ken’s blog

So Ashlyn has out grown her first trike, well maybe not outgrown but ready for a new one. She has a Radio Flyer with and push bar so we can push her around. She loves it… but she doesn’t pedal really pedal it. In looking around, she picked out a chopper style bike. Hopped on and just started to pedal. She did really well on it and thought is was quite cool. She doesn’t really understand steering yet. It is called the Schwinn Stingray. I will look forward to seeing her on it after christmas. She was sooooooooooo cute!

Laurie didn’t really want to buy it for her now, thought it would be a good “Santa” gift. So, we bought her another Radio Flyer trike.

Been playing with Monotheka, and I am really impressed. Monotheka is a tool to organize and keep track of your movies. I am constantly surprised by the quality of Mono apps. Monotheka is stable and has a great user interface. Gotta say, I really think Mono has a strong future!

Some storm… looks like the kids will be sleeping with us

The Foresight Linux Project is in need of a Packaging Assistant

Got some spare time? Interesting in getting involved in the community? Love working for no money? We need you!

Packaging Assistant Needed

An opportunity to gain packaging experience working for a vibrant Linux distro using a state of the art package management system. Reporting to a member of the Foresight Linux team, the role involves writing “recipes” and sending them to the team to be committed to the repository. This role has the dual responsibilities of updating the various packages currently in the Foresight Linux trove and constantly looking for new programs to add to the growing software repository. The role would suit a highly motivated individual with an abundance of initiative, as the work will be unguided, and it would be the individual’s reposnsibility to identify existing software packages that need to be updated.

Requirements:

• At least 12 months Linux experience, and a current user of either Rpath or Foresight Linux, the latter being preferred.
• Some python experience is advantageous but not essential as full recipe creation training will be given.
• The ability to troubleshoot compile issues, and perserverence to try many routes to arrive at solution.
• An understanding of the licensing issues facing Linux today - for example, restrictions surrounding Java and MP3.
• Excellent attention to detail, as many of the recipes you will be creating will require stringent build requirements that if not correct, would have a “knock on” effect on the rest of the distro.
• A time commitment of anywhere between 5 and 15 hours a week, usually averaging at about 8 hours a week.

Email gil@foresightlinux.com for more information.

The Foresight Linux Project is in need of a Wiki Manager

Got some spare time? Interesting in getting involved in the community? Love working for no money? We need you!

Wiki Manager Needed

An opportunity to contribute to the documentation of a fast growing new Linux
project. Reporting to a member of the Foresight Linux team, the role involves
updating a documentation repository in Wiki format using some innovative new
techniques. Would suit a student, or anybody that wants to add something
useful to their resume! Motivation is a must, as this role will require lots
of autonomous work.

Requirements:

• At least 6 months Linux experience, and a current Linux user - preferably Foresight Linux
• Excellent command of the English Language - native English speaker preferred
• Good sense of initiative
• Ability to work within guidelines, but to innovate within that structure
• A time commitment of approximately 4-7 hours per week
• An ability to encourage outside contributions to the Wiki whilst maintaing
  a sane format to the Wiki. This involves sanity checking user submitted information, and working to ensure that documentation standards are met to give the Wiki a consistent appearance.
• Technical experience is an advantage, but not essential. The ability to test and follow instructions is adequate.

Email gil@foresightlinux.com for more information.

In case you haven’t heard about our new release scheme, we are doing weekly distro updates called maintenance releases. Every Monday is “MR” day. This helps users stay current. These updates include some updated packages, bugfixes, and other useful things. So, today was our 7th weekly update since 0.8.1 was released.

Seven weeks since a release, and we have still managed to work our way up to number 48 on distrowatch. Great work everyone, lets keep it up.

Just stumbled on this today, its a good Mono Application Deployment guide. I suggest anyone developing Mono apps give it a read. I am glad to see this, and am happy I am pretty close to this already.

Several articles from the current issue of the GNOME Journal have been translated into Hebrew, including mine
For those that read Hebrew:

An Introduction To Foresight Desktop Linux
A Short Preview On Modeling With K-3D
An Introduction To F-Spot

Not sure how I survived childhood without air conditioning. But, now that I have had AC for years… I can’t seem to survive without it. Thursday evening we noticed it was getting a little warmer than the thermistat was set for. By Friday morning it was like 84. So, I poked around and the heat pump was running but the blower wasn’t really blowing. So, we called someone to come and fix it… They came out and said we had a freon leak, so it was low and it was frozen and they needed it to thaw overnight and someone would come out Saturday morning to fill the freon and find the leak.

By the time I got home from work it was 94 in the house with the windows open. The baby was sweating… Ashlyn’s face was all red from the heat. So, we headed to a hotel for the night. Made it into a fun game for Ashlyn, like a slumber party. She had a blast. Saturday morning the guy showed up and said we weren’t low on freon and there was no leak. But, some insulation in the blower unit in the attic got sucked around the blower motor that was preventing it from moving much air… which caused the freeze up. He fixed that and all worked well. He proceeded to explain to me that the guy that came out Friday was just lazy… didn’t want to check the attic. It was easy to say we were low on freon.

So, we wasted a nights stay in the hotel… If he wasn’t so lazy, we could have returned to life as usual.

Today we released the latest issue of The GNOME Journal, get it while it is still hot off the press.

The latest issue features thoughts about marketing GNOME, a review of RSS feed readers for GNOME, a short preview on modeling with K-3D, an introduction to F-Spot, an introduction to Foresight Desktop Linux, and a review of Robert Love’s ‘Linux Kernel Development’, 2nd Edition.

Also, gotta give my wife a plug… Laurie is now an editor for GJ, this was her first issue. And I gotta give a big thanks to all the folks that helped get this issue out on time.