Ubuntu "Memberships" Questioned

mxh83 writes "Apparently if you have 'sustained' and 'significant' contributions to Ubuntu, you can become a 'Ubuntu Member' and get some freebies. 'While there is no precise period that we look for, it is rare for applications to be accepted from people contributing for less than 6 months. It is vital to be well prepared for the meeting. You need to convince the membership board that you have contributed to Ubuntu.' Have they thought this incentive through? What about recognition for smaller contributors? And who judged what is a 'significant' contribution to a community project?" Update: 01/06 20:33 GMT by S : Changed the title to reflect the fact that Ubuntu memberships have actually been around for a few years now.

Comments

Let me translate

[Anonymous Coward]

"You've contributed many manweeks of your life improving code. We're here to determine whether you might be worthy of receiving a free t-shirt."

Re:Let me translate

[xtracto]

Well duh, you are supposed to contribute because you like to do it. Whatever they give you back is a plus.

As for who is going to judge what is a significat contribution... I guess whoever is giving you the free T-Shirt (Shuttleworth?)

Re:Let me translate

[lymond01]

We're here to determine whether you might be worthy of receiving a free t-shirt.

I hear you get access to the Ubuntu Awards First Class Download area -- no bandwidth throttling for members!

Honestly, I think it's a good idea to give back to the people who have contributed. It's a little bit like Heinlein's Starship Troopers (the movie does not exist) where you're only allowed to vote if you've served in the military. In Ubuntu's case, you're only allowed to be a member, therefore having access to a long list of very lucrative opportunities and items (kidding), if you've contributed. You don't just pay a fee, but you actually help. It's like working in the soup kitchen versus giving money to the homeless shelter.

Re:Let me translate

[CyberNigma]

Also, if you read any of Heinlein's interviews, you will find that his intention was not that only military service earned citizenship, but ANY federal service, military or not earned citizenship. He did admit that he didn't convey that too well in the book like he had in his mind. Of course the movie, being a bug hunt movie that was converted to Starship Troopers near the end conveys none of that.

Re:Let me translate

[Hognoxious]

But that's the point. Once you start recognizing certain contributors more than others and giving them status symbols - especially where the difference is small and/or largely subjective - you risk creating a "them and us" situation.

Next phase is that the "them", who are probably more numerous and contribute more, feel rejected and decide to tell the clique to stuff it.

Re:Let me translate

[Magic5Ball]

And then contributors will be able to level-grind to earn more achievements. Let's just hope that they don't turn into one of those corporate situations where internal wiki edits and rcs actions count positively in the performance review regardless of substance.

Exclusivity for envy.

[brycethorup]

I think this is a good move on Ubuntu's part. It should create envy in those who don't meet the criteria to contribute more and work towards a goal. I think this may help increase interest in wanting to contribute. I know it has for me.

Re:Exclusivity for envy.

[Scopeuk]

or drive away people that feel that they're being unfairly excluded from the program despite making only a marginally different contribution to those accepted or worse yet, seeing that their area of contribution seams to be less credited that other "pet areas", all in all a great way to drive a deep wedge into the community.

Wow.... things have *really* gone downhill

[schon]

You need to convince the membership board [...] And who judged what is a 'significant' contribution

This is amazing... we've gone from people not reading the articles, to not reading the *summaries*, to the *submitters* not reading what they themselves wrote!

CmdrTaco, I know it's tradition for editors not to read the summaries, but isn't it taking it a bit far to not read ones you wrote yourself?!?!?

Why not?

[drinkypoo]

You already have to [digitally] sign a document and agree to a code of conduct in order to become an "Ubuntero", which among other minor benefits is necessary in order to get access to the PPA system. This is just another layer of evaluation for another icon next to your name on Ubuntu sites and... whatever it was they're giving you. In return, they give you the right to represent yourself as a "member" of Ubuntu, kind of like an employee except you don't get paid :)

Re:What about money contribution?

[symes]

What about money contribution?

Sorry but no - protestantism allows you to buy your way to heaven, not FOSS

Re:What?

[TheGratefulNet]

It sounds like one of those dreadful golf clubs

sounds like you've done driver development, before..

Not news

[flimm]

Ubuntu membership has not been introduced recently, it has been around from before I started Ubuntu (2006), at least. This is not news. The title needs changing.

Ubuntu members get @ubuntu.com addresses, their blogs syndicated on planet.ubuntu.com, a free subscription to LWN, and they vote for certain things.

Re:What about money contribution?

[Kell Bengal]

I thought it was scientology where you had to buy upgrades.

Re:What about money contribution?

[Praeluceo]

I thought it was Catholicism where you had to buy indulgences?

...chewie

[boyko.at.netqos]

I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Like, okay, you know in Star Wars, when Leia hands out medals to Luke and Han, but Chewie's just standing there on the podium - he doesn't get a medal?

Well, here's the thing, if you're an Ubuntu contributor and you're chosen for membership, it's like getting those medals. But if you're an Ubuntu contributor, and you're not chosen for membership, you're like Chewie - no medal. But that's not a bad thing, because, you know what? Chewie is standing up there on the podium too, and you know what, it doesn't matter if he gets a medal - because Chewie is a frickin' bad ass, and Chewie knows it.

Hell, the only reason Chewie doesn't get a medal is cause he's got like 20 or so of his own from back in the day. Let the noobs have some fun, you know? Besides, if he wanted too, he could take that medal from whiny-boy or smirk-merc. Lightsabers? Blasters? They're no use when you fuggin' rip their arms out of their sockets.

Re:What about money contribution?

[Attila Dimedici]

What about money contribution?

Sorry but no - protestantism allows you to buy your way to heaven, not FOSS

Actually, indulgences (buying your way into heaven)was one of the practices of the Roman Catholic CHurch that the Protestants were protesting.

openSUSE members

[Enderandrew]

openSUSE has had a very similar program for some time.

http://en.opensuse.org/Members

Members get to vote on the board, and get a free boxed/retail copy of each openSUSE release.

Re:What about money contribution?

[SterlingSylver]

They retconned that. Now you're just supposed to give money if you want your church to stay open.

Re:PulseAudio

[geminidomino]

And the decision to use a BETA of Grub2 that even the developers say isn't ready for production use? Was that upstream at gnome too?