The query we started with tonight was:

select top 1000
       u.id as [User ID],
       u.displayname as [User Name],
       u.reputation as [User Rep]
from users u
where upper(u.location) like upper('%' + ##YourLocation:string## + '%')

This query will return the top 1000 users in your area. If you want to run it click here.

The next query, tweaked with Marco’s assistance, was this one:

-- find questions form your area

select Users.reputation, Users.Id as [User Link], Posts.Id as [Post Link], Posts.score from posts
LEFT JOIN Users on Users.id=posts.OwnerUserId
where PostTypeId = 1
AND upper(location) like upper('%' + ##YourLocation:string## + '%') -- uppercase location
-- AND AnswerCount = 0
-- AND ClosedDate is null
ORDER BY Posts.CreationDate DESC

This one will return a list of questions asked in your area ordered by the newest ones first. This query can be run by clicking here. This query can be of great use to loco teams by making them aware of questions that are being asked in their area. The team can then schedule presentations on the subject or include how-to information on their mailing list.

The real goal is to enable people making use of askubuntu.com to find their local community team and vice-versa. I hope to work with Marco more in this cycle on making the connection between askubuntu.com and loco communities a two way avenue.

Ubuntu Developer Week is a series of online workshops where you can:

•     learn about different packaging techniques
•     find out more about different development teams
•     check out the efforts of the world-wide Development Community
•     participate in open Q&A sessions with Ubuntu developers
•     much more…

It is a fantastic opportunity to learn a lot about the development process and life cycle in a condensed period of time. It will also help you establish contacts with developers that are energetic intelligent and very willing to help you on your journey.

I would like to extend a special thanks to mhall119, cjohnston and nigelb

The first struggle I had was simply logging in due to having difficulty with pressing shift+<key> for some of the characters in my password. The same issue presented me with problems when trying to use proper case while writing blog posts or communicating on IRC. Interestingly enough I also found out that when you press and hold down your left shift key in a certain way you will get a ‘>’ character… this really causes issues with logging in when you have one hand that is not fully functional. (see movie below) I was unable to replicate this issue in Windows, but I am unsure if Microsoft just handles the issue via software or if it is a software issue itself.

video of left shift key

Accessibility is important and I hope all developer realize that without having to go through actual surgery.

For those developers that would like to include accessibility as a feature in their applications I recommend contacting the Ubuntu Accessibility Team for assistance with how to complete accessibility testing. If you are a person with accessibility needs please consider contributing to the team as well; we need your input so we can build a much better knowledge base in reference to accessibility.

For those interested; my arm is doing fine and I will be getting the stitches out early next week. Below is a picture of the incision.

The great thing about the device is that it runs Debian.

I have not gotten so far as to tweak any of the settings, but knowing the OS underneath the hood should be of some help. I was able to transfer my .flac and .ogg song libraries to the device and then play them from my local computers. The Twonky media server did not work with Banshee nor Rhythmbox. Though it did work, for pictures and movies, to my Google TV and Samsung TV.

In the end I am quite pleased with spending $159 to get 2TB of disk space available to multiple computers on my network. The device makes a very slight bit of noise, but nothing that bothers me (unlike most servers).

Issues:

• lower signal than A3 version of the dir-655
• 2.4Ghz radios dropped signal despite no interference from other wireless APs (setting a specific channel did appear to resolve this issue)
• router failed to negotiate DHCP lease from cable modem several times after making settings changes (powering the device off and on resolved the issue, but that is not an acceptable workaround)
• Samsung TV could not connect on 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz freq.

Positives:

• Amazon allows for returns

For now my search for a stronger dual band router continues.

The nurses called the yellow thing protecting my arm a “spongebob”.

The space now has several rooms with dedicated rooms for:

• Ham Radio
• Workshop
• Hands-on / Presentation Room
• Lounge area
• ‘Office Space’ with a closed door (quiet from the group)
• Server / Networking room

The new space will provide much better accommodations for Ubuntu related activities. Here are some pictures of the new and vastly improved space.

class room area

electronics bench

ham room

lounge

workshop

This is really a fantastic upgrade and I hope that many Rochester area Ubuntu users will join us at events in the new space. The most important information I saved for last.

The Entry Point to Interlock

In the end the goal was still the same. Increase Ubuntu users understanding of the support ecosystem to ensure that they had valid expectations and improve the quality of the bug reports being put in to launchpad.

The first step in the process was to create a high-level diagram of the process. For some this diagram will be too non-technical, but the aim was specifically to reduce technical details. Other documents will be created that can provide a deeper dive in to bugs and QA. I would like to gather some feedback on the diagram as it stand now. Thanks for Brian Murray for helping edit the diagram with me.

ubuntu-problem diagram

ubuntu-problem by charles profitt and brian murray is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

…Adekeye was being perp-walked through the swanky hotel lobby, paraded past its well-heeled and powerful patrons and into a waiting paddy wagon. With that, the former Cisco executive, a British citizen with a blemish-free record and a sterling resume, dropped down an Alice-in-Wonderland rabbit hole that would tie up a year of his life.

The more I see what goes on behind the curtain the more disgusted I become. Seeing a previously respected company, like Cisco, use two governments as its strongmen to intimidate a person is reprehensible.

This past UDS I wanted to finally realize my original goal and was looking for a project that needed help and was willing to help a neophyte get started. I found just such a project in the loco portal. The key developers in the project are an amazing group who are very dedicated and willing to assist others. Yesterday I got a ping from Chris Johnston (cjohnston) with a bite-sized bug I could assist with. To be honest this was really not ‘code’, but it did involve using Bazaar to download the code, make the change, and push the change back up to have it proposed. The bug I was tasked with was – 892436. An amazingly small, but excellent bite-sized issue to help me learn Bazaar and the teams process.

Thank you Chris Johnston for helping me realize a goal I set back in 2007! If you are looking for a project in need of developers I would check out the loco-portal project; they are a fantastic group that will help you get started.