Ubuntu Developer Week Coming Up!
I am pleased that [Ubuntu Developer Week](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuDeveloperWeek) is now announced and ready for the masses. The glorious week of Ubuntu development tutorials and sharing of know-how happens from Monday July 12th 2010 to Friday July 16th 2010. You can see the timetable for the week [here](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuDeveloperWeek).
Throughout the week we have an awesome set of sessions:
* Getting Started with Development — dholbach
* Getting Started with Development — dholbach
* Widgetcraft — apachelogger
* Desktop Team overview — seb128
* Authoring upstart jobs — SteveLangasek
* Packaging like a Ninja — shadeslayer
* «I Don’t Know Anything About Translations» — dpm
* Developing with Qt Quick and QML — JonathanRiddell
* How to work with Debian — IainLane & Rhonda
* Setting up a small validation dashboard — ZygmuntKrynicki
* Operation Cleansweep – reviewing patches — nigelbabu
* Forwarding bugs and patches upstream — pedro_
* Daily Builds and You — JorgeCastro
* Making your application shine with application indicators — TedGould
* Kernel Triage — JeremyFoshee
* Create an application for Ubuntu with Quickly — didrocks
* Improving Ubuntu In An Evening — vish
* Contribute to Ubuntu Server, do Server Papercuts ! — ThierryCarrez
* How to help with Xubuntu — CharlieKravetz
* Merge proposals: life on the sunny side — MartinAlbisetti
* Django and you — mhall119
* Adopt-An-Upstream — JorgeCastro
* How to help with Edubuntu — JonathanCarter
* Me, myself & QA — warp10, gaspa, BlackZ
As ever ou can connect with [Lernid](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lernid) or a normal IRC client. For full details, see [this page](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuDeveloperWeek/JoiningIn).
Talking To Oracle About The MySQL Community
Recently I was invited to go on the [Oracle TechCast](https://medianetwork.oracle.com/media/show/15259?n=playlist&nid=86) video show to talk about community within the context of [MySQL](https://www.mysql.com/).
I was joined by Luke Kowalski, Oracle VP in the Corporate Architecture Group, and we discussed a range of topics. The primary message I took to the show was that (a) we should not pre-judge Oracle yet for their stewardship of the MySQL based on the fear of what *could* happen, but I also made it clear to Luke that (b) Oracle needs to make a firm commitment to acting within the culture and ethos of Open Source to have an effective, fulfilling relationship with the MySQL community.
You can see the full interview below:
*Can’t see the video? Check it out [here](https://medianetwork.oracle.com/media/show/15259?n=playlist&nid=86)!*
Unity Love
Unity from our [Ubuntu Netbook Edition](https://www.ubuntu.com/netbook). I absolutely *love* it.
You can try it out easily by just running:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:canonical-dx-team/une
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-netbook-unity-default-settings
It is also packaged for Maverick in the repositories, just install `unity`.
Recording Dates Set For New Severed Fifth Album And Live Streaming
I am [pleased to announce](https://www.severedfifth.com/2010/06/25/second-album-recording-dates-set/) that from **Wed 11th – Sun 15th August** principle recording for the second *Severed Fifth* album will take place. Within the five day recording session, taking place primarily between **10am – 6pm Pacific** I will be recording all the guitars, bass, and solos, and finalizing much of the drums, before going on to perform first-level mixes. The recording takes place in my home studio here in the Bay Area, California.
Not only is the recording session confirmed, but for the first time ever the entire recording process will be streamed live on the [Severed Fifth UStream.tv](https://www.ustream.tv/channel/severed-fifth-live-in-the-studio) channel where you can watch the recording and interact with me via the live web chat throughout the five-day session. This is a tremendous opportunity to take a glimpse into the studio, watch the recording process, and experience how a *Severed Fifth* album is put together.
**[Read more about the new recording here](https://www.severedfifth.com/2010/06/25/second-album-recording-dates-set/).**
*Dig the wallpaper at the top of this post? Grab [your Severed Fifth wallpaper](https://www.severedfifth.com/media/wallpaper/).*
Community Leadership Summit 2010 Is Near!
It is not long until the [Community Leadership Summit 2010](https://communityleadershipsummit.com/) from **17th -18th July** in Portland and it is shaping up to be an awesome event! We have a wonderful collection of community leaders, managers and enthusiasts coming, and the event is entirely free to attend.
I just wanted to remind you of a few things:
* **Getting There** – If you don’t know how to get there, see [this page](https://www.communityleadershipsummit.com/travel-hotel/) for all the details. We are in the same venue that OSCON will be taking place at.
* **Sharing Session Ideas** – Please go and add ideas for session ideas [here](https://communityleadershipsummit.com/wiki/index.php/Session_Ideas) – this is a great way to share ideas and collaborate together on interesting sessions.
* **Attendee Gallery** – We are starting to put together a gallery of folks who are coming – please head to the [People Gallery](https://communityleadershipsummit.com/wiki/index.php/People_Gallery) and add yourself! If you don’t have a wiki account, you can click on the Register link in the left sidebar to get one first.
* **Spread The Word!** – As ever, the Community Leadership Summit is nothing without us spreading the word and encouraging people to join us, so do spread the word and let people know the event!
I look forward to seeing you all there!
Severed Fifth Update
I just wanted to provide you lovely people with another update about [Severed Fifth](https://www.severedfifth.com/) my Creative Commons and Free Culture music project. There is lots going on, and here are some of the details:
* I launched [Severed Fifth Fair Pay](https://www.severedfifth.com/pay/) as what I believe is the fairest way of providing an opportunity for Severed Fifth fans to help support the project financially. The idea is simple: if you enjoy the music or support the project, you can pay what *you* feel is *fair and affordable*, and if that means paying nothing, that is absolutely cool. With me needing to pay for rehearsal space for the live band, hosting, merchandise, studio equipment, and other things, [every little helps](https://www.severedfifth.com/pay/).
* This week I started auditioning musicians to join the Severed Fifth live band, and the auditions went really well. I will be writing up a detailed blog post about this soon, so stay tuned, but you also [check out this forums post](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=25) for more details.
* I bought [this new baby](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=24) for getting out and doing some live shows with. It *growls*. 🙂
* I registered a new [Severed Fifth MySpace page](https://www.myspace.com/severedfifth), so go and add us as a friend! This compliments our [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=60451700536), [last.fm](https://www.last.fm/music/Severed+Fifth), [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/severedfifth), and [identi.ca](https://identi.ca/severedfifth) pages, and my friends at libre.fm are helping to make the [Severed Fifth libre.fm page](https://alpha.libre.fm/artist/Severed+Fifth) rock.
* The [Severed Fifth Forum](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum/) is continuing to grow, so come and join the community and get involved. We are particularly interested in growing *Severed Fifth Street Team* and bringing the free culture Severed Fifth love to your area. Come and [get involved](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=7)!
* Thanks to the wonderful work of our Frets On Fire charters, the [Frets On Fire: Severed Fifth Edition](https://www.severedfifth.com/2010/06/08/frets-on-fire-severed-fifth-edition-transcribers-needed/) project is coming on in leaps and bounds, and nearly the entire [Denied By Reign](https://www.severedfifth.com/releases/) album is available ready for our first release. Rock and rolll! 🙂
* The second album is coming along really well, and is almost completed at the writing stages. It is sounding rocking. 🙂
I think that is enough for now. More as it happens! 🙂
Also, expect a videocast next week, so stay tuned to [severedfifth.com](https://www.severedfifth.com) for an announcement of the time and date. 🙂
Community Leadership Summit 2010
In just over a month the [Community Leadership Summit 2010](https://communityleadershipsummit.com/) will be kicking off in Portland, Oregon; taking place the weekend before [OSCON](https://www.oscon.com/oscon2010). The event takes place on **17th – 18th July 2010**.
I started organizing this event last year, and it was a great success, with an awesome collection of attendees.
The Community Leadership Summit 2010 is the second incarnation of the event and is designed to bring together community leaders and managers and the projects and organizations that are interested in growing and empowering a strong community. The event provides an unconference style schedule in which attendees can discuss, debate and explore topics. This is augmented with a range of scheduled talks, panel discussions, networking opportunities and more.
The event provides a great opportunity to bring together the leading minds in the field with new community builders to discuss topics such as governance, creating collaborative environments, conflict resolution, transparency, open infrastructure, social networking, commercial investment in community, engineering vs. marketing approaches to community leadership and much more.
I am going to be blogging a lot about the event over the coming month, so be sure to join us, [go and register](https://www.communityleadershipsummit.com/register/), and [keep up to date on Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186487039968&ref=mf).
Severed Fifth Updates
I just wanted to blog about some of the cool things going on recently in [Severed Fifth](https://www.severedfifth.com/) land:
* **Severed Fifth Used In Video Soundtracks** – one of the most wonderful elements of licensing your content under a Creative Commons license means that other creative types can use your content. It turns out a [bunch of people are using Severed Fifth music in their videos](https://www.severedfifth.com/2010/06/10/severed-fifth-in-video-soundtracks/).
* **’Frets On Fire: Severed Fifth Edition’ Announced** – with the [newly announced Frets On Fire: Severed Fifth Edition](https://www.severedfifth.com/2010/06/08/frets-on-fire-severed-fifth-edition-transcribers-needed/) I had a call for transcribers to chart the songs and [we are already seeing great progress](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8&start=10#p31).
* **Severed Fifth TV Begins** – I have started doing a series of official videocasts [and did the first one this week](https://www.severedfifth.com/2010/06/07/live-severed-fifth-videocast-tue-8th-june-2010/) providing an update on the project, demoing ‘Frets On Fire: Severed Fifth Edition’, talking about the Street Team and more. Watch the recording [here](https://www.ustream.tv/recorded/7554161).
* **Street Team Begins** – recently we have started seeing [more activity growing in the Severed Fifth Street Team](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=7). It is still very much early days and there is lots to do, so [get involved](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=7) and tell us how you think we can make the Street Team rock. 🙂
* **Second Album** – finally, progress on the second album is going really well. Most of the songs are now written, and I will be releasing two cover songs on the new album too; one an Overkill song, and one an Iron Maiden song. Soon I will be announcing the recording dates for the album and be streaming the recordings live.
Want to find out more and join the fun? Check out the [website](https://www.severedfifth.com/), the [forums](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum), and of course the [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/severedfifth) and [identi.ca](https://identi.ca/severedfifth) feeds.
Frets On Fire: Severed Fifth Edition
Some of you may be familiar with the game [Frets On Fire](https://fretsonfire.sourceforge.net/); a free equivilent to the rather awesome Guitar Hero series of games. For some time now I have dreamed about having a special *Frets On Fire: Severed Fifth Edition* version of the game, with all [Severed Fifth](https://www.severedfifth.com) songs available to play. Well, this weekend I started working on exactly this.
So far the game is looking pretty cool and all branded to look like *Severed Fifth*. It includes the familar artwork, the logos and other fun things. It also include a transcribed version of *Edge Of Design* from [Denied By Reign](https://www.severedfifth.com/releases). So far it looks like this:
To make this a reality I need help to get all the *Severed Fifth* songs transcribed into *Frets On Fire* format. If you are interested I have [written up more details about the game and how to get involved](https://www.severedfifth.com/2010/06/08/frets-on-fire-severed-fifth-edition-transcribers-needed/) and also kicked off a [thread on the Severed Fifth forums](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8) to discuss this.
Thanks in advance to everyone who helps with this effort!
Severed Fifth Part Two Begins
Today I am tickled pink to launch the [brand new Severed Fifth website](https://www.severedfifth.com/), hereby beginning the second phase of the project.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Severed Fifth, it was a project I set up to see how far an unknown musician (me) could take his music when releasing it under a Free Culture license; [a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/) license. To do this I wrote the debut Severed Fifth album ‘[Denied By Reign](https://www.severedfifth.com/releases/)’; writing and performing all the instruments and recording it in my home studio. Just as the album was released, I entered one of the busiest times in my life – I was moving countries, getting married, work was hectic, and had just signed up to write [The Art Of Community](https://www.artofcommunityonline.org) for O’Reilly. As such, time ran out and I didn’t have the mental bandwidth required to commit to Severed Fifth.
This changed about four months ago when I started working on the follow up album. As I edge towards the completion of the writing phase, I figured it was time to get the web presence and community kickstarted. Today I am proud to share the fruits of this work.
At [www.severedfifth.com](https://www.severedfifth.com) we now have a brand-new website, and [this blog entry](https://www.severedfifth.com/2010/06/05/welcome-to-part-two/) explains some of the key new features.
In addition to this I have set up a [brand new Severed fifth](https://www.severedfifth.com/forum/) forum. This will be the hub of the new Severed Fifth community, and I hope it will bring together fans of the music, Free Culture enthusiasts and community members who are keen to get involved with the Street Team. I will be blogging about the Street Team later this week.
Finally, I have also set up a [Severed Fifth Twitter Account](https://twitter.com/severedfifth). It is a great place to keep up to date with the project and find out the latest about the new album.