== About Me  ==

I live in southern Ontario, Canada. I used to work for Dell, now I am an independent contractor fixing computers in this region. I have used Ubuntu as my everyday desktop OS going back to Breezy.

  * '''CDRTools PPA:''' https://launchpad.net/~brandonsnider/+archive/cdrtools
  * '''RubyRipper PPA:''' https://launchpad.net/~brandonsnider/+archive/ruby-ripper
  * '''Gnome-Mplayer Dev PPA:''' https://launchpad.net/~brandonsnider/+archive/gnome-mplayer-dev
  * '''IRC Nick:''' bjsnider
  * '''Launchpad Page:''' https://launchpad.net/~brandonsnider
  * '''OpenPGP Key:''' [[http://keyserver.ubuntu.com:11371/pks/lookup?search=0xAD15D9CAAA8CEE3DF00790B657341F2DE2DADE23&op=index|E2DADE23]]
  * '''Email:''' Use the Launchpad link above, select "Contact this user".

== Contributions to Ubuntu  ==

My main contributions to Ubuntu have been through packaging.

I currently belong to the Ubuntu-X and Xorg Crack Pushers teams. I regularly add stable Nvidia driver updates to the X-Updates PPA. Jockey is now, in Oneiric, offering users the option to use this PPA as a source for driver updates.

I created the Nvidia Vdpau Launchpad Team early in 2009. Its purpose was to provide vdpau packages and the newest Nvidia graphics drivers across multiple distros (stretching back to Hardy). The PPA contains older Nvidia graphics driver packages for some older Ubuntu releases, mplayer, smplayer, xine-lib with vdpau, and some other packages. This was when vdpau was first created by Nvidia, and I thought it would be useful to have an easy way for users to test it and submit bugs and whatnot.

I created a development PPA for Gnome-Mplayer, which automatically updates itself whenever there are any upstream changes. This will facilitate easier testing of Gnome-Mplayer. In the course of doing this project, I developed the packaging scripts for GMTK, the Gnome-Mplayer Toolkit.

I have packaged the RubyRipper app in a PPA which solves an annoyance related to an out-of-date version of ruby-gnome2. I solved that problem by updating the latter package and, since RubyRipper isn't in Ubuntu officially, I packaged that app too. 

I packaged CDRTools for Ubuntu, for those who wish to use that as an alternative to the CDRKit package. For license reasons, it CDRTools cannot be included in Ubuntu at the moment, and some people have issues with the CDRKit software. This situation will have to be worked out at some point in the future.

Most recently, I developed the Debian packaging for Sushi, the gnome file previewer. It has been included in Oneiric Universe. Sushi is an exciting project that adds some features to the old Nautilus audio file previewer. I worked closely with Jeremy Bicha, and the Debian-Gnome team.

I spend lots of time in various Ubuntu IRC channels helping users with issues or answering questions. I have done so for years, and will continue for the foreseeable future.

== Future Plans  ==

I want to continue to backport software for past distros when possible, and continue to offer updated Nvidia drivers.

I'd like to try to make the Ubuntu Gnome 3.2 and beyond experience a more pleasant and surprising one for new users.

I've gotten some friends, college classmates, and co-workers onto Ubuntu and I'd like to continue to do so in the future.

== Other Interests  ==

I am a libertarian activist. I run [[http://thestressblog.com/|Scott Horton's websites]] and [[http://aaeblog.com/|Prof. Roderick Long's blog.]]

I follow sports, especially tennis. I play the game very well and enjoy exploring its history.

== Testimonials  ==
bjsnider is one of the most useful people I've encounter over the years on the Ubuntu Community. I've turned to him for help on nvidia packages many times. He's been helpful a large number of times with packaging apps I hadn't found in the archive or PPAs.
I was surprised that he was not an Ubuntu Member yet. He is very helpful to anyone asking for guidance.
I fully support his application for Ubuntu Membership ~[[https://launchpad.net/~fernandomiguel|Fernando Miguel]]

Brandon packaged GNOME's new previewer utility Sushi for Debian and for Ubuntu 11.10, which without his contributions would not have shown up in the Ubuntu repositories until 12.04. While I've not worked with him much yet, he's been friendly and helpful on IRC and his packaging work was good. ~[[JeremyBicha|Jeremy Bicha]]