I first put in Ubuntu when Ubuntu 6.06 LTS “Dapper Drake” was launched. I used to be model new to Linux. This was Ubuntu’s first LTS launch; the very first launch of Ubuntu was solely a yr and a half earlier than. I used to be impressed by how usable and helpful the system was. It quickly grew to become my main residence working system and I needed to assist make it higher.
On October 15, 2009, I used to be serving to check the discharge candidates ISOs for the Ubuntu 9.10 launch. Particularly, I examined Edubuntu. Edubuntu has since been discontinued however on the time it was an official Ubuntu taste preloaded with a lot of schooling apps. A kind of schooling apps was Moodle, an e-learning platform.
When testing Moodle, I discovered {that a} default set up would make Moodle unimaginable to make use of regionally. I found out the best way to repair this concern. This was actually thrilling: I lastly discovered an Ubuntu bug I knew the best way to repair. I filed the bug report.
This was very late within the Ubuntu 9.10 launch course of and Ubuntu was within the Ultimate Freeze state. In Ultimate Freeze, each add to packages included within the default set up should be individually authorized by a member of the Ubuntu Launch Staff. Additionally, I didn’t have add rights to Ubuntu. Jordan Mantha (LaserJock), an Edubuntu maintainer, sponsored my bug repair add.
I additionally forwarded my patch to Debian.
Whereas attempting to determine what wasn’t working with Moodle, I stumbled throughout a packaging bug. Edubuntu supplied a selection of MySQL or PostgreSQL for the system default database. MySQL was the default, but when PostgreSQL have been chosen as an alternative, Moodle wouldn’t work. I found out the best way to repair this bug too per week later. Jordan sponsored this add and Steve Langasek from the Launch Staff authorized it so it additionally was capable of be mounted earlier than 9.10 was launched.
Though the primary bug was new to 9.10 due to a habits change in a low-level dependency, this PostgreSQL bug existed in steady Ubuntu releases. Due to this fact, I ready Secure Launch Updates for Ubuntu 9.04 and Ubuntu 8.04 LTS.
Afterwards
Six months later, I used to be capable of attend my first Ubuntu Developer Summit. I used to be dwelling in Bahrain (within the Center East) on the time and a visit to Belgium appeared simpler to me than if I have been dwelling in the USA the place I often reside. This was the Ubuntu Developer Summit the place planning for Ubuntu 10.10 came about. I prefer to consider that I helped with the naming since I added Maverick to the wiki web page the place individuals contribute strategies.
I didn’t apply for monetary sponsorship to attend and I stayed in a finances lodge on the opposite facet of Brussels. The occasion venue was on the outskirts of Brussels so there wasn’t a direct bus or metro line to get there. I rented a automobile. I didn’t but have a smartphone and I had a LOT of hassle navigating to and from the location on daily basis. I realized then that it’s finest to remain near the convention web site since a whole lot of the occasion is definitely within the unstructured time within the evenings. Luckily, I managed to reach in time for Mark Shuttleworth’s keynote the place the Unity desktop was first introduced. This was launched in Ubuntu 10.10 within the Ubuntu Netbook Remix and have become the default for Ubuntu Desktop in Ubuntu 11.04.
Ubuntu’s change to Unity supplied me with an enormous alternative. In April 2011, GNOME 3.0 was launched. I needed to attempt it but it surely wasn’t but packaged in Ubuntu or Debian. It was steered that I might assist work on packaging the most important new model in a PPA. The PPA was handy as a result of I used to be capable of get permission to add there simpler than having the ability to add on to Ubuntu. My contributions there then enabled me to get add rights to the Ubuntu Desktop packages later that yr.
At a later Ubuntu Developer Summit, it was steered that I begin an official Ubuntu taste for GNOME. So together with Tim Lunn (darkxst), I co-founded Ubuntu GNOME. Years later, Canonical stopped actively growing Unity; as an alternative, Ubuntu GNOME was merged into Ubuntu Desktop.
Alongside the way in which, I grew to become an Ubuntu Core Developer and a Debian Developer. And in January 2022, I joined Canonical on the Desktop Staff. This all nonetheless feels superb to me. It took me a very long time to be comfy calling myself a developer!
Conclusion
My first Ubuntu bugfix was 13 years in the past this week. As a result of Ubuntu traditionally makes use of alphabetical adjective animal launch names, 13 years signifies that we’ve got rolled round to the letter Okay once more! Later at the moment, we start launch candidate ISO testing for Ubuntu 22.10 “Kinetic Kudu”.
I encourage you to assist us check the discharge candidates and report bugs that you just discover. If you determine the best way to repair a bug, we nonetheless sponsor bug fixes. In case you are an Ubuntu contributor, I extremely encourage you to attend an Ubuntu Summit in the event you can. The primary Ubuntu Summit in years might be in 3 weeks in Prague, however the intent is for the Ubuntu Summits to be recurring occasions once more.
