FW Editor: Hi, first of all, can you tell us your name and occupation? Is this the first operating system you develop?
Pierre Champagne: Pierre Champagne, Director, Waves of the Future (A micro-thinktank/publisher on the environment and global issues). We spent two years testing various Linux operating systems and finally settled on the Debian/Ubuntu/Lubuntu branch to base our own first distribution as it offers stability, functionality, speed, support, and access to the huge Ubuntu software repositories.

FW Editor: Why develop another Linux based operating system? How is it different / better than the other ones?
Pierre Champagne: Quelitu Global is an environmental project aiming to increase the recycling/reuse of older computers worldwide (or improve the performance of newer models) by refurbishing them with a faster lightweight OS. Quelitu is essentially Lubuntu (lightweight, fast, stable, Ubuntu software access, etc.) with a number of select improvements to increase its user friendliness and usability. It is designed with both Linux users and Windows newbies in mind (see our website for details). Quelitu is also well supported in terms of guides and documentation. The distribution is multilingual, and our website provides documentation for beginner, intermediate, and advanced users in English, French, and Spanish. As well, much of the information available about Ubuntu/Lubuntu on the Web is also applicable to Quelitu. Quelitu Guide (English)--Upgrade Your Old Computer for Free Quelitu Guide (Français)--Améliorez Votre Vieil Ordinateur Gratuitement Quelitu Guía -- Revivan Su Vieja Computadora

FW Editor: To whom do you recommend this program? All the people with old computers can use it?
Pierre Champagne: Quelitu requires a minimum of 250 MB of RAM. Because it is lightweight and fast, it is especially well suited for refurbishing older computers or use on low specification machines such as laptops, nettops, and netbooks. That being said, it improves the performance of more powerful and newer systems and is fully functional... this is what we use on our own production machines.

FW Editor: Can you tell us something more about Quelitu? How long have you been working on it and how many people do you think use it today?
Pierre Champagne: Quelitu is currently in its first version (1.10.10 Maverick Meerkat). A second instalment (2.11.04 Natty Narwhal) will deliver many improvements and be out early May 2011. We expect that the distribution will be popular because of its fast and easy interface, simplicity, customizability with more advanced Ubuntu software, and its two-in-one design (Lubuntu + Quelitu).

FW Editor: The 'Live CD' option is quite nice. Can you tell us more about it?
Pierre Champagne: The Quelitu iso is free. We recommend using the download links available at our website. Other sources may contain spyware. We can also ship CDs upon request (see details at our website). The iso burns to a Live CD, meaning that Quelitu can be either tested without installation or installed from the CD. -------- Credits and thanks to all of those involved in the Debian/Ubuntu/Lubuntu branch and related software -------

FW Editor: Is this the only software you have been working on? What else can you tell us about your work?
Pierre Champagne: Waves of the Future has currently one book in publication and one in production. Published: The 21st Century Environmental Revolution (2nd Ed.): A Structural Strategy for Global Warming, Resource Conservation, Toxic Contaminants, and the Environment / -- This is a book on a powerful new strategy for the environment, perhaps the only one capable of addressing today's problems... In production (due out Dec. 2011): Hitting the Depletion Wall: Population Growth & Resources (tentative title) -- The consequences of continued population expansion and depletion of non-renewable resources for the future of humanity and the planet.