Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth on Oct. 26 is set to speak with the press about Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop Edition and Server Edition. WorksWithU will be extra careful not to “hype” Ubuntu 9.10 over the next few days. Instead, we hope to ask Shuttleworth some timely questions about the new Ubuntu and Canonical’s long-term business strategy. Here’s a sampling of issues on our mind.

Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Canonical and Ubuntu, sat for a video interview with Dell Cloud Computing Evangelist Barton George. In it, Shuttleworth takes a “service pack” shot at Windows 7 and covers numerous questions about Canonical’s business and cloud strategy. Here’s the video — plus some perspectives from WorksWithU.

For a long time, Ubuntu was the only big-name Linux distribution with a specially tailored netbook version.  That changed recently with the announcement of Fedora Mini, which stands poised to compete with Ubuntu Netbook Remix on Linux-based netbooks and similar devices.  Here are some thoughts on what this development means for Ubuntu and Canonical’s netbook strategy, and Linux netbooks in general.

More than 600 people registered to attend Atlanta Linux Fest, which was held Sept. 19. Many of the standing-room-only sessions focused on Canonical and Ubuntu. Here are nine Ubuntu-oriented highlights from the event.

Somewhere between the smart phone and netbook markets, Canonical hopes to stir demand for Ubuntu on so-called Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). Sharp seems to share that vision and is launching the PC-Z1 Mobile Internet Tool running Ubuntu 9.04. Here are some quick details.

Canonical’s Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) and Microsoft’s Windows 7 are expected to debut within days of each other in October 2009. Some open source pundits will surely hype a showdown between the two operating systems. But Canonical needs to carefully communicate the broader Ubuntu 9.10 story to media, customers and partners. Here are seven potential steps to success for Canonical and the Ubuntu 9.10 launch.

Just when I was getting nervous about Dell’s Ubuntu Linux strategy, the PC giant delivered some good news at the OpenSource World conference in San Francisco, according to PC World. The Dell statements don’t address all of my concerns but they do restore my faith in Dell’s commitment to Ubuntu.

Two separate WorksWithU reader polls reveal an interesting look at competition and cooperation between Ubuntu and Google. According to one set of poll results, Google has emerged as Ubuntu’s second-biggest rival. But according to the second poll results, buzz about Google Chrome OS could ultimately help Ubuntu. Here’s a look at the anecdotal data.

You’ve heard of Smart Phones and Netbooks. Now, get ready for Smartbooks — mobile 3G wireless devices that appear to be slightly larger than the iPhone. Qualcomm is rallying hardware partners (OEMs, original equipment manufacturers) to introduce Smartbooks sometime in Q3 or Q4 2009. And here’s the twist: Qualcomm is hiring Ubuntu talent to help drive the project forward.

I spent June 26 at Dell’s headquarters in Austin, Texas, meeting key members of Dell’s Linux team. We spent an hour discussing the broad Linux market; Dell’s current Ubuntu strategy; and the PC giant’s early reaction to Moblin (Mobile Linux).