[jlgreco]

I agree, I think the claimed Ubuntu target audience / core base of users is a complete fantasy. In reality the bulk of their users seem to be standard Linux users who don't care a ton about the particulars of their distro so they just pick the one perceived as the default choice because they don't have any reason to put more thought into it (damn near everything is the same between distros these days, the only big choice for most people is how often you want releases, or if you want rolling releases). If the claimed sort of Ubuntu user actually exists, they are rare enough that I have never encountered them.

[brudgers]

I think that the bulk of the people currently using Ubuntu are moderately sophisticated technically.

However, I also believe that Canonical is pivoting Ubuntu toward non-technical users because a) it differentiates Ubuntu; b) it offers room for growth; c)it allows them to pursue more diverse revenue streams.