Stepping Down Gracefully in Practice.
I haven’t been blogging much lately, due to my new job at Linaro, currently I am their User Experience and Community Specialist, and I am loving it! My nature is to give everything I work on my full attention and do the absolute best job possible. I’ve found over the last few weeks that working full time and trying to keep my same level of contribution to Ubuntu as I had before I started working for Linaro is not working out either.
What really brought this decision to the forefront though was when I began looking over the Ubuntu Code of Conduct and the Leadership Code of Conduct as part of a bug that was filed about “Launchpad only supports one CoC – the Ubuntu Leadership CoC is not supported. (If you are a leader in the community and you haven’t read the Leadership Code of Conduct please take a moment to do so.)
However, this time when I read the portion about “Stepping Down” I thought about how many CC meetings I am unable to make, how often I wanted to work on something, or even get started on something yet I’ve been unable to do so in the last few months. This isn’t me. I don’t like not being able to follow through on things. (No one said anything to me, I was just aware of where this was headed if I didn’t do something).
I also felt like as a member of the CC, I had the responsibility to “do the right thing” and be the example of how to step down gracefully as this is what we expect from our community, then our community should also expect that from us.
Believe me, I would love to remain on the CC; however, I know this is the right thing to do. I have enjoyed the opportunity to not only collaborate with other members of the CC, but with other councils and team’s members as well. I am now more than ever, convinced that Ubuntu, with its ever changing, growing, vibrant community is so much more than just a Linux distribution; it is also opportunity— to learn, teach, support, and grow personally—one I have gotten more out of than I could have ever put into it.
My goal when I started using Ubuntu in early 2009, wasn’t to be a leader, or writer, or a community manager, it was to be able to count myself as Linux user. Thanks to a great community, full of those many wonderful opportunities I’ve achieved that goal and more.
I’ll still be in the community, and I’ll be actively participating as both a user of Ubuntu and in my role at Linaro (so don’t think you get to get rid of me that easily 😀). I can’t wait to see how the success of Ubuntu grows through the Desktop, Server, Cloud, TV, Android, ARM and more. What an amazing time to be part of all this!
Many thanks to the CC and to the Community – You Rock!
Thank you for all the awesome work you’ve done, especially for the Ubuntu Weekly news and community council.
Keep up the good work 🙂
Thanks Martin! 🙂
Thank you for your awesome contribution Amber. I hope to see you at UDS. A big hug from Italy!
You have done a amazing job contributing on all the various teams 🙂 Congrats on the new job and I’m sure we all look forward to see whats next 🙂
Though it’s late, but I have to say it, Thank you Amber for your so many contributions and thanks for being a good example even when leaving.
WOW Amber! you’ve stuck with Linux this long? thats 3 years wowza ive been off and on trying out new builds but have stuck to windows but due to $$$ prob going to have to penny pintch and switch over… 🙁 possibly Kubuntu 12.04.1
So what do you think Of Unity if thats the DE you use? Or have you switched to pure gnome or kde or xfce etc? Id love to hear!
Take care looks like your doing good keep it up!
Christopher
Christopher,
I do indeed still use Ubuntu almost exclusively since February 2009. (I try other things from time to time). I love Unity; and to be honest, I am so used to using the Dash, Launcher, Lenses and other features of the desktop that I don’t like using anything else. It wasn’t always like that though. I honestly thought I would hate it way back when, but it’s quite the opposite. I think it took me about 2 weeks to get used to it. Now, I love it.
Thanks,
Amber
Thanks,
Amber