Last Friday night (April 25), dozens of open source enthusiasts got together at Free Geek Vancouver to celebrate the latest release of the free Ubuntu operating system, an open source project organized by the UK-based company Canonical.

Ubuntu's new "Hardy Heron" release has attracted attention not only for its open source street cred, but for its amazing desktop interface and ease of use. Cannonical's Linux-based Ubuntu is competing for marketshare with Microsoft's Vista and Apple's Leopard, offerings produced by large companies with deep pockets.

While prices for Apple and Microsoft's offerings start at $100, Ubuntu is completely free: if you're unable to download Ubuntu, Canonical will mail you a CD. Software is also free: Ubuntu comes with Open Office, a productivity suite that offers functionality similar to Microsoft's Office and Apple's iWork. Even support is free: Free Geek Vancouver offers "Linux Clinics" every Wednesday where anyone can show up and get a helping hand.

Ubuntu is able to compete with Microsoft and Apple by leveraging the efforts of hundreds of community-driven projects and advocacy groups based around the world, a feat that would have been unimaginable in pre-Internet days. In addition to enriching the lives of geeks around the world, projects like Ubuntu are enabling governments and non-profits to leverage information technology without going broke (one recent example being the deployment of 50 million Linux installations by the Brazil Ministry of Education).