Today marks the first Ubuntu Community Appreciation Day – a new initiative designed to ‘thank’ people in the wider community whose work or inspiration has helped better Ubuntu.
The idea was fostered by Ahmed Shams El-Deen of the Egypt LoCo team.
Mark Shuttleworth has used the event to thank Ubuntu developer and Canonical employee Daniel Holbach. Daniel in turn has used to the day to thank ‘human beings’, Mark Shuttleworth and first time contributors.
With so many fantastic, worthwhile and all-out-amazing folks in the community, whose various talents shape Ubuntu into being what it is, it’s fair to say that picking just one is a ‘tough job’.
But, in true, sentimental Academy Award style diatribe, my ‘thanks’ would likely look something like this…
The users
The unsung heroes of Ubuntu, the ones people often forget help shape Ubuntu, are the users. People who boot into, enjoy using and relish the freedom Ubuntu provides.
Yes – people like you.
From bug reporting, helping other users in forum threads to participating in mailing list discussions and spreading the word to friends, family and beyond – you do a great job and I, as someone who is just like you, would like to say ‘thank you’ for doing.
Amber Graner
As a ‘writer’, Ubuntu’s Amber Graner is someone I admire, respect and look up to. She is both a contributing author to ‘Ubuntu User’ magazine (available in shops and through the Ubuntu Software Centre), ‘The Official Ubuntu Book’ and ‘LinuxPro’ magazine. She is also the current editor of the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, and an active member of the very awesome Ubuntu Women team.
Amber’s advocacy is essential to the oiling of the cogs of the community.
Thank you Amber :)
Bilal Akhtar
I’ve known Bilal for a long while now, and despite his young age (he is but 15) Bilal continues to amaze me with his skill, aptitude and, perhaps above all else, patience. He’s both fastidious in his work and attentive to the sauce of FOSS. It’s an understatement to say that I continue to learn a lot from him, as do many in the community.
Thank you Bilal:)
And…
I’m wary of turning this into a massive Oscars-esque speech – and I need to save some names for next year! – but from a personal POV Ken VanDine, Andrea ‘Cimi’ Cimitan, Niel J Patel, Andrea Azzarone, and the indomitable Jorge Castro are all deserving of plates full of gratitude side-served with well-stewed ‘you rock‘.
I can’t imagine Ubuntu, or the community, without their input.
Who gets your thanks?