Ubuntu utilizes lot of technologies especially ready made support of lot of hardwares by having firmwares etc loaded into Linux(kernel). the thing has become so complex that ,a 500 member devel team should work sitting in a office
(remember Debian struggles even though with more than 1000 devels elswhere in the world ).
but then ,the very idea of FOSS and internet joint devel is questioned ?
still , see the work by novell suse. they alone brought compiz,xgl and all (eventhough fancy things)