All you would really need is the fingerprint, which they could print out for you on a business card. Then when you connect the first time, you verify the fingerprint with the certificate being offered by the server, if they match you trust the certificate and go on your merry way.

I got this keyboard for my kids, it's really nice and has stood up to their button mashing without a problem:
http://www.amazon.com/Crayola-11071-Keyboard/dp/B00167ZYMK

Perl object can be any blessed reference, they don't have to be hashes. You can use a scalar or array variable too. It's just that blessing a hash gives you the added benefit of using the hash keys like instance variables.

Still, on most Linux distros you're talking about maybe a dozen keys that the user themselves specifically trusted, and the chances of any 2 Linux users trusting the same 3rd party will be remarkably small. Under the Windows model, any Verisign trusted certificate will get you access, there's got to be millions of those (unless they restrict drivers to a different root certificate than app or website signing, but even then it'll be in the thousands), and if any one is compromised then every Windows user would be vulnerable.

It's not impossible, it just always results in this: http://xkcd.com/716/

There are always exceptions made to the Feature Freeze, and since this is a major initiative for 10.10, I have no doubt they'll be able to keep updating it until the RC.

Yes, just image the horror of organisms that convert water into it's base parts, and are capable of growing, reproducing and spreading.much

It's unfortunate that you had to go with the old "screw the techie" prediction, because the first part of your post was quite right and doesn't deserve to be grouped under the -1 Troll mod. Given Shuttleworth's own statements and actions, here's what I see the business plan being:

0) It's nearly impossible to compete with Microsoft on non-OS products, because of their monopoly status.

1) Take a product that has the potential to make an OS a commodity, nullifying Microsoft's major competitive advantage in ever other market.

2) Turn that product into an actual competitor by matching or exceeding Windows in quality and features

3) Get people using the product, and more importantly get vendors selling it

4) Produce products that compete in a different market, and take advantage of having a free, commodity OS

5) Profit on those other products now that MS can't use their Windows marketshare as the sole competitive advantage

Canonical certified all the Dell desktops, laptops and netbooks that ship with Ubuntu pre-installed, they even provide Dell a custom install image of Ubuntu that is designed to work with those particular hardware setups.

Dell is also offering a line of server products that use Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud: http://www.thevarguy.com/2010/03/24/dell-backs-ubuntu-enterprise-cloud/

Vorbis and Theora as both tributes to characters in Terry Pratchett novels.