MOTUApplication

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 1. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pybliographer/+bug/585811

I, Stefano Rivera, apply for MOTU.

Name

Stefano Rivera

Launchpad Page

https://launchpad.net/~stefanor

Wiki Page

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/StefanoRivera

Home Page / Blog

http://tumbleweed.org.za

Who I am

I'm 25, a Linux geek, and a MSc student at UCT, studying usability of digital library systems. I'm an active member of the South African LoCo team and chair of our local LUG.

My main interests are in Python (I'm a core developer of ibid, a Python IRC bot), multimedia (I run a small online video service using FOSS), and general sysadmin on Debian (Amongst other things, I run a South African mirror).

I'm not an Ubuntu member, so this doubles as a membership application.

My Ubuntu story

Long version. Short Version:

I'm a long-time Debian user and sysadmin (since Woody), after starting on Linux with RedHat in the late 90s. Since Breezy, I've used Ubuntu on my laptops and been a tester and bug reporter (but not a developer).

Although I always intended to, I only got involved in Debian and Ubuntu development to get ibid into Debian & Ubuntu, early in 2010. Once I knew the procedures, I started applying them to other problems I came across in Ubuntu and have been doing some universe merging.

My involvement

I maintain a few packages in Debian, mostly python-related: Debian QA Page, LP Related Software.

I keep an eye on them in Ubuntu, too. With some backports for older releases here and sync requests where necessary.

I've been involved in the organisation of a few Ubuntu-ZA events, including:

  • The Karmic release party (primary organiser)
  • Ubuntu Global Jam March 2010 (primary organiser and only demonstrator)
  • Lucid release party (sysadmin)

I followed UDS-M remotely, participating in a few sessions via IRC, but mostly just sitting in for general interest where I didn't have any constructive input.

Examples of my work / Things I'm proud of

I try to be proud of everything I've done (although generally I'm not as happy as I should be) Smile :)

Sync Requests

  1. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/logilab-common/+bug/585329

  2. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/h5py/+bug/585014

  3. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dogtail/+bug/584125

  4. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/cx-bsdiff/+bug/583999

  5. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/aubio/+bug/583899 non-essential patch forwarded to Debian

  6. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/exactimage/+bug/583106 (patch forwarded to Debian first)

  7. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/acm4/+bug/581698

  8. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/amide/+bug/581511

  9. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/youtube-dl/+bug/562272 (FFe)

  10. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/imdbpy/+bug/532933 (FFe)

  11. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/527982 (own Debian package + FFe)

  12. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/522551 (own Debian package)

  13. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/522550 (own Debian package)

  14. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/522549 (own Debian package)

  15. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/522547 (own Debian package)

  16. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/configobj/+bug/521162 (main, own Debian QA Upload)

Merge Requests

  1. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pybliographer/+bug/585811

  2. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/dmg2img/+bug/584891 - Patch forwarded to Debian

  3. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ghostscript/+bug/584597 (main)

  4. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/fpm2/+bug/583127 - Patch forwarded upstream

  5. https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/cvm/+bug/582998 - Patch forwarded to Debian

Packaging

I maintain the following packages in Debian: ibid, objgraph, pyfiglet, pysilc, pystemmer, python-aalib, python-html2text, re2, snowball.

I've done Debian QA work on: configobj.

Areas of work

I'm a member of the debian-python team which overlaps with Ubuntu, but my mentors are not Ubuntu Developers.

I had some difficulty in syncing Ibid and its prerequisites in time for Lucid, but it was ACKed in the final weeks by BenjaminDrung.

Things I could do better

I could be more involved in debian-python, but choose to spend my free time on upstream work where possible.

Plans for the future

General

Get more involved in MOTU work and become a DD.

What I like least in Ubuntu

Ubuntu developers seem to have a hard time pushing patches upstream (either to Debian or the upstream developers). Yes, syncing and merging takes a lot longer when you do this, but it's the right thing to do and should save time in the long run. I intend to (and have begun) improve on this.

That Ubuntu has never worked flawlessly, out of the box, on my laptops (until I replace them, at which point Ubuntu supports the old one perfectly). But this is a good thing, because it keeps me running development releases Smile :)

I've attempted in the past to get Ubuntu to not require access to changelogs.ubuntu.com for online upgrades, LP Spec, but haven't made significant progress yet. This affects all the users at my University, as we are behind a firewall & NTLM proxy (with an Ubuntu mirror on our side).


Comments

Jonathan Carter

I've known Stefano for 7 years now via our local LUG and also Ubuntu-ZA. Stefano is extremely thorough and trustworthy. He's technically competent and very responsible. Stefano has wide interests and supports many users at the University of Cape Town. I believe that having MOTU rights would enable him to contribute bug fixes back into Ubuntu much better.


Endorsements

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

Piotr Ożarowski

FYI: I sponsor 6 Stefano's Python related packages in Debian and they're in good shape.


Charlie Smotherman

I ACK'd 3 sync requests of Stefano's during the lucid cycle. The sync requests where for packages that had just recently been uploaded to Debian. Thanks to the debian-python team (Piotr aka POX) the packages where in very good shape. The packages built, installed, purged and functioned as expected. I would trust Stefano to take care of the above mentioned packages.


Jakub Wilk

I sponsor 4 Stefano's packages in Debian; their quality were always up to par.


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 ===


CategoryMOTUApplication

StefanoRivera/MOTUApplication (last edited 2010-06-22 11:52:09 by holst)