Issue273


Contents

  1. In This Issue
  2. Ubuntu Stats
    1. Bug Stats
    2. Translation Stats Precise
    3. Ubuntu Brainstorm Top this week
    4. Ask Ubuntu Top 5 Questions this week
  3. LoCo News
    1. Ubuntu-BR-SC LoCo Team Blog Launches New Visual Identity
  4. Launchpad News
    1. Meet Vincent Ladeuil who works in the Blue Squad on Launchpad
    2. Meet Martin Packman in the Blue squad
    3. We’re hiring software engineers to work on cloud projects in Canonical
    4. Are you a technical writer -Want to work with amazing people and great team- Come join us
  5. Ubuntu Cloud News
    1. EC2 S3 Mirrors globally available
  6. The Planet
    1. Lucas Nussbaum: Introducing the Debian Maintainer Dashboard — help needed!
    2. Lubuntu Blog: Quantal UI Improvements
    3. Nicholas Skaggs: Call for Testing: 12.10 kernel on 12.04 -- Part Deux
    4. Daniel Holbach: Making better apps possible
    5. Jonathan Carter: Facebook ads for MOTU?
    6. James Henstridge: u1ftp: a demonstration of the Ubuntu One API
  7. Canonical News
    1. Ubuntu server 12.04: Fast and flexible
  8. In The Press
    1. Why Google and Ubuntu don't say “Linux”
    2. Shuttleworth: Why Windows 8 made us ditch GPL Linux loader
  9. In The Blogosphere
    1. Does Ubuntu Need More “Apps”?
    2. Ubuntu Security: Is There a Threat?
    3. Software Updater updated with refreshed look in Ubuntu 12.10
    4. Ubuntu Shaped Crop Circles Appear in Italy
    5. ARM Wrestling: Fedora 17 vs. Ubuntu Linux
    6. Red Hat & Ubuntu’s UEFI solutions not good for FOSS
  10. In Other News
    1. 4 Fine Linux ARM Distros
  11. Other Articles of Interest
  12. Featured Podcasts
    1. Fullcircle Podcast Episode 29 – The Great Train Poddery
    2. Ubuntu Podcast from the UK LoCo: S05E10 – The Tale of the Pie and the Patty Pan
  13. Weekly Ubuntu Development Team Meetings
  14. Upcoming Meetings and Events
  15. Updates and Security for 8.04, 10.04, 11.04, 11.10 and 12.04
    1. Security Updates
    2. Ubuntu 8.04 Updates
    3. Ubuntu 10.04 Updates
    4. Ubuntu 11.04 Updates
    5. Ubuntu 11.10 Updates
    6. Ubuntu 12.04 Updates
  16. Subscribe
  17. Archives
  18. Additional Ubuntu News
  19. Conclusion
  20. Credits
  21. Glossary of Terms
  22. Ubuntu - Get Involved
  23. Feedback

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Welcome to the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, Issue 273 for the week July 2 - 8, 2012.

In This Issue

  • Ubuntu Stats

  • Ubuntu-BR-SC LoCo Team Blog Launches New Visual Identity

  • Launchpad News
  • EC2 S3 Mirrors globally available
  • Lucas Nussbaum: Introducing the Debian Maintainer Dashboard — help needed!
  • Lubuntu Blog: Quantal UI Improvements
  • Nicholas Skaggs: Call for Testing: 12.10 kernel on 12.04 -- Part Deux
  • Daniel Holbach: Making better apps possible
  • Jonathan Carter: Facebook ads for MOTU?
  • James Henstridge: u1ftp: a demonstration of the Ubuntu One API
  • Ubuntu server 12.04: Fast and flexible
  • Why Google and Ubuntu don't say “Linux”
  • Shuttleworth: Why Windows 8 made us ditch GPL Linux loader
  • In The Blogosphere
  • In Other News
  • Other Articles of Interest
  • Featured Podcasts
  • Weekly Ubuntu Development Team Meetings
  • Upcoming Meetings and Events
  • Updates and Security for 8.04, 10.04, 11.04, 11.10 and 12.04
  • And much more!

Ubuntu Stats

Bug Stats

  • Open (93884) +31 over last week
  • Critical (71) +1 over last week
  • Unconfirmed (48228) -75 over last week

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

Translation Stats Precise

  • English (Australia) (2) -512 over last week
  • Spanish (10787) -61 over last week
  • English (United Kingdom) (20268) -424 over last week
  • Bosnian (37161) -52 over last week
  • German (46257) -56 over last week

Remaining strings to translate in Ubuntu 12.04 "Precise Pangolin", see more at: https://translations.launchpad.net/ubuntu/precise/ and https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Translations

Ubuntu Brainstorm Top this week

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/

Ask Ubuntu Top 5 Questions this week

Ask (and answer!) your own questions at http://askubuntu.com

LoCo News

Ubuntu-BR-SC LoCo Team Blog Launches New Visual Identity

Tiago Hillderbrandt presents a new design for Ubuntu-BR-SC LoCo Team’s blog, called Ubuntu Way.

http://tiagohillebrandt.eti.br/blog/ubuntu-br-sc-loco-team-blog-launches-new-visual-identity.html

Launchpad News

Meet Vincent Ladeuil who works in the Blue Squad on Launchpad

Laura Czajkowski interviews Vincent Ladeuil, one of the current Blue Squad maintainers, about his work at Canonical, role/work at Launchpad, free software experience and much more.

http://blog.launchpad.net/meet-the-devs/meet-vincent-ladeuil-who-works-in-the-blue-squad-on-launchpad

Meet Martin Packman in the Blue squad

Laura Czajkowski interviews Martin Packman, one of the current Blue Squad maintainers, about his work at Canonical, role/work at Launchpad, free software experience and much more.

http://blog.launchpad.net/meet-the-devs/meet-martin-packman-in-the-blue-squad

We’re hiring software engineers to work on cloud projects in Canonical

Laura Czajkowski announces that Launchpad is hiring software engineers to work on cloud projects in Canonical. Czajkowski states: “Alongside four or five other engineers, you’ll be part of an agile engineering squad, in Canonical’s Launchpad team, working in either a new development or maintenance role on a different cloud-related project every six to nine months. Your work will touch projects such as OpenStack, MAAS, AWSome and the Launchpad SaaS developer tools platform.”

http://blog.launchpad.net/were-hiring/were-hiring-software-engineers-to-work-on-cloud-projects-in-canonical

Are you a technical writer -Want to work with amazing people and great team- Come join us

Laura Czajkowski announces that Launchpad is hiring technical writers. Czajkowski states: “As technical writer in Canonical’s Launchpad team you’ll find the best way to ensure that users and developers of our software understand its benefits and how to use it. Whether it’s traditional documentation, screen casts or blog posts, you’ll find it easy to choose the right medium and you’ll have all the skills necessary to produce compelling, involving and effective content.”

http://blog.launchpad.net/were-hiring/are-you-a-technical-writer-want-to-work-with-amazing-people-and-great-team-come-join-us

Ubuntu Cloud News

EC2 S3 Mirrors globally available

Ben Howard writes that in “an effort to improve reliability of the Ubuntu archive mirrors, Canonical undertook a project to host the archives utilized by EC2 instances with Amazon’s S3” and announces that, following the move of us-east-1 to Amazon S3, all remaining EC2 regions have now been migrated to S3.

http://utlemming.azurewebsites.net/?p=451

The Planet

Lucas Nussbaum: Introducing the Debian Maintainer Dashboard — help needed!

Lucas Nussbaum introduces Debian Maintainer Dashboard. Some of the dashboard’s features include:

  • Reports buildd issues (failed builds)
  • Upstream status monitor that works (UDD has its own)
  • Knows about teams’ VCS (if your team uses PET) and displays the current version in the VCS
  • Lists packages you maintain or co-maintain, and also the packages you showed interest in by subscribing to them on the PTS

Nussbaum also writes how he needs help with web design. So, anyyone who is interested can contact him for further information.

http://www.lucas-nussbaum.net/blog/?p=722

Lubuntu Blog: Quantal UI Improvements

The Lubuntu Artwork Team is working toward revamping many of the UI elements, including an improved icon theme and a redesigned GTK2/GTK3 theme. The Wallpaper Contest is still ongoing, and submissions are still being accepted through Flickr.

http://lubuntublog.blogspot.com/2012/07/quantal-ui-improvements.html

Nicholas Skaggs: Call for Testing: 12.10 kernel on 12.04 -- Part Deux

Nicolas Skaggs announces a call for kernel testing, together with instructions. Skaggs states: “As announced earlier the kernel team is looking for some folks to help bring the 12.10 kernel to 12.04. Once 12.10 has been released, the team wants to enable newer hardware support via the kernel for the LTS version of the desktop.”

http://www.theorangenotebook.com/2012/07/call-for-testing-1210-kernel-on-1204.html

Daniel Holbach: Making better apps possible

Daniel Holbach posts about the recent Ubuntu Apps Sprint and covers their progress, including:

  • Number of bugs fixed in arb-lint.
  • Smaller issues in packaging which were related to bugs in python-distutils-extra are fixed.
  • Problems with apport hooks in apps which are now solved.
  • Allison’s Trello board set up and review of many apps.

http://daniel.holba.ch/blog/2012/07/making-better-apps-possible/

Jonathan Carter: Facebook ads for MOTU?

Jonathan Carter writes about ways how to attract more people to Ubuntu as a MOTU and discusses his experience with a Facebook ad where he states: “The ad was displayed a total of 20,661 times. That’s what Facebook considers it’s “outreach”. So out of the 129,520 users who were targeted, it was displayed for 20,661 of them. 59 people clicked on the link (that’s about as far as you can get with $25).

Did it get more people interested in contributing to Ubuntu? I have no idea. This experiment was mostly to see what $25 gets you in ads.”

Carters says he still prefers Google+ as the way for attracting more people to Ubuntu since, as he writes, there are more geeky people who are eager to share information.

http://jonathancarter.org/2012/07/04/facebook-ads-for-motu/

James Henstridge: u1ftp: a demonstration of the Ubuntu One API

James Henstridge shares a small program he wrote to showcase the power of the Ubuntu One API. The program makes a users’ files available via a FTP daemon running on localhost, meaning that a users’ files can be made available by use of a file manager or FTP client without needing the actual Ubuntu One client installed.

http://blogs.gnome.org/jamesh/2012/07/05/u1ftp/

Canonical News

Ubuntu server 12.04: Fast and flexible

Canonical announces a webinar on the deployment of Ubuntu server. “Join Matthew Revell and Mark Baker from the Ubuntu Server team to learn about ... new technologies and how they can help you benefit from the same infrastructure as the world’s leading web scale companies.”

http://www.canonical.com/about-canonical/news-and-events/events/2012/07/12/live-webinar/ubuntu-server-1204-fast-and-flexible

In The Press

Why Google and Ubuntu don't say “Linux”

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols of ZDNet has some thoughts of why Ubuntu and Google “don’t use the “L” word” and writes “You see this isn't about reality. It's about perception. Canonical and Google rather than try to fight how Linux is seen by most people ... have chosen to dodge the Linux brand issue entirely.”

http://www.zdnet.com/why-google-and-ubuntu-dont-say-linux-7000000221/

Shuttleworth: Why Windows 8 made us ditch GPL Linux loader

Gavin Clarke of The Register reports on Mark Suttleworth’s explanation as to why they decided to switch from the GPL licensed GRUB2 boot loader to Intel’s efilinux. Clarke writes: “According to Shuttleworth, this decision was taken because there is too much uncertainty surrounding the terms of the FSF's GPL v3 and its implications for Ubuntu's secret signing key.”

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/07/06/shuttleworth_responds_uefi/

In The Blogosphere

Does Ubuntu Need More “Apps”?

The VAR Guy shares thoughts about the tech ecosystem that is pushing “App” development and Canonical’s own recent push to add more “Apps” to the Ubuntu operating system. He expresses concern over changing Ubuntu’s packaging and software-distribution system to accommodate the new “App” developers.

http://www.thevarguy.com/2012/07/01/does-ubuntu-need-more-apps/

Ubuntu Security: Is There a Threat?

Matt Hartley of Datamation writes about some of the threats that exist on Ubuntu (and Linux) when it comes to keeping the system secure. Hartley covers the danger of unknown commands, antivirus software to help protect Windows systems your Linux machine may share a network with: firewalls, file sharing, updates and encryption and more.

http://www.datamation.com/open-source/ubuntu-security-is-there-a-threat-1.html

Software Updater updated with refreshed look in Ubuntu 12.10

Razvi of iloveubuntu.com covers the renaming of Update Manager to Software Updater, including screenshots of style changes also made with this new version.

http://iloveubuntu.net/software-updater-updated-refreshed-look-ubuntu-1210

Ubuntu Shaped Crop Circles Appear in Italy

Joey Sheddon, OMG! Ubuntu, posts about Ubuntu-shaped impressions which appeared in wheat fields in Italy. There are questions about who could have possibly done it. Sheddons states: ”So what is causing the grain-groping geometry? UFOs? Aliens? Pranksters? The answer as to what is making them – and why they chose to draw the Ubuntu logo – remains a mystery.”

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/07/ubuntu-shaped-crop-circles-appear-in-italy

ARM Wrestling: Fedora 17 vs. Ubuntu Linux

Michael Larabel of Phoronix installs ARM versions of Fedora and Ubuntu on a PandaBoard and shares benchmarks. He concludes “While Fedora 17 on ARM is progressing nicely, unfortunately due to the OMAP4460 PandaBoard ES not being properly supported with its default kernel for the PandaBoard, the performance is sub-par to Ubuntu. However, as ARM hardware becomes increasingly common for low-powered desktops, it will be interesting to see how the major Linux distributions wrestle it out on the ARM front.”

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=fedora17_arm_wrestling&num=1

Red Hat & Ubuntu’s UEFI solutions not good for FOSS

Chris Hall of FOSS Force writes about concerns with both Red Hat and Ubuntu’s UEFI solutions, and says “Instead of cooperating with Microsoft’s bid to put a lock on the operating system market, we should be fighting them. For starters, it would appear there are some antitrust issues that could possibly be pursued. Maybe Google could put some pressure on companies making Android ARM devices to just say no to Secure Boot without an easy-to-use “off” button.”

http://fossforce.com/2012/07/red-hat-ubuntus-uefi-solutions-good-foss/

In Other News

4 Fine Linux ARM Distros

Carla Schroder writes for Linux.com writes about the increase in interest in ARM for linux and shares details about “four good distros cram-full of ARM fun:” Arch Linux, Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora.

https://www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/598228:4-fine-linux-arm-distros-

Fullcircle Podcast Episode 29 – The Great Train Poddery

Full Circle presents their newly formatted podcast hosted by members of Blackpool LUG. Topics in this show include:

  • Raspberry Jam Manchester Review
  • CHUG – An Impromptu Recording
  • Tony’s Interviews From the Event
  • ROUNDTABLE INTERVIEW – The Hosts and Ben Nuttall
  • Linux News
  • Review of Full Circle Magazine issue #61
  • Feedback, plans for the future and upcoming events

More details and podcast downloads in OGG and MP3 format available here:

http://fullcirclemagazine.org/2012/07/04/fullcircle-podcast-episode-29-the-great-train-poddery/

Ubuntu Podcast from the UK LoCo: S05E10 – The Tale of the Pie and the Patty Pan

“Alan Pope & Mark Johnson (with the spirit of Tony Whitmore and Laura Cowen egging us on via IRC) move to Studio B for the tenth episode of Season Five of the Ubuntu Podcast from the UK LoCo Team!”

Topics included:

  • Writing Unity Lenses and ASP pages.
  • Review the games available via the Humble Bundle and via the Ubuntu Software Centre.
  • Interview Michael Hall about the Ubuntu App Developer Showdown
  • Victoria Pritchard and Robin Catling dig up another audio recording of an episode of ‘Tomorrow’s Technology Today’ from the Herbert Maxwell Fosdyke Curmudgeon Memorial Sound Archive.
  • Details about their competition to give away one of a brand new highly sought after Raspberry Pis
  • News and upcoming events

More details and podcast downloads in OGG and MP3 format available here:

http://podcast.ubuntu-uk.org/2012/07/04/s05e10-the-tale-of-the-pie-and-the-patty-pan/

Weekly Ubuntu Development Team Meetings

Upcoming Meetings and Events

For upcoming meetings and events please visit the calendars at fridge.ubuntu.com: http://fridge.ubuntu.com/calendars/

Updates and Security for 8.04, 10.04, 11.04, 11.10 and 12.04

Security Updates

Ubuntu 8.04 Updates

End of life - April 2013 (Server)

Ubuntu 10.04 Updates

End of Life - April 2013 (Desktop) - April 2015 (Server)

Ubuntu 11.04 Updates

End of Life - October 2012

Ubuntu 11.10 Updates

End of Life - April 2013

Ubuntu 12.04 Updates

End of Life - April 2017

Subscribe

Get your copy of the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter delivered each week to you via email at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-news

Archives

You can always find older Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter issues at: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter

Additional Ubuntu News

As always you can find more news and announcements at:

and

Conclusion

Thank you for reading the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter.

See you next week!

Credits

The Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter is brought to you by:

  • Elizabeth Krumbach
  • Jasna Benčić
  • Nathan Dyer
  • mikewhatever
  • Matt Rudge
  • And many others

Glossary of Terms

Other acronyms can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter/glossary

Ubuntu - Get Involved

The Ubuntu community consists of individuals and teams, working on different aspects of the distribution, giving advice and technical support, and helping to promote Ubuntu to a wider audience. No contribution is too small, and anyone can help. It's your chance to get in on all the community fun associated with developing and promoting Ubuntu. http://www.ubuntu.com/community/participate

Feedback

This document is maintained by the Ubuntu Weekly News Team. If you have a story idea or suggestions for the Weekly Newsletter, join the Ubuntu News Team mailing list at https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/Ubuntu-news-team and submit it. Ideas can also be added to the wiki at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter/Ideas. If you'd like to contribute to a future issue of the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, please feel free to edit the appropriate wiki page. If you have any technical support questions, please send them to ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com.

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UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter/Issue273 (last edited 2012-07-09 11:30:08 by lyz)