I've been trying to get more into Ubuntu lately. Not just running it, but getting involved.
I like Ubuntu. I like the software; I like the ethos; I like the community; I like how it's catching on with people.
There's lots of things to like. I haven't been this excited and enthusiastic about a computing platform since my old
Amiga days. Rather than just basking in my enthusiasm, I want to do something about it. I want to contribute.
So I've been poking around the various ways to get involved. I was
sitting in on some of the Ubuntu Open Week sessions last month, looking in
occasionally when they were talking about things that looked interesting. In one of the community sessions, I asked what
you could do when your LoCo (Ubuntu Canada, in this case) doesn't have much of a presence in
your area. I didn't get much of an answer, but I did start up a bit of a conversation with some other Ubuntu people in
Southern Ontario.
So coincidentally, the next week
was Ontario Gnu/Linux Fest. Ralph, one of the KWLUG people,
was asking around for people to help out with the Ubuntu table. And since I wanted to promote
my release party, I volunteered.
I got to hang out with other KWLUG Ubuntu people, and they showed up for my party the next week. We talked a little
about starting up a more local LoCo. Ralph went off to UDS in Dallas and talked to the Ubuntu Canada people there. The
result of that discussion is
the Kitchener/Waterloo Chapter of the Ubuntu Canada LoCo.
So far, we have 12 people signed up. As of right now, we know we'll be participating in
the Ubuntu Global Jam early in 2010. What we do beyond that, we're still
working on figuring out as a group. I'm just happy that we're building this local group I can explore this whole Ubuntu
thing with. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.
I went to the first Ignite Waterloo event last night. Ignite events have been around for a
while, but this was the first time we had one in Waterloo. And it was amazing. The premise is you get smart, talented
speakers and give them 5 minutes each. They have to prepare 20 slides and they automatically change after 15 seconds.
For the speaker, it's both a great challenge and a lot of fun (or possibly terrifying, but they seemed to be having
fun). For the audience, it's illuminating and never dull. Speakers covered a whole range of diverse topics, from solving
Rubic's Cubes to dealing with economic development in Africa.
Oh, and there was a cupcake decorating contest, too.
What I found amazing is how many people I recognized there from all sorts of different things. Kwartzlab, of course,
Communitech P2Ps, Devhouse Waterloo, BarCamp, DemoCamp, etc., the Royal Medieval Faire, work, online... Normally those
lines don't cross very much. It's really gratifying to see some of these groups come together.
A whole bunch of other bloggers have already posted their rave reviews of the event. Here's just a few:
So me and some folks at kwartzlab (as well as the KW Linux Users Group) are
getting together on Thursday to celebrate the release of Ubuntu 9.10, the Karmic Koala.
I run Ubuntu at home on all my computers now. Well... nearly all. It's come along way in the last few years, to the
point where it's making me feel at home and content in an operating system again. I'm also feeling like I want to
contribute to the community. So the party seems like a nice way to do that a bit. Plus, I kinda want to see who's around
here, maybe build a local community where we can participate.
I'm a member of Kwartzlab, and I think they're an awesome group of people. This is one of the things I'm hoping to do to
get more involved in the lab. Another is showing up on Tuesday Open Nights and just working on projects. That's what
Tuesday Open Nights are for, after all.
And maybe I can bring it all together and hack on some Ubuntu-related projects in the 'Lab...