Ubuntu membership, some reminders for those who want to apply

I am a member of one of the boards that considers candidates for official membership in the worldwide Ubuntu community. A person who has made a sustained and real contribution to the Ubuntu community may apply to be an Ubuntu member. It isn’t an incredibly difficult process, but we are pretty strict on following the steps listed.

Why?

Because those steps are the only way that we, as the membership board, can accurately and adequately determine whether a candidate’s contributions have been consistent, helpful, and sustained enough for us to feel comfortable giving them the right to make Ubuntu business cards, have an official @ubuntu.com email address, and live in the world as an official representative of the community.

We are looking for people who are helpful, who are kind and gentle, who are talented and smart, but who are humble and service-oriented. The only way we can discover these qualities is with the help of the candidate him or herself.

So, if you plan to apply, please do so. You are certainly most welcome! When you do, please, please, please do a good job of writing out your contributions on the required wiki page. Find some people who know you and who have witnessed your work and bring them to the public meeting on IRC, during which you will be interviewed, so that they may speak on your behalf, or at least have them type a message on your wiki page.

Doing these things may be difficult for humble people, but this is the equivalent of a job application or resume. Present yourself honestly, clearly, accurately, and at your best. All of us on the membership boards want to approve you. Help us do that.

If you have done everything perfectly, and you don’t yet qualify, we will gladly help you learn what to do so that you may. It is not our goal to exclude people, but rather to help people become a part of something wonderful.