Ubuntu Wiki

Short Description

My name is Brett Alton and I am a Canadian computer science undergrad. Introduced to Linux in 2004 by a friend, we setup a tri-boot system between Ubuntu 4.10 (Warty Warthog), Mandrake 4.2 and Windows XP. I started using Ubuntu full-time starting with Ubuntu 5.10 (Breezy Badger) and have made a number of contributions to the Ubuntu community: I have posted 1,200+ posts on Ubuntu Forums, including 6+ tutorials, 3 of which are scripts that are regularly updated; Submitted 40+ bugs related to Ubuntu, including many more to projects hosted on Launchpad and have performed hundreds of translations; Submitted 16 ideas to Ubuntu Brainstorm, ideas so popular I am the top 161st contributor, with over 2000 votes on other ideas and 259 comments; Wrote a 4-part series in Full Circle Magazine regarding Web Development in Ubuntu; Joined the Ubuntu Canada LoCo team; Started a blog in 2009, making many posts related to Ubuntu. I also started the Open Home Server project (now called Satega) and contribute regularly to the GetDeb.net front-end.

Long Description

Ubuntu Forums

• Joined: 2006/03/02

• Posts: 1,222 (2010/02/16)
• HOWTOs: (see also Ubuntu Scripts)

  • HOWTO: VMWare Player / Windows XP / Ubuntu Repositories (2007/01/20)

  • HOWTO: Install VMware Server in Hardy (and later) (2008/05/09)

  • HOWTO: Fix GPG errors for bad/deleted keys (2009/07/23)

Launchpad

• Joined: 2006/07/22

• Karma: 539 (2010/02/16)
• Ubuntu-releated bugs reported: 43 (2010/02/16)

  • https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/~brett-alton/+reportedbugs

• Teams:
  • Ubuntu English (Canada) Translation Team (2008/07/11)
  • Ubuntu Canada Team (2008/07/17)
  • Satega devs (2008/07/21)

  • GetDeb Collaboration Team (2009/07/30)

  • Launchpad Beta Testers (2009/07/31)
  • APT-Portal Developers (2009/11/13)
  • Planet Ubuntu Users (2009/12/24)
  • Ubuntu Manual Team (2010/01/11)
  • Ubuntu Welcome Window Team (2010/02/03)
  • Ubuntu Gaming Team (2010/02/13)

Ubuntu Scripts

• Started: 2007/06/20

• VMware helper:

  • http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=788169

  • http://brettalton.com/?page=computer_services&subpage=vmware_helper

• rsync over ssh:

  • http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=639979

  • http://brettalton.com/?page=computer_services&subpage=rsync_over_ssh

• Ubuntu Assistant:

  • http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=972037

  • http://brettalton.com/?page=computer_services&subpage=ubuntu_assistant

Ubuntu Brainstorm

• Started: 2008/02/29

• Link: http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/contributor/brettalton

• Stats: (2010/02/16)
  • 16 ideas submitted
  • 161st best solution contributor
  • over 2000 votes
  • 259 comments

Full Circle Magazine

• Range: 2008/11 - 2009/03

• Description: Wrote a 4-part tutorial for Web Development in Ubuntu
• Links:

  • Part 1 - Software for web development in Ubuntu

  • Part 2 - Basic HTML and CSS

  • Part 3 - Install a LAMP (web) server

  • Part 4 - Basic PHP

Blog

• Started: 2009/12/01

• Site: http://blog.brettalton.com/

  • Ubuntu-related posts: http://blog.brettalton.com/category/ubuntu/

Other

Wikipedia

• Articles:

  • Ubuntu (operating system)

    • Introductory paragraph

    • Grammar & spelling fixes

  • List of Ubuntu releases

    • Introductory paragraph
    • Paragraphs and screenshots for Ubuntu 4.10 to 8.04
    • Release history
    • Version history of common programs

Weblog Subscriptions

Over 30 Linux-related subscriptions, including:

• Mark Shuttleworth
• DoctorMO's Blog
• jono@home
• Open Ended
• Planet Debian
• Planet GNOME
• Planet Ubuntu
• Slashdot Linux

Future

• Want to become Ubuntu Certified Professional

• Learn advanced Python so I can hack on more projects or start my own
• Learn how to package programs and eventually become a maintainer
• Work for Canonical

Ideas for Ubuntu

Short-Term

• Introduce the ability to install commercial software, allowing companies such as Adobe or Rockstar Games to release their software for a price through Software Centre
• Create a better historical archival of Ubuntu history (e.g. Make an external website that contains the data I've added to en.wikipedia.org and add more information on sprints, the community, changes made per release, etc.)

Long-Term

• I want to make a Ubuntu-related development website with feature parity to MSDN
• I want to see Ubuntu with at least 10% of the desktop market share
• I want to see more developers write software for Ubuntu
• I want to see Ubuntu-related TV and website advertisements (maybe even product placements)

Testimonials

I've sort of been a Lone Wolf when it comes to contributing to Ubuntu, but I will look for people who can testify.