TobySmithe

Revision 17 as of 2007-02-13 12:11:33

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Launchpad ID:

[https://launchpad.net/people/tsmithe tsmithe]

IRC:

tsmithe on irc.freenode.net

Email:

MailTo(toby.smithe AT gmail DOT com)

About me

I am a pupil at the Judd School in Tonbridge, and very supportive of the free software movement; as many of my friends and teachers will tell. My website is [http://tibsplace.co.uk], where I post my [http://tibsplace.co.uk/blog/index.php/politics political writings] and any progress on my way to getting free software ubiquitous.

About my involvement with Ubuntu

  • I have been an Ubuntu user since October 2005, first using Kubuntu Breezy, then (as I saw the subtleties of GNOME) moving to Ubuntu for the Dapper development cycle.
  • I have followed the development for every release since, filing and helping with bugs along the way and helping out with specs and translations for the en_GB language (which is the true English!).
  • The main spec I have been actively been participating in is ForumAmbassadors, which I feel will go a long way to bridge the (rather large) rift between regular, casual users and developers.

  • I am also learning the ropes as a MOTU, having written, packed and uploaded to REVU my [http://revu.tauware.de/details.py?upid=3725 first ever program]; which, being of use to me, I hope will be of use to others.

  • I also patched and packaged alsa-firmware (which is not currently in Ubuntu) and alsa-tools so that all the firmwares are in /lib/firmware and the loaders look for them there.
  • A quick [http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Toby+Smithe Google search on my name] will show a variety of mailing list posts I have written, but above and beyond that (and not quite so visible) is my participation in IRC (where I help users out - as much as I can with packaging and tech support - and pester for donations to my [http://tibsplace.co.uk/venezuela Venezuela fund] Smile :) ), and also my Launchpad team participation, where I am active in teams that I enjoy participating in.

  • I am also [http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=60364 pretty active on the Ubuntu Forums], where I try and do my best to help out; frequently checking out new support posts and trying to answer them. Not only does this help the community, but if there's something I don't understand, I can learn too!

  • Furthermore, I am a strong Ubuntu advocate, within my local community and soon overseas (going on a German exchange).
  • I am pushing for my school to embrace free software, and wrote to my MP, Greg Clark, to sign EDM 179 "Software In Schools". Unfortunately he could not do this, as it is not "party policy". I fail to see how using free software could ever not be party policy, but it seems to be in the Tories' view.
  • I have helped with the UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter, starting with Issue25, where I helped out with the Feisty Changes section, and proof-reading the entire document.

  • I have recently got involved with UbuntuStudio. I am working on the ubuntustudio-dev team as a developer, and am packaging packages, and working on bzr/Launchpad integration.

    • I have written the UbuntuStudio/bzr and the UsingBZR wiki pages to help the dev team.
    • I have also written the UbuntuStudio/CinelerraReview to coordinate the reviewing of the Cinelerra sources, so that the licences are set for inclusion in Universe.

      • As a result, I have created the cinelerra-cv product on Launchpad and initiated the conversion of upstream SVN to Launchpad bzr so that we can branch and work on it. Anyone who wants to help maintain Cinelerra can join the cinelerra-ubuntu team on Launchpad.
    • I have packaged Enblend 3, and Wired 0.4. Both of these are currently on REVU, and are waiting for a couple of things to be fixed, a la UbuntuStudio/ToPackage .

Where I want to go next

  • I would like to see Ubuntu used more widely in education. I have been pushing hard for this to happen, as my blog will show.
  • I would like to help maintain ALSA in Ubuntu. This originally started through my packaging of alsa-firmware to install to /lib/firmware; and patching alsa-tools to work with that. Both of these packages are on REVU.
  • I would like to see UbuntuStudio make a great success, and take the industry by storm. However, this unfortunately seems unlikely; though I try hard to not be pessimistic.


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