ubutnu's efforts to improve linux desktop ??

[ashwin kesavan iyengar]

Hi,

I would like to know how ubuntu gives back to the community in general
(not just ubuntu community, but linux in general). There are certain
software products that it has developed that it has chosen to keep it
to itself, unlike the other big guy here ( Redhat) which gives most of
its developed software to the community. AFAIK the software i am
talking about are rosetta, launchpad & upstart. I am sure rosetta is
proprietary but i am not sure of the other two (correct me if i am
wrong) . Coming back to the topic of my post, i would like to know how
much of the time & money of ubuntu & its developer are spent on
improving the desktop scene in linux rather than the server space.
There has been lot of development & contribution to making linux more
suitable as a server OS of choice. Redhat, suse & other have known to
spend a lot of money & developer resource on improving the state of
linux as server. But very little is done to making linux suitable for
desktop. I find ubuntu as the first distro to concentrate on desktop
space as well. But since they have a server market as well, which is
of course more profitable. I want to know how ubuntu spends their
resource on improving desktop arena. This information could be usefull
in promoting ubuntu.
As people are more away from pc to mobile devices. IMHO the distant
future hold for two kinda things ulta mobile device for end user &
server market that servers these mobile
devices. I know ubuntu has joined hands with intel to improve the
state of things here. What has been the progress made in this area?

with regards
ashwin