazon and Ebay.
Chinese government builds national OS around Ubuntu | ZDNet
"The Chinese government is building an operating system based on the open source OS Ubuntu. The China Software and Integrated Chip Promotions Centre (CSIP), part of the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, on Thursday announced that Ubuntu would be a new reference architecture for an OS targeted at the Chinese market.
Working with Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, the CSIP plans to release the Ubuntu 13.04-based Kylin desktop OS in April this year, with plans to extend the Kylin OS to other platforms at a later date."
This has already started and quite a few laptops come with UbuntuKylin.
On-line advertising based on your demographics is huge here. It's multinational corporations as well, like Proctor & Gamble, Estee Lauder, Unilever, Nike, Apple, Taobao, etc. So the on-line ads one sees here are for products that people might actually buy, rather than just dating, gambling, instant loans, ambulance chasers or other crap. As it seems to be in the UK or US.
I think many people in China are used to seeing ads on their desktops, laptops, phones and tablets, mainly in all the "free" software that they use, and don't find the ads objectionable, because it might be for Nike sneakers or a holiday in Malaysia or something, rather than just dating or male growth enhancements.
I would suspect that Canonical will want to see a piece of the action. Especially if they can get on every PC and laptop instead of Micro$oft.
I know what the ads can be like in various countries like China, UK or the US, because I'm often using a VPN. In China I'm seeing ads for things like Microsoft Surface, Estee Lauder or Malaysia Tourism, i.e. it's real products I might want to actually buy. However if I VPN into the States, it's often some personal injury attorney thing or secured loans. "To avoid foreclosure..."
...BTW I've never taken out a loan or gambled on-line in my life, but I always need toiletries though.
If Canonical wishes to sell me soap, shaving foam or deodorant, partnered with Unilever or P&G, never know I might be a future customer..... LOL. Currently I'm seeing Android Forums is sponsored by Puma..in the Phandroid app on my phone.
....people will always need sneakers.
