Bits from the DPL (April 2018)
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Dear developers…
This is the first "Bits…" from my second term as the DPL. As I mention
elsewhere I feel it is a privilege simply to be a Debian Developer let
alone to be selected as your representative — again, a profound thank
you for placing your trust in me for a second term. :)
Anyway, here's a brief outline of what I've been getting up to as your
Project leader during April 2018:
* I've been slowly contacting the various core teams that make up
Debian [0] and enquiring about their current makeup and concerns.
This month, I had conversations with members of the anti-harrassment
[1] and Publicity [2] teams and hope to make some announcements
there next month.
I also have been in talks with a few developers regarding the
creation of possible new teams as well as made some initial steps
towards some NEW queue processing changes.
* I attended my two Open Source Initiative [3] board meetings on
behalf of the Project. As part of this appointment I represent our
interests and use any experience or contacts to help the free
software community in general.
* Regrettably, it was another month where significant DPL energy
needed to be spent addressing and chasing behavioural / anti-
harrassment issues. Thank you to all those involved and also
who have provided invaluable support and advice.
* I have also been in touch with a number of external orgs, companies
and events who have expressed a desire to partner with us in some
way. Depending on the situation this might be financially, via
hardware donations, by providing space for Bug Squashing Parties
[4], or simply by mutually acknowledging our involvement to a
greater degree. I plan to share more when I things are more
concrete.
* In event planning, I made some personal invitations for people in
and around Asia to attend DebConf18 [5] as well as added a Code of
Conduct to the MiniDebConf Hamburg [6] wiki pages.
[0] https://wiki.debian.org/Teams
[1] https://wiki.debian.org/AntiHarassment
[2] https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/Publicity
[3] https://opensource.org/
[4] https://wiki.debian.org/BSPPlanning
[5] https://debconf18.debian.org
[6] https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents/de/2018/MiniDebConfHamburg
Finances
========
A fair amount of time was spent on financial issues this month such as:
* The DebConf18 [7] budget.
* Status of a now-defunct Trusted Organisation (TO) [8], as well as
providing advice on which TO to claim reimbursements from.
* Helped Joey Schulze unpick and follow-up to a non-trivial number of
complicated, incomplete or ambiguous reimbursement requests,
including one from 2016 (!).
* Ensuring the continuity of Debian's LWN [9] subscription.
I also responded to specific funding requests for purchasing YubiKeys
[10] for Debian FTP work [11], a new disk for the hasse [12] armhf
build daemon and new fans for other servers.
[7] https://debconf18.debian.org
[8] https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/Treasurer/Organizations
[9] https://lwn.net/
[10] https://www.yubico.com/products/yubikey-hardware/
[11] https://ftp-master.debian.org/
[12] https://db.debian.org/machines.cgi?host=hasse
Event reimbursements
====================
In terms of events, I fielded specific requests for:
* OSCAL 2018 [13] in Tirana, Albania.
* MiniDebConf Hamburg 2018 [14] (including security team [15] and
Debian Edu [16] sprints as well as video team [17] hardware
transport).
* A Kosovo-based event around Google Summer of Code [18].
* WeAreDevelopers [19] in Vienna, Austria.
[13] https://oscal.openlabs.cc/
[14] https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents/de/2018/MiniDebConfHamburg
[15] https://www.debian.org/security/
[16] https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/
[17] https://wiki.debconf.org/wiki/Videoteam
[18] https://wiki.debian.org/SummerOfCode2018
[19] https://www.wearedevelopers.com/
Lastly, whilst Debian had previously offered to provide funding for
pizza at the "SpinachCon" [20] user testing event that was part of
LibrePlanet 2018 [21], Deb Nicholson contacted us to let us know that
she was going to cover it herself. Thanks!
[20] http://www.eximiousproductions.com/2018/03/09/spinachcon-2018/
[21] https://libreplanet.org/2018/
Bug Squashing Parties
=====================
Don't forget that Debian is willing to reimburse up to 100 USD for
expenses to attend Bug Squashing Parties (BSPs) [22]. If there are no
BSPs near to you, please do consider organising one [23].
Reimbursement requests should meet the following conditions:
* The requester agrees to communicate about their activities during
the event such as posting to Planet Debian [24]. The goal here
being to increase visibility of such efforts.
* The requester should be a Debian contributor of some description or
have otherwise demonstrated a commitment to do that kind of work.
[22] https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/DPL/Reimbursement
[23] https://wiki.debian.org/BSPPlanning
[24] https://planet.debian.org/
Other
=====
In addition to all of the above, I spent time on:
* Participating in the discussion regarding selling Debian-related
media on Amazon and how the GDPR [25] may affect the Project, as
well as dealing with a problematic online community based around
Debian.
* Redirecting more support queries and questions sent to the leader@
alias, particularly ones regarding getting started with contributing
to Debian, other followups to previous "Bits...", and miscellaneous
trademark enquiries, etc.
* As part of Debian's presence on the GNOME Advisory Board I requested
some clarification on their downstream branding guidelines.
* I wore my "DPL hat" a handful of times, offering to provide a
job reference, to be a contact point for an initiative to foster
adoption of free software in west Africa and by seconding a GitLab
feature request [26] upon request by a Developer.
[25] https://www.eugdpr.org/
[26] https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/42861
Feedback
========
I would like to repeat a request I have made in previous months for any
feedback on my activities as your Project Leader as well as how I could
communicate them more effectively to you. :)
Naturally, any other questions or concerns about the Project that would
be inappropriate or difficult to bring up elsewhere, etc. are always
welcome. Please address these to <leader@debian.org>.
And finally...
==============
In case you missed it:
* Jonathan Carter ("highvoltage") is publishing a "Package of the Day"
video series. [27]
* The "buster" release timetable as well as the codename for Debian 12
was announced. [28]
* Debian's Google Summer of Code students were announced. [29]
* Alioth is going away really soon! [30]
[27] https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIbuTLE8Wih4pBd8S9UjGDGQQXG4-a6Yw
[28] https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2018/04/msg00006.html
[29] https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/organizations/5166394929315840/?sp-page=3#
[30] https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2018/04/msg00011.html
Phew, see you all next month. Indeed, I hope to see many of you
in-person as at the Hamburg MiniDebConf…
Best wishes,
- --
,''`.
: :' : Chris Lamb
`. `'` lamby@debian.org / chris-lamb.co.uk
`-
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