Earlier, if we registered on the Ubuntu site, we would get a CD shipped freely to our home. Why has Ubuntu stopped it?
Ubuntu used to have a "ShipIt" service which shipped free CDs.
This has now closed.
They have put up a notice on the former ShipIt website here:
After delivering millions of Ubuntu CDs to millions of new users, our ShipIt programme has finally run its course. While we can no longer deliver free CDs through the programme, it’s still easy to get Ubuntu. You can download Ubuntu for free from Ubuntu.com or you can buy a CD straight from the Canonical shop.
You can read their official blog post about their decision, made in April 2011, here:
http://blog.canonical.com/2011/04/05/shipit-comes-to-an-end/
Here's an excerpt:
Technology moves on and as we look at ways to spread Ubuntu further, a CD distribution programme, especially one of that size and delivered in that way, makes less sense. We have been slowly easing back the programme over the last two years to limit the number of CDs per person and the number of times a person could apply for a CD. But for Ubuntu 11.04 you will no longer be able to go to our website and apply for a free CD.
They go on to talk about a few ways that you may still be able to get a free Ubuntu CD.
TL;DR: They spent huge amounts of money shipping free CDs and decided that no longer makes sense, citing not much more than "technology moves on".
