Report for new developer applicant Neil Williams <linux@codehelp.co.uk> 1. Identity verification ------------------------ ID check passed, key signed by existing DDs. Output from keycheck.sh: Syncing Debian Keyrings with rsync from keyring.debian.org Receiving and checking key gpg: requesting key 28BCB3E3 from hkp server subkeys.pgp.netlinux@codehelp.co.uk pub 1024D/28BCB3E3 2002-01-27 Key fingerprint = 4CD4 6644 C105 48ED CA28 EC36 8801 094A 28BC B3E3 uid Neil Williams (CodeHelp) <linux@codehelp.co.uk> sig! 50973B91 2003-05-30 Dr Phil Brooke (Debian) <pjb@debian.org> sig! DD9B9910 2004-03-10 Philip Hands <phil@hands.com> sig!3 EBE31EF5 2003-10-10 Vincent Sanders <vince@kyllikki.org> sig!3 88C7C1F7 2003-10-14 Steve McIntyre <steve@einval.com> sig!3 28BCB3E3 2002-01-27 Neil Williams (CodeHelp) <linux@codehelp.co.uk> (...) Let's test if its a version 4 or greater key Key is ok Check for key expire stuff Key has no expiration date set, nothing to check. Neil Williams writes: I began computing with a ZX-81 where everything had to be programmed by hand and, initially, nothing could be stored between reboots. I moved on to the ZX Spectrum and the BBC micro. Then a quick trial on Amstrad PCW's before I had my own 386 PC running Windows 3.0. I learnt BASIC, C++ and a little Pascal. I started a code based website (www.codehelp.co.uk) and the difficulties in writing perl scripts and configuring a usable web server on a Windows machine peeked my interest in Unix and therefore Linux. My first distro was Mandrake 7.0, running dual-boot with Windows98. I now have Debian testing on an old server, Debian unstable on my workstation and OSX on an iBook. My programming background now touches on Perl, PHP, HTML, XML, WML, C, C++, assembly language, a little Pascal and a little Java. Previous experience on DOS, Win3.1 and Win95/98 has been superceded by GNU/Linux platforms. I'm trying to stay away from Scheme, Lisp, Emacs and Python but I suppose they'll get me eventually. I learnt about free software from my GNU/Linux user group and I try to do what I can to spread the ideas and concepts as well as helping in the continuing fight against software patents. (I attended the meeting with Lord Sainsbury at the DTI in 2004 and the workshops on technical contribution that followed.) I chose Debian for the community feel, the packaging tools and because I have come to respect the quality and scope of the distribution. When I became involved in gnucash development, it was natural to consider becoming more involved in Debian as well. I had met Wookey at a series of LinuxWorld Expo events from 2003 onwards and discussions with Debian developers at events like this encouraged me to pursue a wider goal in my gnucash development that could extend the freedoms of source code into the realm of user data. I feel that we are familiar with the freedom of source code and documentation but data seems to have been left behind. Free software developers can be forgiven for remaining in their comfort zone but there is a real need from users that the packages on their system *cooperate* and share the same data wherever possible. I feel that it should be the norm that all packages support data exchange with any package that may need some user data from any other. Parts of KDE can do this, parts of Gnome too, but it is rare between KDE and Gnome and rarer still between free software desktops and embedded free software projects like GPE. I've tried to cover the ideas at http://www.data-freedom.org/ My main area of interest within Debian is emDebian - supporting GPE in particular and embedded platforms in general. I also want to increase the proportion of Debian packages that have a en_GB translation (two nations separated by a common language), sponsor some other prospective developers via debian-mentors and eventually help out with the NM process. 2. Philosophy and Procedures ----------------------------- Neil has a good understanding of Debian's Philosophy and Procedures. He agrees with the Social Contact and the DMUP, and he gave good answers to all my questions about the Social Contract, DFSG, BTS, etc. I asked him to work on the BTS to prove his skills and he helped out by successfully bug-triaging Anjuta and GnuCash. 3. Tasks and Skills ------------------- Neil is doing a good job of maintaining pilot-qof and comaintaining gnotime and qof sponsored by Wookey. And has new packages brewing, that I've also checked and found very well done. He answered my Tasks and Skills questions without problems. He also helped fixing and closing RC bugs. 4. Recommendation ----------------- I recommend accepting Neil Williams as a Debian Developer. Account: codehelp Forwarding address: linux@codehelp.co.uk Love, Marga.
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