Ubuntu Server Survey 2011

Take advantage of your voice in the direction of the Ubuntu Server!

We invite your comments and opinions in the 2011 edition of the Ubuntu Server Survey.  What do you need from your Linux servers?  What are your preferred management tools?  Favorite storage solutions?  What else do you want out of your Linux servers?

http://survey.ubuntu.com/

Cheers,
:-Dustin

Working toward Ubuntu 11.04 Server

Ahmed Kamal and I had a discussion on camera here at the Ubuntu Developer Rally in Dallas, Texas.  We talked a bit about the Ubuntu Server's road map this development cycle toward the upcoming Ubuntu 11.04 release in April 2011.   It was a nice opportunity halfway through the Natty development cycle to take a step back and see what we've accomplished, and what we're still working on for the current release.  Enjoy!




:-Dustin

SCALE9x - Byobu: GNU Screen for Human Beings

 

I'm quite pleased that my presentation proposal has been accepted to the SCALE9x conference, to be held February 25 - 27, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA.  I hope you'll join me for...

Byobu: GNU Screen for Human Beings

 

Category: Developers Track, Technology

Audience: Advanced, Intermediate, Beginner, Everyone

Abstract:

Unleash the power of your command line environment through this innovative, intuitive take on GNU Screen!

UNIX and Linux system administrators have been blessed with the GNU Screen utility for almost 25 years. Expert Screen users will swear by its importance in their toolbox. But the learning curve for new users getting started can be quite steep.

Enter 'Byobu', an innovative, intuitive approach to GNU Screen, brought to you by the Ubuntu Server community. Byobu is a set of wrapper scripts and configuration settings that unleash the power of GNU Screen for beginner and novice system administrators, while continuing to support Screen's advanced features for expert users.

Byobu includes convenient keybindings, useful status scripts, sensible configuration defaults, and a curses-based utility for modifying some of Screen's most important (but most buried) features.

In this presentation, the author of Byobu will introduce the basic flow of operation, and move into the advanced features of Byobu and GNU Screen. Any Linux user attending this presentation will be more productive when interfacing with their command line hereafter...


:-Dustin

New RSA 4096 GPG Key

Welcome to 2011!

I'm ringing in the new year by transitioning to a new, stronger GPG key (F1529469).  I followed the excellent instructions from the Ubuntu Security Team (thanks guys!) and the process has been relatively painless.

If you’ve signed my old key (83A61194), I’d appreciate it if you could review my signed transition statement and sign my new key too.

Thanks!
:-Dustin

Ubuntu and an Eagle Scout Candidate

I never made it to Boy Scout status.  I had a lot of fun as a Cub Scout and as a Webelos, but at about 10 years old, I opted out, in favor of spending as much time as possible hunting and fishing in the swamps of south Louisiana with my dad and my uncles.

But I have always had considerable respect for my friends who made it all the way to Eagle Scout.

Dr. Valerie Taylor, the head of the Computer Science department at my alma mater, Texas A&M University shared this story with me recently, and I really enjoyed it.  I thought I would pass it along, here, to Planet Ubuntu...


http://www.wisdomgroup.com/blog/ubuntu_lab_built_by_scouts/

In short, Eagle Scout candidate Raymond Westbrook of Boy Scout Troop 534 from Chicago, IL built a computer lab from 6 recycled PCs and running Ubuntu 10.04.  The lab is now available to members of the community, particularly the youth.

I thought this was a pretty cool story, and a fun way to start the year.

Happy New Year,
:-Dustin