WORK IN PROGRESS

Welcome to the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, Issue #131 for the week February 22nd - February 28th, 2009. In this issue we cover ...

UWN Translations

• Note to translators and our readers: We are trying a new way of linking to our translations pages. Please follow the link below for the information you need.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter/Translations

In This Issue

General Community News

Jaunty Alpha 5 Released

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-announce/2009-February/000540.html

Needed: Countdown to Jaunty Banners

https://lists.canonical.com/archives/ubuntu-website/2009-February/000558.html

Ubuntu Global Bug Jam Success

http://www.jonobacon.org/2009/02/24/ubuntu-global-bug-jam-success/

Voting for New MOTU Council

It has been decided to increase the MOTU council to seven seats. There are 3 community members up for nomination for the empty seats.

The nominees and their wiki pages:

• Daniel Holbach - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DanielHolbach

• Nathan Handler - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/nhandler

• Jonathan Daveies - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/JonathanDavies

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2009-February/027587.html

Ubuntu Server: Call for testing(Suspend, Hibernate, Resume)

http://blog.dustinkirkland.com/2009/02/ubuntu-server-suspendhibernateresume.html

Next Ubuntu Hug Day!

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-news-team/2009-February/000423.html

Developer News: Issue #2

The second edition of Ubuntu Developer News is out. For past items or to submit your own please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com UbuntuDevelopment/News More submissions for the developer news would be very much appreciated.

In this issue of the Developer News they discuss the following:

• Karmic Koala Announced
• Jaunty Feature Freeze
• Per-package uploaders and developer team structure
• Python 2.6
• Removal of aRts
• Progress of the Mono 2.0 transition
• Packaging large Java stacks
• Kernel Stable Release Updates
• White-listing external repositories in apturl
• Kernel changes in Jaunty
• Hardware Clock handling
• The Stracciatella GNOME session
• Pulseaudio in Jaunty
• Status of Sugar on Ubuntu
• Kubuntu and ports
• Reinhard Tartler (siretart) resigns as MOTU Launchpad Liason
• MySQL and Amarok
• New REVU Coordinator
• Ubuntu Studio in Jaunty
• Brainstorm for packaging requests?
• REVU gets Filtering and Tags
• Tools
• Developer Changes
• Meeting Minutes/Weekly Reports

You can read a short summary of the above points by following the link below.

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-announce/2009-February/000537.html

Ubuntu Stats

Bug Stats

• Open (#) +/- # over last week
• Critical (#) +/- # over last week
• Unconfirmed (#) +/- # over last week
• Unassigned (#) +/- # over last week
• All bugs ever reported (#) +/- # over last week

As always, the Bug Squad needs more help. If you want to get started, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad

Infamous Bugs

Translation Stats Jaunty

1. Language (#) +/- # over last week
2. Language (#) +/- # over last week
3. Language (#) +/- # over last week
4. Language (#) +/- # over last week
5. Language (#) +/- # over last week

Remaining strings to translate in Ubuntu 9.04 "Jaunty Jackalope," see more at: https://translations.launchpad.net/ubuntu/jaunty/

Translation Stats Intrepid

1. Language (#) +/- # over last week
2. Language (#) +/- # over last week
3. Language (#) +/- # over last week
4. Language (#) +/- # over last week
5. Language (#) +/- # over last week

Remaining strings to translate in Ubuntu 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex," see more at: https://translations.launchpad.net/ubuntu/intrepid/

5-a-day bug stats

Top 5 contributors for the past 7 days

• person (#)
• person (#)
• person (#)
• person (#)
• person (#)

Top 5 teams for the past 7 days

• team (#)
• team (#)
• team (#)
• team (#)
• team (#)

5-A-Day stats provided by Daniel Holbach. See http://daniel.holba.ch/5-a-day-stats/

Ubuntu Brainstorm Top 5 this week

• heading
• heading
• heading
• heading
• heading

Ubuntu Brainstorm is a community site geared toward letting you add your ideas for Ubuntu. You can submit your own idea, or vote for or against another idea. http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/

LoCo News

Philadelphia Bug Jam

On Saturday Feb. 21st, the Philadelphia team of Ubuntu US Pennsylvania hosted their BugJam. PLUG member Art Alexion graciously offered them space at Resources for Human Development. They had a great room with wired connections for the event, and access to a kitchen for their eats. People started arriving around noon and they got things set up, retrieved the Oreo Cake and sticky buns donated by Pechter’s Bread.

The team started things off on a social level, answering basic questions, and getting everyone online with launchpad accounts. Lyz, (pleia2) had drafted some handouts the night before, and Jim Fisher supplied a bunch of printouts of the bug workflow charts. When people were finally settled in Connor Imes did a short presentation tour of the important Wiki pages and basics on how to find and handle bugs. The team did a great job with 9 participants and 6 hours of work. Pictures at the link.

http://princessleia.com/journal/?p=1464

Chicago Bug Jam

The Bug Jam started out with introductions all around before it got down to some major bug squashing. All over the room, they had people triaging and fixing bugs. Whenever somebody had a question, there was usually someone in the room who had the answer. However, even with all of the knowledgeable people that were present at the event, a question regarding 5-a-day came up that nobody knew the answer to. Calls to several people in the greater Ubuntu Community finally produced an answer. All in all the Chicago Bug Jam was a success, and one team member really saw the meaning of what the Ubuntu Community is all about.

http://nhandler.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/chicago-global-bug-jam-2009/

Ubuntu-UK Bug Jam

http://blog.daviey.com/blogroll/ubuntu-uk-community-bug-jam-09.html

Ubuntu Arizona has a new website!

http://johnc4510.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/arizona-loco-team-has-new-website/

New in Intrepid Ibex

Launchpad News

Launchpad Performance Week Roundup

http://blog.launchpad.net/launchpad-performance-week/roundup-of-the-first-launchpad-performance-week

Launchpad 2.2.2 Released

http://blog.launchpad.net/releases/launchpad-222-easier-upstream-bug-linking

Meet Michael Hudson

http://blog.launchpad.net/meet-the-devs/meet-michael-hudson

Ubuntu Forums News

In The Press

Ubuntu 9.04's new login screen and more

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ubuntu-9-04-039-s-New-Login-Screen-105319.shtml

Ubuntu bets on desktop sparkle

http://mybroadband.co.za/news/Software/7103.html

Ubuntu allies with Amazon and Dell

http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=3558

Netbook nightmare: My experiences with the Sylvania g netbook

http://broadcast.oreilly.com/2009/02/netbook-nightmare-my-experienc.html(concentrate on the conclusion which is ubuntu oriented please)

Subtle improvements to Ubuntu 9.04 Alpha 5

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NzA5Mw

A quick look at the New Notifications in Ubuntu 9.04

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Softpedia-Linux-Weekly-Issue-34-105110.shtml#0 (NOTE: just use the info from the title above as this is from a Linux News Weekly issue)

Review: Ubuntu Mobile Edition

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/reviews/article.php/3807391

In The Blogosphere

Ubuntu runs one of every 3 Dell Netbooks sold

http://www.netbookdigest.com/2009/02/24/ubuntu-runs-on-one-of-every-three-dell-netbooks-sold/

Ubuntu is the new Windoze...Only Better...By Far

http://www.yorefoundation.com/features/tech-tuesdays/2009/02/tech-tuesday/

Ubuntu 9.10: Better, or just better looking?

http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/22/ubuntu-910-better-or-just-better-looking/

Ubuntu vs OSX smackdown

http://shapeshed.com/journal/ubuntu_v_osx_smackdown/ (be sure to look and include the conclusion in the last 2 paragraphs please)

Is Red Hat taking aim at Ubuntu

http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/25/red-hat-taking-aim-at-ubuntu/

Unified Communications for Ubuntu Server Edition

http://www.workswithu.com/2009/02/23/unified-communication-on-ubuntu-server-edition-special-delivery/

Why new Linux users should try Ubuntu first

http://codingexperiments.com/why-linux-users-should-try-ubuntu-first/

In Other News

Ubuntu podcast #20

http://ubuntupodcast.net/

Full Circle Magazine #22

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-news-team/2009-February/000424.html

UK government backs open source

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7910110.stm

Random Ubuntu Sightings

Bumping into Ubuntu users

http://beuno.com.ar/archives/130

London Bus Shelter

http://mdzlog.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/random-ubuntu-sighting/

Meeting Summaries

February 2009 Team Reports

Ubuntu Technical Board

Meeting 2009-02-10

• Members present: Colin Watson (acting chair), Mark Shuttleworth, Matt Zimmerman, Scott James Remnant
• Patent policy
  • Assigned to Jono, but no progress to report yet. Still on the radar because it blocks another TB ruling (ffmpeg).
• Policy for per-package upload permissions
  • Emmet Hikory sent a proposal to the Technical Board mailing list, which was discussed and largely agreed with a few generalisations (remove language making it specific to small sets of packages and small numbers of developers, and remove text about the lack of an existing maintenance team). The Board will deal with final polishing and ratify the proposal out of band.
• cdrtools
  • Mark gave an update on the cdrtools inclusion situation. Joerg Schilling has declined to grant a specific permission on his CDDL code, and in the absence of that (or in the absence of a broader discussion between CDDL and GPL stakeholders to resolve the licence incompatibility), Eben Moglen of SFLC informs us that we cannot ship cdrtools. For the time being, the matter is closed.
• Kernel firmware licensing
  • The Technical Board was approached with concerns about unclear licensing on specific firmware components shipped in Ubuntu. The kernel team has investigated this and has cleared everything except the DVB firmware, which is still a work in progress. This is on track for 9.04. In future, Pete Graner will review licences on all new firmware. This does not represent a change in firmware licensing policy, but rather simply ensuring that Ubuntu has the legal right to redistribute each item of firmware.
• Kernel team upload privileges
  • Pete Graner asked the Technical Board to consider restricted upload privileges to kernel packages for Stefan Bader, who is responsible for kernel maintenance in stable releases. The Board approved Stefan's application and welcomed him to the development team.

Ubuntu Development Teams

Xubuntu Team

Artwork:

• Preliminary ideas for Jaunty artwork.

Bug Triage:

• Fixed the pages on the Xubuntu wiki for Bugs-Triage; made sure they agree with QA bugsquad pages.
• Triaged a good number of bugs, some of the Xubuntu bugsquad participated in the Global Bug Jam, which was a big success.

• Got many bugs fixed thanks to the successful upload of AbiWord 2.6.6 and Xfce 4.6 RC1.

Community:

• Following the Grow the Xubuntu Community -specification: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Xubuntu/Roadmap/Specifications/Jaunty/GrowXubuntuCommunity

Documentation:

• Jim and Pasi are working to make Yelp look more Xubuntuish on Xubuntu.
• Jim has been integrating updates from Ubuntu documentation into Xubuntu docs, and is finding the merge process helpful in fixing bugs and incorporating info about new features.
• Much of the Xubuntu-specific documentation still needs to be written, but some of it can be adapted from previous versions of Xubuntu docs.
• Jim will be filing bugs against problem areas to help direct people to areas where they can pitch-in during a Xubuntu-doc hug day.

Marketing:

• Committed a patch to website which fixes layout problems on Internet Explorer. (This patch is pending an RT ticket.)

• Following the Grow the Xubuntu Community -specification: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Xubuntu/Roadmap/Specifications/Jaunty/GrowXubuntuCommunity

Packaging, Development, & Testing:

• Released Alpha 4
• Uploaded all of Xfce 4.6 RC1 (Big Thanks to Lionel, Michael, Jeromeg, and the Debian Xfce Team).
• Moved all our packages into bazaar branches and setup a number of imports for Xfce components.
• Jeromeg uploaded xfce-switch-plugin (a user session switcher applet).
• Lionel uploaded a new version of gigolo (formerly known as Sion).
• Mario patched xfce4-session to not show the tips screen on first log in.
• Jeromeg uploaded xfce4-power-manager.
• Nathan Handler (nhandler) has been working with the samba browser patch for Thunar.

Mobile Team

Spent some time reviewing the specs. In summary these are:

• The open source components of Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR) will be fully integrated into the Jaunty release. An installation image will be created by the distro team using the standard distro tools (ubiquity)and this will include a modified seed and a modified set of applications. These are:
  • netbook-config # a default UNR configuration (gconf settings, etc..)
  • netbook-launcher # the UNR launcher
  • desktop-switcher # a switcher between UNR desktop and gnome
  • human-netbook-theme # the default UNR theme
  • maximus # a window maximizer daemon
  • window-picker-applet # a window picker panel applet
  • go-home-applet # a go home panel applet
  • webfav # a firefox extension to save bookmarks to UNR launcher

    The source for most of these packages is available at https://code.edge.launchpad.net/unr The image will also include standard Ubuntu packages that were modified by the OEM Services Group most notably to make the UI fit in 576 vertical pixels. Also a modified kernel is available here http://kernel.ubuntu.com/git?p=mid-team/hardy-netbook.git;a=summary

• For the Mobile images a mobile setup wizard allows user-customisation post-install to better support OEM rollouts. The setup questions asked were reviewed
• The seeds for the Mobile flavours reflect the concepts inherent midway through the intrepid development cycle, and management thereof has not been adjusted to reflect changes in 8.10 final, those expected as part of jaunty, or those expected in preparation for the archive reorganisation. The Mobile seeds shall be adjusted to match a model expected to be stable for the next few cycles. This is not an end user visible specification
• Provide a softboot loader for ARM to address outstanding issues with the wide variety of methods used to boot ARM devices. One of the major problems with the ARM architecture is that there is no standardized boot framework like EFI/BIOS on a PC, or Open Firmware on a Mac, which makes supporting Ubuntu on ARM a rather difficult process since not only the kernel must be tweaked, but we also must add support to d-i for each boot configuration we want to support. The basis of the soft boot loader is to get a system to a point where it can load the main operating system. It makes more sense to use the Linux kernel to load all the necessary devices (IDE,USB etc), load the main kernel image, and then boot into it
• With the armel architecture (Ubuntu supports the ARMv7 architecture) appearing in ubuntu it needs to be identified which selection of images should be built. ARM uses very specific boot methods for hardware that can vary from board to board, the currently vfat/syslinux or iso9660/isolinux image setup used for other architectures will not boot right away, ARM will need special treatment and we need to identify a bootloader process that works for the majority of the devices.
• Reviewing the lpia v i386 issue. The lpia architecture is a maintenance burden for Ubuntu; we need to make sure it's useful enough or dropped: either by asserting that it is useful enough, or by changing it into something more useful. The lpia architecture also creates problems of its own (incompatibility with third party .debs)
• David also cleaned up mobile related specs in Launchpad

Romanian Team

• New design for the Planet Ubuntu-ro page. Theme can be found in bzr (https://code.edge.launchpad.net/~alexeftimie/ubuntu-ro/planet). The page look like this: http://planet.ubuntu.ro/

• Committed our http://forum.ubuntu.ro theme and hacks we use with FluxBB: https://code.edge.launchpad.net/~sushkov/ubuntu-ro/forum

Colombian Team

• Begin of the project of training to the members of the community on IRC Classrooms: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ColombianTeam/Classrooms

• We made a Pre Ubuntu Global Bug Jam, where Andres Mujica taught us how to work in the BugSquad and in the Global Bug Jam - Photo Gallery: http://picasaweb.google.com/noticias.ubuntu.colombia/PreUbuntuGlobalBugJamColombia#

• Whe participate in the Ubuntu Global Bug Jam: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ColombianTeam/GlobalBugJam - Photo Gallery: http://picasaweb.google.com/noticias.ubuntu.colombia/UbuntuCoGlobalBugJam#

Chicago Team

• Planned for the Ubuntu global Bug Jam, securing office space & reaching out to members of the Free Software community who aren't regular participants in Ubuntu-specific events.

• Actually participated in the Ubuntu Global Bug Jam, including about 25 on-site participants over two days!
• Discussed possibility of updating the Ubuntu-Chicago website using the drupal loco-team template.

Florida Team

• The Tampa Linux meeting of the Florida LoCo was held Saturday, Feb 7, 2009. The attendees set the direction for the next few monthly meetups and we managed to help a fellow member repair his Ubuntu installation. The meeting brought a bunch of new faces and several returning for more! Next meeting will be held on 7 March 2009. Meetup info: http://meetup.com/Tampa-Linux for details!

• The Florida Team participated in the Ubuntu Global Bug Jam. We met several new contributors and triaged over a hundred bugs.
• Planning continues for the 3/9/2009 Florida Linux Show. Ubuntu Florida will be exhibiting and demoing Ubuntu and new Jaunty features.
• Next Meeting Date 3/3/2009

Pennsylvania Team

• Planned and promoted the Feb.21st Bug Jam: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PennsylvaniaTeam/EventsTeam/PhiladelphiaFeb2009BugJam

• Hosted Bug Jam!

  • Photos: http://gallery.ubuntupennsylvania.org/main.php?g2_itemId=523

  • Blog Post: http://princessleia.com/journal/?p=1464

Jordan Team

• Jad has resigned from Ubuntu Jordan. Khamis and Faisal taking care of the team now

Ubuntu Arabic

• Jad is about to resign, still need to find a new team lead/contact.

Irish Team

• Hosted Ubuntu Global Bug Jam
  • Blog posts:

    • http://meanmachine.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/ubuntu-ie-global-bug-jam-story/

  • Pictures:

    • Hard at work: http://twitpic.com/1ltp4

    • Showing how it's done http://twitpic.com/1lw2q

    • Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mean-machine/tags/globalbugjamfebruary09/

Arizona Team

• Received two new servers, rack space, and Internet connnection(all donated): https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ArizonaTeam/Teams/Server

• New Team Website: http://azloco.com/

• Four IRC Meetings: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ArizonaTeam/Meetings

• Three Team Newletters: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ArizonaTeam/Newsletters

• One Installfest(Tucson): https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ArizonaTeam/Installfest/Intrepid-Tucson

Full Circle Magazine

• Issue #21 was released on time, and has been downloaded nearly 20,000 times.
• Translations uploaded: #19 Italian. #20 Hungarian, Chinese and Turkish. #21 Russian.
• All book and badge prizes up to #21 sent off, finally. Sorry for the delay folks!
• FCM#22 nearly complete, just need to add a couple of space filler ads, some news, and it'll be ready for release this coming Friday, 27th February.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Ubuntu Women Meeting

• Start: 17:00 UTC
• End: 18:00 UTC
• Location: #ubuntu-women on irc.freenode.net

• Agenda: http://wiki.ubuntu-women.org/Meetings/20090301

Monday, March 2, 2009

EMEA Membership Board Meeting

• Start: 20:00 UTC
• End: 22:00 UTC
• Location: #ubuntu-meeting

• Agenda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Membership/RegionalBoards/EMEA

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Asia Oceania Membership Board Meeting

• Start: 15:00 UTC
• End: 16:00 UTC
• Location: #ubuntu-meeting

• Agenda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Membership/RegionalBoards/AsiaOceania

Server Team Meeting

• Start: 16:00 UTC
• End: 17:00 UTC
• Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting

• Agenda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ServerTeam/Meeting

Desktop Team Meeting

• Start: 16:30 UTC
• End: 17:30 UTC
• Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-desktop

• Agenda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DesktopTeam/Meeting

Kernel Team Meeting

• Start: 17:00 UTC
• End: 18:00 UTC
• Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting
• Agenda: Not listed as of publication

Community Council Meeting

• Start: 21:00 UTC
• End: 23:00 UTC
• Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting

• Agenda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/CommunityCouncilAgenda

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Ubuntu-us-pa LoCo Team Meeting

• Start: 12:30 UTC
• End: 13:30 UTC
• Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-us-pa
• Agenda: None as of publication

Foundation Team Meeting

• Start: 16:00 UTC
• End: 17:00 UTC
• Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting
• Agenda: None listed as of publication

QA Team Meeting

• Start: 17:00 UTC
• End: 18:00 UTC
• Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting

• Agenda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/Meetings/

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Ubuntu Mobile Team Meeting

• Start: 12:00 UTC
• End: 13:00 UTC
• Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting
• Agenda: None listed as of publication

Ubuntu Java Meeting

• Start: 14:00 UTC
• End: 15:00 UTC
• Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting
• Agenda: None listed as of publication

Friday, March 6, 2009

Jaunty Weekly Release Meeting

• Start: 15:00 UTC
• End: 16:00 UTC
• Location: #ubuntu-meeting

• Agenda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReleaseTeam/Meeting/2009-03-06

Community Spotlight

Updates and Security for 6.06, 7.10, 8.04, and 8.10

Security Updates

Ubuntu 6.06 Updates

Ubuntu 7.10 Updates

Ubuntu 8.04 Updates

Ubuntu 8.10 Updates

UWN #: A sneak peek

Archives and RSS Feed

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Additional Ubuntu News

As always you can find more news and announcements at:

• http://www.ubuntu.com/news

and

• http://fridge.ubuntu.com/

Conclusion

Thank you for reading the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter.

See you next week!

Credits

The Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter is brought to you by:

• John Crawford
• Craig A. Eddy
• Jeff Martin
• Your Name Here
• And many others

Glossary of Terms

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