Many thanks to all the people that have worked so hard to make this the best Ubuntu release so far!

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-announce/2008-October/000116.html for more info.

A while back, I was approached and asked to review a book that was still in progress. I read through it and made some specific comments and suggestions. Now, the final version of the book is complete and has been published. Not only were my suggestions taken, but I am privileged to have a quote of mine in use on the first page, just inside the cover. I liked the book when I read the earlier draft, and I like it even better now.

If you get a chance, take a look and see what you think.

http://www.pragprog.com/titles/ktuk/ubuntu-kung-fu

He also has a website dedicated to tips and tricks for Ubuntu at ubuntukungfu.org.

Ryan Troy, ubuntu-geek of ubuntuforums.org, and I wrote an article about Ubuntu JeOS and VMware for the current edition of Linux+.

I am an American. I am also a Christian. I am not a fundamentalist, and I do not believe it is appropriate or somehow necessary to force others to follow what I believe. I may discuss my beliefs at times with people who are interested, when it is appropriate, but I do not believe in coercion.

There is something that I have found disturbing in US politics, and specifically among a certain subset of Christians, who have very strong beliefs (not a bad thing), who are very vocal (not always bad, but needs to be done in an appropriate manner and in an appropriate location), and who are very pushy and insistent that others follow their beliefs (that’s what I’m ranting about).

I lived outside of my home country for seven years, and it is only upon my return that I have noticed this, although looking back, I can see quite clearly that this is a movement that has been growing in strength for many years.

Many of these presumably well-meaning people like to make the claim that America is a Christian nation and was intended to be one by the men who founded her. Remember, I am a Christian as I say this; I don’t believe this belief has any foundation in reality. History does not back it up, and most of the time directly contradicts this claim.

Many of the Founding Fathers of the United States were Christians. Some were Catholics, some were Protestants of various traditions, and still others were Deists or essentially non-religious. What they all agreed on was that they didn’t want any of the others in their group to be able to tell them what they must believe, how (or if) they should worship, and who (if anyone). They all agreed that the State having any control over such things was dangerous and only caused division, strife, and persecution.

None of them seemed to think that religious beliefs should have no place in the public discourse, only that those beliefs should and could not be allowed to coerce anyone else into following their tenets.

I find it hard to believe that any of them would have a problem with someone saying, “Merry Christmas,” or “Happy Hanukkuh,” or “Eid Mubarak Sa’id.” I do believe all of them would have had a problem with the State demanding that everyone say, or support, any one of them.

Thomas Jefferson spoke his mind very clearly when he said, “I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendancy of one sect over another.”

I happen to agree. I don’t want you to tell me what I must believe or follow any more than you want me to do so.

Even if they were to push an agenda that I might agree with from a standpoint of religious doctrine, I cannot agree with those who would try to force a religious based political agenda on the masses, at least not one that is based solely on an ethic birthed in a faith that is not shared by all who are to be affected. This is true whether being pushed by Imams in Iran, hard line Rabbis in Israel, radical Hindus in India or the Religious Right in the USA.

Obviously, some laws are based in religious concepts, but that does not make them religious laws. Truth is truth, whether it is spoken by a religion you agree or disagree with, or by someone with no religious affiliation. Pretty much all of us, at least in the statistically important sense, would agree that murder and theft are generally bad things. These have foundations in religion, but may also be argued from other standpoints like logic and respect, and are not the sole domain of one religious viewpoint. In a pluralistic society, that is reasonable.

What is not reasonable is saying to an entire society that your viewpoint is obviously the one on which the society was founded, even though your viewpoint didn’t exist as recently as 30 or 40 years ago (to be generous), especially when history itself requires a rewrite to support the idea.

If people who subscribe to a strong religious viewpoint want others to take them seriously, it would behoove them to look into ways in which they may engage their culture in a conversation, respectfully sharing and giving reason for why their way is better, rather than trying to force that way upon the masses through legislation, thereby causing great alienation, anger, and making people run as quickly and as far from these viewpoints as possible.

The Ubuntu Forums are blessed with an amazing and wonderful group of staff members. This time around, we have the privilege of hearing from one of the younger and newer additions, a wonderful guy named Joeb454. Be sure to check out his personal blog as well.

1)    Tell as much as you’re willing about your “real” life — name, age, gender, location, family, religion, profession, education, hobbies, etc.

Well my name is Joe, and if you look hard enough, you’ll find my last name too I’m 19, from Leicester UK where I go to University (Software Engineering) which is great, as I recently found out one of my lecturers uses Ubuntu too! Hobbies are basically, computers, music & Xbox 360.

I’ll also provide a Desktop (well…laptop) screenshot of what my Desktop currently looks like (I’m using the DustTheme):

Joeb454's desktop

2)    When and how did you become interested in computers? in Linux? in Ubuntu?

I became interested in computers somewhere around 2003, I’m not too sure. We got our first PC in 1997, a Win95 machine with 16MB RAM, a 133Mhz Pentium & a 1.9GB HDD We then didn’t get another PC until around 2003, which is when I really got into them. Ubuntu came about around Hoary (5.04?), I have no idea how I found it, but it looked good even then, but I couldn’t get it to run. I finally got around to installing Feisty (7.04) around May 2007, and have been running Ubuntu ever since

3)    When did you become involved in the forums? What’s your role there?

I joined the forums August 2007 (the 31st if you want specifics), and I didn’t post too much at first, except when I started University in September, when I had long breaks (2-3 hours) I used to browse the forums. It was then I started to realise “hey, I think I know how to fix that” so I started helping. In December, I joined the Ubuntu Forums Beginners Team, who are a great group of people, we just generally try and help out the new guys.

By the beginning of March, I’d accumulated 1,000 posts, which I thought was quite good, however the next thing I knew, I’d got 2,000, then 3,000 and it was only May. I guess that may have helped to decide whether or not I got asked to be Forum Staff in July, which I was offered, and gladly accepted. I enjoy doing it, though it’s not all fun and games.

4)    Are you an Ubuntu member? If so, how do you contribute? If not, do you plan on becoming one?

I am indeed, I got accepted around the middle of August this year. I contribute mainly to the forums, as I mentioned above, however I also recommend Ubuntu to people within the community, and make it known that no - I don’t often use Windows. This usually raises some questions which allows me to talk about it a little. I’ve had some luck with getting other people looking at it too. Sometime soon I may be going to a LUG meeting, as recommended by the lecturer I mentioned earlier Hopefully I’ll enjoy it!

5)    What distros do you regularly use? What software? What’s your favorite application? Your least favorite?

I only use Ubuntu. I do have Windows Vista installed, but it rarely sees the light, I just think it’s a good idea to remember how to use Windows while all my family still use it (I’m the go-to guy). I use Firefox, Xchat, Thunderbird & Amarok quite a lot, they all work just as I want them too. I don’t think I have a favourite application, though my least favourite is definitely Ekiga…It’s the first thing I do on a clean install (apt-get purge ekiga)…I mean, who uses it?!?!

6)    What’s your fondest memory from the forums, or from Ubuntu overall? What’s your worst?

There’s been so many fond memories, I can’t even choose, I liked the fact that I got a thread made about whether I was a human or a dog, that was rather funny (my avatar is normally Brian Griffin from Family Guy). The worst memory I have, is probably when I banned a member of the doc team, who made 17 duplicate threads, which I deleted all but 1. I then received a PM which basically declared war on the forums… :p

7)    What luck have you had introducing new computer users to Ubuntu?

Some, I’ve got a friend running an Ubuntu dual boot on his desktop. He also bought an Eee PC from a forum user (I acted as the middle man, my friend isn’t registered). I’ve also got some people looking at it just by mentioning things it can do - the Live CD is a good example, I recovered all of somebody’s documents using the Live CD

8)    What would you like to see happen with Linux in the future? with Ubuntu?

I’m not sure whether I’d like to see it become overly popular, I kind of like being 1337 On a more serious note - it’s great to see it spreading, I’ve noticed a lot of people at University using Linux in some form. I hope Ubuntu (and Linux in general) both continue to grow and improve - I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.

9)    If there was one thing you could tell all new Ubuntu users, what would it be?

Don’t be shy, ask questions! There’s IRC for instant support (it can get crowded in there though, the Beginners Team have an IRC group to help too), there’s also the forums, they’re a great place for support, often with quick replies too.

Basically, what I’m saying is - “Don’t give up, just because there are obstacles in the way…stop and think if Windows has never caused you problems, but you want to stick with that??”

I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the present situation of our Nation impels. This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.

From Franklin Roosevelt’s first inaugural address, March 4, 1933

Fear, uncertainty, and doubt, also known as FUD, are the driving forces in American politics today. They are pervasive in the advertising-revenue driven “news.” They can be found in the recent panic to “do something” about the current economic chaos. They can be heard in the last several years’ constant drone about “terrorism” and the need to quell civil liberties in the pursuit of a mystical idea of security through control.

FUD are a horrible basis for doing anything.

Don’t let fear run your life. Seek out truth. Use logic. Find the facts, and don’t listen to the Chicken Littles of today who are running around shouting, “The sky is falling!”

Don’t trust the fear mongers, the doubt peddlers, and those who spread division.

Politics never changed the world. Neither has fundamentalism or zealotry (religious or otherwise). However, truth sets people free. Yes, facts matter. Grace, mercy and forgiveness change societies and individuals. Freedom, a lessening of the reins, yields as its reward the gratitude of the majority and order through voluntary cooperation toward a mutually beneficial objective.