UniverseContributorApplication

I, Fabrice Coutadeur, apply for universe-contributor.

Name

Fabrice Coutadeur

Launchpad Page

https://launchpad.net/~fabricesp

Wiki Page

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FabriceCoutadeur

Who I am

I am a 37 year old guy, father of 2 children and working for a software company in Madrid, Spain.

My Ubuntu story

My involvement

I began using others distro a long time ago (Suse was my favorite at that time), but always find them hard to use or to configure, until Hardy: this has been the first distro that automatically recognize all my hardware, and immediately adopted it. I was using it in dual boot with Windows, but switched totally to Ubuntu, with no dual booting, with Intrepid.

I've always been interested in video edition (from encoding to authoring) and began my Ubuntu packaging trip because of DVDStyler: the packaging was maintained by a Debian guy, that requested some help from an Ubuntu user. I volunteered and ended maintaining the non official Ubuntu package. I decided to try to get it adopted in Ubuntu, and dicovered REVU.

Since I discover IRC (in July 08), I've been following the discussions and seen how the full release cycle works. I basically works on FTBFS, and when adopting a package (see the main wiki page to see which ones I adopted), I try to fix/close all the bugs report, reporting to upstream if no success with latest version.

Because of my primary interest in Video edition tools, I've been also adapting packages to the very 'volatile' ffmpeg libs, and basically, installing and testing all what is video related.

I love learning new things and helping others to understand packaging, and the way Ubuntu release cycle works. That's why I review some packages in REVU, just to help people understand how to package things, and make the work easier to MOTU.

Examples of my work / Things I'm proud of

Here is some examples of what I've done (you can see the complete list on my main wiki page):

  • - Merge of ltp (Bug #247591): this has been a complex merge, as the package has been upgraded in the meantime, with a lot of changes. Also, the Debian package FTBFS, and as patch system has been removed from package (changes has been applied directly to source in Debian package :-/), I had to patch and add a patch system (it was easy because of CDBS Smile :-) ). Also, this package failed to run, so I had to patch again (in this case, to install changelog, and a required script).

    - Packaging of DVStyler: this has been a long but very interesting history. I also learned a lot during this packaging (watch file, dependency on FFMpeg, ...), been able to split the package in 2 parts.

    - Security update: I also submit a Security update that has been uploaded (Bug #297933). The complex part has been to extract the exact line that fix the Security issue, and test the application.

Areas of work

I love to work of FTBFS (even if I'm not able to solve some of them, I still try) and on all packages related to video edition. Now that Jaunty enter in FF, it's time to fix the FTBFS generated by the autosyncs.

Also, I will still upload fixes to my PPA so that people can test fixes, and been sure it works.

Things I could do better

I still have a lot to learn, as I'm still quite new to all that. Ubuntu and Debian world is huge, and I only saw a small part.

I also think I should ask for help sooner, to avoid been stuck in trying to solve things I can't (hug98 is an example).

Plans for the future

General

I will continue fixing bugs, especially FTBFS, and also keep learning new things, to be able to apply for MOTUship in some future.

I'd like to contribute to Debian, even if I haven't found my way yet Smile :-)

Also, I will keep trying to help fixing as much as package as I can (better if linked to Video edition Smile :-) ).

What I like least in Ubuntu

The first contact with the Ubuntu community is not as smooth as it should be, and I'm sure a lot of people that could bring a lot to Ubuntu just give up because it seems to complex. I discover recently the sponsoring so I think it could help really interested people to join the community.

Also, the dependency on Debian, and the way Debian works: I know that Ubuntu don't have enough people to maintain all the packages, but we relying on the way Debian works (upload of Binary), and this explain a lot of FTBFS.

And about REVU: within the process for rewiewing packages, we should include an upload to a PPA, so that the packager can check it builds and install fine, and give time for people to install it from there. This would be a kind of warranty that the packaging is correct.

Comments

If you'd like to comment, but are not the applicant or a sponsor, do it here. Don't forget to sign with @SIG@.

Endorsements

As a sponsor, just copy the template below, fill it out and add it to this section.

JamesWestby

General feedback

Fabrice does good work on many packages, is responsive to feedback, and is keen to learn. I think he would be an asset for the team.

Specific Experiences of working together

Areas of Improvement

Just more experience and knowledge is needed, and that will come with time.

Daniel Holbach (dholbach)

General feedback

Working with Fabrice is very seamless. He's friendly, easy to work with, quick to reply and hard working. I sponsored/ACKed 5-10 uploads/sync/packages and they were good quality.

Specific Experiences of working together

Areas of Improvement

Just more experience.... and a blog to tell people about his MOTU Journey. Smile :-)

DustinKirkland

General feedback

I've only sponsored a single upload for Fabrice, but his work (a somewhat complex merge) was correct on first review.

Specific Experiences of working together

I recently sponsored an upload of LTP for Fabrice. He volunteered to do this merge, on an open invitation I posted to #ubuntu-motu. LTP hadn't been merged in almost 1 year. It is a somewhat complex package to merge, and rather lengthy build. Fabrice seemed to get right the first time. The review of his work was straight forward, and looked correct. I enjoyed working with Fabrice.

Areas of Improvement

I'm not very familiar with Fabrice's other work, but I have no criticisms of the one upload I've performed.

Alessio Treglia

General feedback

I sponsored a few uploads for Fabrice, he's collaborative, works really hard and the quality of his patches is always excellent.

It's a pleasure to work with him.

Specific Experiences of working together

Areas of Improvement

He needs just more experience but he's keen to learn and I'm sure will be ready for becoming MOTU very soon.

TEMPLATE

== <SPONSORS NAME> ==
=== General feedback ===
## Please fill us in on your shared experience. (How many packages did you sponsor? How would you judge the quality? How would you describe the improvements? Do you trust the applicant?)

=== Specific Experiences of working together ===
''Please add good examples of your work together, but also cases that could have handled better.''

=== Areas of Improvement ===

CategoryUniverseContributorApplication

FabriceCoutadeur/UniverseContributorApplication (last edited 2009-03-06 15:49:21 by i59F705A5)