Ubuntu

I finally broke down and bought a digital camera. I've been putting off spending the money, but now that I have, I'm glad I did. I am impressed.

The camera I purchased is a Nikon Coolpix L1. I was apprehensive at first, as I'd intended to save up for a different, more expensive camera from the same maker. Having tried the L1 out for a day or so, I am impressed. I didn't think that digital photography would become this accessible this quickly.

The camera cost about $200+tax. It lacks a traditional viewfinder, but the huge 2.5" LCD screen is brilliant and easy to read, even in direct sunlight. The pictures, so far, are beautiful, even in low-light situations. I will note that the flash takes an annoyingly long time to charge, so any rapid-fire shooting must be done in very bright sunlight or with a tripod to avoid blur.

At today's Edubuntu Community Council meeting, pygi (Mario Danic) and I were officially made Edubuntu members, each by a unanimous vote.

At the meeting, JaneW and others encouraged me to become more involved in the development side of the Edubuntu project. I am eager to do so, as that has been my aim from the beginning. I joined the Edubuntu Cookbook team as a way to test the waters before jumping into development. My past experiences with debian-edu had left me skeptical, and I didn't want to again risk becoming invested in a project that was foundering under the weight of surrounding social politics. The Edubuntu community is both lively and laid back in a way that even I find truly refreshing. I quickly became more deeply involved, particularly with Cookbook.

While I do look forward to taking on a more technical role in the future, I've made a commitment to Cookbook that I must first see through.

Edubuntu Dapper Drake (6.06) was officially released today. My geeky celebration involved a few friends and our collective kids enjoying the local pool, complete with an Edubuntu cake made by yours truly. Much fun was had by all, despite intermittent rain, lack of proper utensils, and other tiny inconveniences.

I'm proud of how Dapper has turned out, and I plan to keep contributing to Edubuntu.