About Me

I am a husband, father and grandfather of four. I live in Texas in the United States. I enjoy going to Church and spending time with my family. I first used a computer in 1987 when I was in college where I received a bachelor's degree in Sociology. My first computer was a Tandy, it did not even have a hard drive just a floppy drive, and it ran dos.

I am a veteran of the Armed Forces, where I served mainly over seas.

I first started trying to use linux around the year 2002, but I did not have much luck at first then I came across OpenSuSe and was able to install and use it. A few years later I found Ubuntu and I have never used any other distribution since, except for testing purposes in virtualbox. The help I received in the Ubuntu Forums and the ease of use of Ubuntu is what kept me using Ubuntu all these years.

Professionally

My wife and I own and run a small vending machine business.

Ubuntu Contributions

I began using the Ubuntu Forums for getting help with issues like wireless and boot problems. I loved the community so much that when my schedule changed and allowed me the time to help others I started learning as much as I could so I would be able to help new people resolve issues so they will be able to keep using Ubuntu. I am currently helping family and friends install and use Ubuntu on there computers.

I started out contributing in New to Ubuntu and General Section of the forum but I have found a home with some great people in wireless and networking in 2011, so that is where I do most of my contributing now, six years later and I still help out there.

I also am testing Artful but to be honest it is running so smooth that there is not much to do at the moment.

I created a wiki for setting up the cube and compiz in 2011 however it is outdated at this time and I am not sure it is worth updating with all the changes in Ubuntu.

On 2011-10-7 I became an Ubuntu Member through forum contributions and I would like to thank the many people that supported my application for membership.

On 2012-06-29 I became a staff member on the Ubuntu Forums, my duties include upholding the Forums Code of Conduct, removing spam, moving threads, watching for and merging threads and sending pm’s to forum members when necessary.

On 2016-11-16 I became a supermoderator which I still do all the same duties that I did before with the added duties of helping other staff members with such things as giving advice, recommendations and guidance, answering their questions when I can, plus training to become an Admin on the Ubuntu Forums that includes changing user names, disabling accounts and helping people get back into their original accounts that they have been locked out of.

I also have an account on Ask Ubuntu where I have over 5500 reputation right now.

I answer question regarding wireless issues and help clean up and maintain the site by reviewing first answers and questions, voting to open and close questions and reporting duplicates and poor quality answers or questions.

In 2012 I wrote a wireless script for gathering information to help diagnose wireless issues, it is hosted on the Ubuntu Forums Council github account and today it is used in many forums, it is also posted on Ask Ubuntu here and has help thousands of people get their wireless issues fixed over the years, I still help test it and maintain it but I have a friend by the name of krytarik that is the person that writes all the code for the script these days.

Since March of 2017 I have taken over the Ubuntu Forums Facebook and Twitter Accounts, all Messages and tweets are done by me.

On 2017-08-20 I was extended the honor of Ubuntu Membership Board Member where I will be working with a team to determine applicants qualifications for Ubuntu Membership.

I also hope to address the decline in new applicants.

Interests and Hobbies

Besides spending time with my family I enjoy working with computers and Ubuntu and when I have the time riding cycles.

Goals

To be a friendly and helpful member of the Ubuntu Forums, and render assistance where needed.

Also to convert as many people as I can to Ubuntu, provide help when needed to them and have as much fun as I can while doing it.

To work with the Ubuntu Community in a broader sense by helping on boards where needed and finally to become an Admin on the Ubuntu Forums when and if needed.

Testimonials

If you would like to support me in my nomination to become a member of the Ubuntu Membership Board please leave your comments here, you have to login to edit the wiki to leave your comment, if you cannot edit it yourself send me a pm on the forum and I will add what you have written.

As a long time supporter of ubuntuforums I have long been aware of Wild Man. He has demonstrated extensive knowledge of the operating system and always forthright in sharing his abilities at all levels. I have observed that he is just in his directives, rendering opinions as required to resolve conflicts and adverse situations; with aplomb and consideration for the feelings of all parties.

In my opinion wildmanne39 will be and is a significant contribution to any endeavour and will be a welcome addition to the membership board; exercising his great people skills. -- Bashing-om

Wild Man (who goes by wildemanne39 in his board application because of a frustrating problem with using his preferred user name as a Forum Super-Mod) has been a dedicated member of the Ubuntu Forums -- as a user and as a member of the Ubuntu Forums Staff -- and an advocate for Ubuntu for many years. He epitomizes the spirit of both Ubuntu the philosophy and Ubuntu the product. He understands the commitment, dedication and sustained contribution to Ubuntu and its community required of those who seek to become members.

Wild Man takes on so many tasks, projects and responsibilities for the Ubuntu Forums that if he expects prospective Ubuntu Members to be even half as productive as himself he will set a very high bar indeed. He will definitely be very keen to learn what a prospect has accomplished and is capable of accomplishing in the future. That is to say that you will encounter no relaxation of high standards from Wild Man.

Wild Man is level-headed, rational and possesses good decision-making skills. Those qualities would serve the Membership Board very well. I highly recommend his selection and fully expect that he will be a valuable asset! -- QIII

Wild Man, aka wildemanne39, has my whole hearted support in his Ubuntu Membership Board application. I have worked with him on the Ubuntu Forums, both as a moderator and as Supermoderator for a few years now and his leadership skills, kindheartedness and overall dedication to the greater Ubuntu community have always been present. His knowledge and kindness are present in each of his posts and he is also very active in IRC channels offering help and building a bigger and stronger community. -- slickymaster

Wild Man, a.k.a. wildmanne39, has a soundly-deserved reputation as a helper with wireless and other technical issues on the Ubuntu Forums, being willing to persist where others might give up. As a fellow forum moderator, I have found him helpful and supportive on those occasions when it's not immediately clear which is the best way to proceed with an issue. Not only that, but Wild Man has shown that he himself is more than willing to listen to others' opinions before proceeding.

Wild Man (wildmanne39) has my unqualified support for his application for Ubuntu Membership Board membership. -- irihapeti

Wild Man is a great guy who do a great job as Ubuntu Forum staff. It's good to have one on board that have humour, self control and discipline. -- artificial-intelligence

Wildmanne39 has a good overall grasp of the Ubuntu community’s various activities and this qualifies him to make informed decisions regarding potential Ubuntu Members. -- Frogs Hair

wildmanne39 or Wild Man or, as I prefer to call him, Larry, has been, for many years, a recognized expert in networking and wireless and several other subjects at Ubuntu Forums and also Ask Ubuntu.

Far more than simply knowing the steps to help users solve problems, he is consistent. If he answers a post, he is diligent about replying to further steps promptly. He is sensitive and patient with users who may not be proficient English speakers.

He is quite remarkable in his ability to see the probable real problem that underlies the sometimes baffling original post. In my opinion, these qualities uniquely qualify Larry for the Ubuntu Membership Board. I urge his early confirmation. -- chili555

Since I have joined Ubuntu Forums until this very moment, I've met (in the virtual digital world) many people but there are few special and unique people I can't forget and perhaps I'm still around because of them. One of the nicest persons is wildmanne39 and I highly recommend to recognize and depend on people like him to make Ubuntu Community better. We need to understand Ubuntu is powerful not because of the system itself but because of the community around it. Build better community and improve it, our system will get better. It's not the other way, trust me. Thank you wildmanne39 for everything you've done and still doing. -- amjjawad

CategoryTestimonial