- What do you do as an individual, outside of the Ubuntu community?
I am a professional musician, and technology enthusiast living in Asheville NC. I have a solo album that was created using only FOSS tools in UbuntuStudio. Check it out here. http://www.mikeholstein.info/2011/07/living-solo-bass-made-with-ubuntu.html
I have been using Linux for about 8 years on and off, and full-time for about 5 years. I am mostly rather introverted, though i like talking about technology and music.
- In what areas have you helped in the Ubuntu and what does this do to better the community as a whole?
I really enjoy helping first-hand in the IRC support channels. I am particularly interested in promoting Ubuntu and UbuntuStudio, and helping new users find resources to get started. When I found the UbuntuStudio IRC channel, it was pretty empty. Now, there is a handful of users who hang there and help others. I think i am good at helping folks find information.
- What makes you run Ubuntu?
For me, it’s the community. I do really like using Ubuntu and find it fits my needs in almost every way perfectly, but its the people who are working on it and working with each other to make a polished, proffesional and open project that really draws me in. The idea that i can do literally anything i want with the operating system is quite alluring. For me, that means i can do whatever i like, and my imagination is really the only limit. I read once that nothing in Linux is hiding from you, and that is so helpful.
- What inspired you to join the Ubuntu community?
It’s the open and welcome vibe that everyone in the community seems to have. I find that there is a place for everyone. I find that for me, I get back what I put in. As a contributor, I am able to learn more about what is going on in the development community. That translates to me being able to better support new users as well.
- Is there anything else you would like to do with Ubuntu that you have not done?
I wish I had more programming skills to contribute. Maybe I can help recruit programmers that can contribute code. I really want to help spread the word and pull new users in by sharing what I like about Ubuntu, and helping them find a place in the community. I would like for projects like UbuntuStudio to be more in the mainstream. I want to continue to push this to into the industry and help users adopt the tools.
- What do you feel you have to offer and bring to the table that can help Ubuntu?
I am an audio professional, and bring plenty to the table for folks transitioning to UbuntuStudio, or getting started with audio production in Linux. I am quite handy at hands-on troubleshooting, and locating the cause of issues. I can usually talk through hardware issues, and help diagnose them. I am good at finding folks help, and sometimes I can provide that help personally. Other times I can find more appropriate avenues of support for the users.
Philip Ballew Can be Contacted at philipballew@ubuntu.com
Follow Philip Ballew on twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/philipballew for up the minute happenings with Philip’s Ubuntu Adventures
