Ubuntu Wiki

Table design by Silver Fox (http://www.serial-coder.co.uk/blog) . If you wish to copy this table then please leave this comment in place. Thank you =)

About Me

My screen name is partially derived from the colour of my hair, silver. I also like foxes, hence Silver Fox. Nothing else to say really about it, sorry that their is no big mystery

Ubuntu was first introduced to me by a colleague and since then it has become my operating system of choice. From tentative steps I feel that I am now quite confident with it. At home I run two machines running various versions of Ubuntu. At the moment I am running Ubuntu 10.10 on a desktop computer and Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10 on my Acer Aspire One. I also get involved with testing Ubuntu Development Releases. I have tested Jaunty from beta 2, Lucid from Alpha 2 and Maverick from beta 1.

Additionally I run a laptop with #!Crunchbang Linux 10 r20110207 installed. I enjoy the stability of Debian.

I have also managed to successfully introduce a few friends to the Ubuntu operating system and now serve as their immediate access to help.

Socially

Socially I try to stay fit and active. My fitness regime includes Running, Cycling and Badminton. I am also a keen snooker and pool player. Playing Snooker and Pool for the local pub team is my way of relaxing whilst at the same time socializing with friends. I am not really a film buff, but can appreciate good cinema. I do however like music, especially from the 60's era. Oh I also adopted a basement cat. Pictures can be found here

Professionally

I'm an IT professional working in the United Kingdom. I have been working as web developer and database administrator in a very small development team. We typically follow a DSDM methodology in our development projects as we have multiple skills at our disposal.

At work we also make use of Linux for our projects. We have two machines with WUBI 9.04 installs on them and also a machine dual booting Ubuntu 8.04 with Windows XP. Recently we have been setting up a file server running Fedora 12 (Shh don't tell Bodhi-Zazen ). This has exposed me not only to the operating system but things like SAMBA. I think I am very fortunate to be using these different distributions in that my knowledge and experience can only be enhanced. This knowledge I use when trying to help others.

Ubuntu Participation

Ubuntu Member

My involvement with the community has granted me the privilege to be awarded Ubuntu membership. I would like to thank all those who I have worked with in making this possible and also those who were kind enough to support my application

Ubuntu Forums

I am a member of the Ubuntu Forums, where I serve as a moderator. Here is the link to My Profile. I consider myself active in the support sections of the forum and always like to help where I can. I tend to post in the Programming Talk forum but I do also try to help out where I can in the Absolute Beginner Talk and also General Help forums. If I see a thread where I can contribute something useful I will definitely post in it.

I also help keep the forums running smoothly in my moderator capacity, mainly dealing with spam, thread maintenance and trouble makers. I have also got involved with writing small scripts that help enhance the moderator user interface and also speed up some of the more tedious moderation processes.

I have signed the Ubuntu Code of Conduct and can be considered an Ubuntero.

Ubuntu Forums Beginners Team

I am a member of the Ubuntu Forums Beginners Team. Our group simply collaborates together on our forum activity. We sometimes seek second opinions on possible replies to the "harder" questions that users may have about the operating system. We also like to socialize on IRC and can be found on freenode ##ufbt. This is much better than on the forums as it is done in a live environment

Ubuntu Community Interviews

I have revived the Ubuntu Community Interviews as Joeb454 no longer has the time do them. I thought it was a shame to let such a popular project die.

The bottom line reason for doing these interviews is that everyone has a life beyond the nickname and avatar that we see, and it is interesting to find out a little bit more about the human being behind the screen, the blog, or the reputation. To that end, I am picking up on an idea that was borrowed from an idea originally suggested by forum staff member extraordinaire aysiu, and given legs by K.Mandla,further expanded by matthew and then finally Joeb454. I will be asking the same simple series of nine open-ended questions.

Interviews I have performed

Beginners Team

I am a member of the Beginners Team. Being a member of this team has allowed me to enhance my Ubuntu education, whilst at the same time help others with their problems. It has also been a perfect opportunity to socialize with the community and get to know individuals better.

Ubuntu Beginners Team Council

I am a member of the Ubuntu Beginners Council, elected by the Ubuntu Beginners Team. In this role I look to take the entire team forward, making decisions that are for the benefit to all concerned. I am also expected to help resolve internal conflict within the team, if the need arises.

Guide Admin

I administrate the apprentice system used by the beginners team. It is my responsibility to maintain records of progress being made in the development of new prospective team members. Some minor pressure from myself also helps to keep people committed to the programme.

Guide

I have taken on the role as Guide to prospective Beginners Team members. In this role I seek to guide them in their membership application and also to introduce them to the team. Forming bonds early on with the apprecntices can only help our interactions with one another in the future.

IRC Focus Group

I am lead of the IRC Focus Group. My reason for joining this group is twofold. Primarily I joined this group in order to help users in a real time environment compared to the delay in responses associated with forum assistance. My secondary reason for joining this group was to revive its original purpose of being a support channel, as it had become inactive. I also feel that helping others over IRC is also a good way to build relationships with community members.

Wiki Focus Group

I joined this focus group in order to do more for the community.

A list of pages that I have worked on:

• o Glossary of Terms	o How To Get Help
  o USB	o The GIMP
  o Software Management	o VNC

Internet Relay Chat

My registered IRC nickname is Silver_Fox_. I am looking forward to getting to know the Ubuntu community members better through this medium. I am usually present in the following channels:

• #ubuntuforums

  #ubuntu-beginners

  ##ufbt

  #ubuntu-uk

Please feel free to say hello ( unless I beat you to it )

Zenix

Zenix is an Ubuntu re-spin with links to Buddhism that was conceived by Bodhi Zazen. I have been involved in this project mainly through taking on the lead role in the development of its website as others could not continue with it. I currently host the a set of iso's on my server and act as a mirror for downloads. Zenix also has a forum where I am serving as an administrator.

Currently the project is undergoing a radical change, which will see Zenix move from Ubuntu to Debian. I have been involved with the softer aspects of the development, such as how it looks. I have been testing the iso's and giving feedback to bodhi. I have produced artwork for the bootsplash and installer. I am also giving the Zenix website a major overhaul. An early beta of the new site can be seen here

Gnome-Look

I have an account on gnome-look, it can be seen here. I like to do photo editing as a hobby. I am attempting to combine my interest in photography with something to do with the community. To this end I am in the process of uploading some of my pictures as wallpapers for people to use. Some thumbnails are listed below:

Objectives for 2011-2012

Continue contributing to Gnome Look

Keep up my activity levels as a Ubuntu Forum Staff moderator

Continue to keep the Ubuntu Community Interviews going on my blog

Finish the new Zenix website

2009 Testimonials

Paultag ( Paul Tagliamonte ) - Since Silver_Fox's induction to the team, I have had the utmost pleasure in collaborating in several areas of the Ubuntu Beginners Team. He has taken up administrative roles next to me in the realm of IRC administration, and kick-started many initiatives regarding policy, moderation and activity. She is also helping me with the development of a team-wide web application that will be used to integrate the Ubuntu Beginners Team even further. These efforts mark an extraordinary dedication past the average member. His work with the UBT alone is not only noteworthy, but exemplary. Please consider Silver_Fox's application favourably, he is an invaluable member to not only my teams, but to the community as a whole.

starcraft.man - Silver Fox is awesome. Paultag really laid it all out why. Silver Fox hangs around IRC and helps answer questions to members and non-members alike. Silver Fox is both caring and patient with answering people, even when frustrated. Silver Fox has proven Silver Fox's commitment to team by taking on leadership of focus groups and participating in meetings to better the team, among other things. Silver Fox has most of all provided hours of entertainment to yours truly, in between classes, an invaluable service greatly appreciated. You may wonder why starcraft.man is referring to Silver Fox only by full name? The answer is simple, Silver Fox is so awesome, third person pronouns are afraid of Silver Fox. If Silver Fox wanted, Silver Fox could probably become Super Silver Fox, donning a super hero outfit and saving people from boredom and linux problems single-handedly while coding some application with free hand. So, in case it isn't clear enough, Silver Fox must become a member! That's a fact because starcraft.man said so.

swoody - It has been my pleasure to be a member of the Ubuntu Beginners Team alongside Silver Fox. With his full knowledge of Ubuntu, and the way he answers others' questions with patience, it is obvious that he knows his way around the block, but he's not full of himself for it. He does not mind setting aside something he is working on, if he can offer assistance when it's needed. Silver Fox has also become a great leader within the Beginners Team, and a person many others look up to. I have no reservations giving Silver Fox my unabashed support in his application for Ubuntu Membership. I feel he has all the qualities one could wish for of an Ubuntu Member, and I hope that more people can learn and be influenced by this gentleman as he continues being a great leader and role-model for the Ubuntu community.

forestpixie -Silver_Fox has blasted into the UBT and seemingly set about shining a torch into all the little nooks and crannies and bringing them out into the open again - at least that is how it seems It is a somewhat gratifying feeling to see someone who I mentored become a member of the UBT and for them to then go on to apply for Ubuntu membership makes it doubly so, once again I come late to the party and have to tack a testimonial on to the end of a list. Silver_Fox embodies in my mind all the traits that Ubuntu members should have. A sustained contribution on the forums has been joined with a great contribution to the little corner of IRC in which we hang about trying to help people away from the hustle of #ubuntu. In my opinion we need more people in our community like Silver_Fox and I, without reservation, strongly support their application for Ubuntu membership.

DiegoTc -Silver_Fox has been a great guy contributing a lot on the UBT. He is always available in helping others. He has been a great master(even he doesn`t like they tell him like that)If you need help just ping Silver_Fox and he will help you and if can't he will help you find the correct answer. He is a great person that has many influenced in guys like me who wants to contribute on the Ubuntu Community. I strongly support his application for Ubuntu Member.

andrew.46 Silver_Fox is not only an extraordinarily helpful and valuable member of the Ubuntu Beginners Team but he is also a fine representative of the Ubuntu ethos and a man who has made substantial contribution to the Ubuntu community in general. I strongly support his application for Ubuntu Membership.

Bhavani_Shankar I ve been following Silver_fox's posts on the forums and he is very active and enthusiastic to help people out(even on the IRC) and I think he should be a defacto Ubuntu Member

jgoguen Silver_Fox has been active since day one and shows no signs of slowing down. She is always very pleasant and is a real joy to interact with. Every team within the Ubuntu Beginners Team Silver_Fox has become involved with has benefited greatly from her experience, not just because of her enthusiasm but also because of the great willingness to help she demonstrates that always improves the experience for everyone involved.

BodhiZazen I has been an absolute pleasure to have SilverFox working with the beginners team. I agree with everything that has been stated above , but would like to add a few words on the "human side". SilverFox has many virtues, but most important, IMO, maturity, patience, and kindness. SilverFox has been most helpful with mentoring new members, helping them integrate not only in the BT but also into the Ubuntu Community. I fully support SilverFox in membership to the Ubuntu Community.

Joeb454 I've spoken with Silver_Fox_ on numerous occasions, about a wide range of things to do with the Ubuntu community (our choice of LUG's is/can be the same). Silver_Fox_'s involvement within the beginners team alone warrants membership (in my opinion), as somebody who is always willing to help, provided they're awake of course, and calm & patient with the most trying of users. Silver_Fox_ is not only a fantastic addition to the Ubuntu Community, but also somebody I'm glad to have met through the Ubuntu Community.

2011 Testimonials

If you wish to leave a testimonial for my contributions (great or small) then please feel free to leave one here. Thank you

Ubuntu Beginners Team Council Application

jgoguen - Silver_Fox has been an active contributor since he joined the Beginners Team and still shows no signs of slowing down. We've all benefited immensely from the experience Silver_Fox has brought to the team as well as the dedication he shows to the team, our target users and our members. Silver_Fox has improved the experience for both team members and users seeking our help through the IRC focus group. I believe it would be a logical next step to move on to improving the overall experience for the entire team and for those people who haven't yet joined us. I fully support Silver_Fox's nomination for Beginners Team Council.

talsemgeest Silver_Fox_ has done so much for the Beginners Team, especially in his role as lead of the IRC FG, and it is through that role that he has really displayed his suitability for leadership. He has my full support.

DiegoTc Silver_Fox_ rocks!! This guys is always available on IRC, if someone has a doubt or a problem he will help you and if he doesn't know, he founds someone to help you. He was a great master

mohi Well to say about Silver_fox, hes awesome. He impressed me in lots of ways when i needed help. He just surfs the Forums and answers the posts to his best and even takes up those links to the channels. He is one of my "Role Models" to be true And I believe in Him that He will do His best, wherever He gets in. I support for Silver_Fox's nomination for Beginners Team Council.

leoquant A ferm +1 for Silver_Fox. Always active and present on IRC, which is a rare combination. He is truely full of good karma, great ideas and he seems very suitable for leadership of the Ubuntu Beginners Team.

Joeb454 Since the testimonial I left in 2009, I have had the privilege of working with s-fox on the Ubuntu Forum staff, and have had several in-depth discussions on IRC. I can quite confidently say I would support any application from this member of the community for a leadership position in almost any team. My basis for this is the times I have seen comments and actions from s-fox within the UbuntuForums staff team, where it is quite clear they would be suitable for a leading role in a team.

starcraft.man - Silver Fox should be on the council because Silver Fox a proven contributor working hard in many different fields. Silver's supported over IRC group (as well as been in charge), become a moderator on forums, checks on mentee's constantly and has plenty of other talents like "The Stapler of DOOM". I don't think it's a very hard choice, even my Zerglings agree. So let it be so! Also, Silver Fox is still too 1337 for me to use anything but full name! PS: If this testimonial didn't exude enough awesomeness to impress, see my 2009 note.

Akos - Silver does belong in the council, there's no doubt about it. As the IRC Council lead he showed the council muscles, so I'm pretty sure it would be fine to have him as a member.

duanedesign I have known Silver Fox for a couple years now and in that time worked together on many different things related to the Beginners Team. I can wholeheartedly recommend Silver Fox for the Beginners Team Council. -- duanedesign 2011-02-28 13:22:49

NigelBabu I've known Silver Fox off an on throughout my time with the Ubuntu Beginners Team and later on through Ubuntu-UK and Ubuntu-women. I totally support Silver_Fox for UBT Council and wish all success! -- nigelbabu 2011-03-01 10:55:30

piskie/goblin/elfy - well - I almost wish I'd hung about in ubuntu world so I could give a big +1 to this - a definitely positive thing this would be for the Beginners Team in my humble opinion

A more caring and compassionate person you could not wish to meet, I love our chats and the work the fox does is well above the call of duty. The fox would make a truely wonderful council member, just simply applying for it says so much of the fox's commitment and I 100% back the application. phillw 4th March 2011.

BodhiZazen OMG is there room for one more ? SF has been an outstanding member of both the forums and the BT. SF is wise and experienced in the ways of the BT, I can not think of a better candidate. Best of luck SF.