BenCrisford
About Me
About Me: Personal
My name's Ben Crisford. I am an ubuntu user, lover and strong supporter of all linux distributions and free softwares. I contribute where I can, and I am aware I am probably one of the youngest contributors. Currently my main contributions are with the bugsquad, and I have applied to join the bug control team, eventually I hope to be a MOTU (but thats a long way off), see "My Contributions" to read a full list of what I contribute and to what extent.
About Me: Links
My launchpad page is here. I have a website (BenCrisford.co.nr), a personal blog (Ben Crisford Online), and a free software blog (Free Your PC).
Me and Ubuntu
Me and Ubuntu: My OSes
I currently run Ubuntu 9.04 jaunty jackalope desktop edition. Using gnome as my desktop environment, with dust theme (but sometimes swapping to KDE).
I occasionally boot vista, but very rarely. 99% of the time I am on Ubuntu.
Me and Ubuntu: My story so far with Ubuntu...
A rather long time ago now I picked up a copy of Ubuntu 6.10 and played about with it for a bit. After my ubuntu PC broke, I was a vista user for quite a long time. However, eventually I decided to remind myself of what ubuntu was like, and I didn't boot vista again (or at least very little).
I have started contributing where I can, and I love it. I just love the way I can help Ubuntu run as beautifally as it does, and I hope it will work like this for a very long time :).
My Contributions
Summary
I have contributed in a variety of areas. I am far more active in some areas than others, and I have contributed little to some of these, but I contribute more every day so I have mentioned all my main areas of contribution they will still be mentioned here if I haven't updated this. These areas include:
- Bug Management (see below for more information)
OpenWeek (see below for more information)
- Community Support (see below for more information)
- Marketing (see below for more information)
- Documentation (see below for more information)
- Students Team (see below for more information)
- Translations (see below for more information)
Bug Management
Bug management was the first area of contributing I got involved with, and I love it.
First of all I joined and started contributing with the bugsquad. Nothing too heavy i'll admit, but I helped where I could. After that was a bit of a black hole in my contributions, and I was very busy for a while. But eventually, I became active again, and my contributions were better than ever.
I am now trying very hard to participate in the 5-a-day scheme, by triaging five (or more) bugs a day, and I have been quite successful so far.
I have applied to the 'Ubuntu Bug Control' team, but I am still waiting for a response to my application.
OpenWeek
I ran the session 'Gaming With Ubuntu' in 2009's Ubuntu Openweek.
I very much enjoyed the experience, and I had a really good time running it. I think it was quite successful, and I hope I helped alot of people use ubuntu for gaming, as gaming is a passion of mine.
Ubuntu Documentation
I am very new to contributing documentation, but I have started contributing little bits to the online community documentation. And having added a few items to the glossary page recently, I hope to add a few more every time I get the chance and make is as full as possible.
Support
IRC
When I can I go on the channel #ubuntu for a while and help who I can. Admittingly I haven't had a chance for a while. But occasionally I will. I do however help more actively on #ubuntu-bugs amongst other channels.
Forums
I am reasonably active on the forums, particularly in 'Art and Design'. I help on there when I can :).
Ubuntu Marketing
SpreadUbuntu
A while ago I created a poster for the spreadubuntu project which I am quite proud of. I was extremely honoured when someone asked to use the background of my poster for a Belgian LoCo team poster.
The poster is located here.
Ubuntu MOTU
I hope to eventually become a MOTU which I realise is a very long way off, but it is something to aim towards.
Translations
I have translated very little, but I would love to translate more. So keep watching my launchpad profile as my language skills develop.
Ubuntu Students
I am a member of the students team and I help where I can. It has become a little inactive/disorganised recently and i'm helping to try and change that.
I am always busy converting/installing/helping with ubuntu to all my school friends, and teachers. Not to mention the school itself. I haven't yet successfull converted it, but i'll get there eventually :D.
You can see some of my ideas on the ubuntu students whiteboard.
Other
- I keep a stock of live CDs burnt, and make sure I have one with me (or a USB) so if someone asks for it I can give it to them.
- I try and convert my friends and people I know to ubuntu, and offer to install it for them.
- Anyone who asks for help with ubuntu - providing I can help - I will, whether it is in real life or via the internet.
Contact
- ben [AT] freeyourpc [DOT] tk
- webmaster [AT] bencrisford [DOT] exofire [DOT] net
- bencrisford [AT] yahoo [DOT] co [DOT] uk
- ben [AT] tango9 [DOT] tk
IM
MSN: tronex4(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk
AIM: bencrisford
Yahoo: tronex4
Skype: tronex2
IRC
You can find me on irc.freenode.net as bencrisford.
Future Plans
At sometime in the (not too distant I hope) future, I would love to become a MOTU.
Becoming a MOTU is my main dream, but I have many more achievable dreams listed below:
- Help with the development of Edubuntu.
- Pursuade my school to install ubuntu on the school network (or at least a fraction of them - there's alot).
- Help organise a community of users in my local area.
- Improve my language skills a little more and translate programs/documentation via launchpad more.
- Become an 'Ubuntu Forums Ambassador'.
Links
Ubuntu (and FOSS) Related
Personal
Other
Testimonials
Ben Crisford has produced an excellent contribution in the project spreadubuntu : the Belgian LoCo Team has been very happy to contact him for new developments based on his poster.-- JeanHuberts [17 May 2009]