Canonical very definitely gets paid every time someone spins up an Ubuntu VM on AWS or any other cloud provider. Not much, perhaps, but there are a lot of Ubuntu VM's spun up.

AWS doesn't necessarily have to pay Canonical for Ubuntu VM's, but if they didn't, they wouldn't be able to use the trademark "Ubuntu".

OVH wasn't paying Canonical, got sued because of it, and had to settle.

In the OVH case, a modified kernel was being shipped without (apparently) following the guidelines. I've seen an AWS suffix on kernel upgrades and they may or may not have an agreement to pay, but I'm thinking _very definitely_ is stated too strongly.

Ah, interesting. So they basically sell the right to use their trademark?

They also supply support and custom images.

No, see the simbling reply.

There are some info about Canonical's revenues at https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Canonica...

Full accounts at https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05055134/filing-h...

If they'll make an IPO next year they'll have to tell us how they are making money. Just wait and see.

So, 125 Million US$ revenue / 566 employees = $221000 revenue / employee. Not bad for a software company.

According to my own personal regression analysis I did many years ago, a company is sustainable with at least $50000 revenue per employee. That's my personal ballpark number.