ubuntu-official-event

Sometimes, across the warm and friendly Ubuntu community, there are persons asking about, searching for and inquiring into Ubuntu (as a community and project), inquiry sometimes followed by how-can-I-contribute-to-Ubuntu initiatives.

Translations, ideas, mockups or spreading the word, are among the activities that one can perform in order (on demand, if interested) to contribute to Ubuntu.

Furthermore, there are already-existing projects created with contribute-to-Ubuntu in mind, such as Ubuntu Bug Day.

Weeks ago, Ubuntu introduced Amazon-based search results in Ubuntu 12.10's Dash, approach aimed at (along with its shopping utility) bringing extra financial contributions towards Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, company that is pushing millions and millions of dollars into Ubuntu, operating system enjoyed for free by millions and millions of users across the world.

High-quality games are definitely an aspect highly considered by the Ubuntu developers.

Weeks ago, the developers announced the imminent availability of Ubuntu inside Unity (the game platform), in the sense of incorporating into the upcoming Unity 4.0 the ability to publish games to Linux (Ubuntu), mainly, opening a wide door of powerful games entering in Ubuntu.

Days ago, the developers launched a wallpapers contest, needed to select the default wallpaper stack for Ubuntu 12.10.

Basically, interested users can submit wallpapers to a dedicated Flickr group (untill August 28th 2012), from where a shortlist is selected, followed by the actual default wallpapers grouped and landed in Quantal Quetzal.

Quantal Quetzal is gradually coming to its final release, yet, there are still exciting additions to be strengthened and landed in the default installation, such as the already announced Web Apps, the fancy Previews, etc.

The developers choose wallpapers to be used by default (and thus exposed to millions and millions of users) via a community contest, where, basically, creative users submit wallpapers, wallpapers voted, tested on different screen sizes, resolutions, etc, then landed in the default installation.

Weeks ago, the developers launched an exciting contest, aimed at gathering developers from all over the internets with the main purpose of creating applications that, after being subjected to an official voting process, won prizes.

The until-at-the-moment prizes have been already "transfered" to participants, being presented as gold, silver and bronze, bundle of rewards judged by official non-community members.

Along with the constant work on refining, extending and developing the "internal" Ubuntu development, the developers have started a serious work on gathering third-party efforts in creating applications, apps, after their creation, usually landed in Ubuntu Software Center.

One successful and exciting reaching effort is Ubuntu App Showdown, an official contest where users have taken a 3 weeks-long development journey, with the main purpose of creating applications that, filtered through a voting process, have just received prizes powered by System76 and QT.

UbuntuOnAir is an online official Ubuntu event, where various Ubuntu-relevant guests are invited, in order to, during a two hour live-streamed video event, answer questions asked by users, questions ranging from present Ubuntu issues, future plans, places useful to resolve bugs, etc.

Project Sputnik is an exciting Dell-powered effort to materialize a laptop targeted mainly towards developers, aiming at providing a both powerful and fancy experience.

Days ago, Project Sputnik shifted from a pilot to a product stage, taking the bondage between Dell XPS13 laptops and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS a step further towards the probable 2012 fall's official launch.

In October 2011, Canonical and Dell launched a solid partnership to sell Ubuntu-powered computers in China across 220 stores, stores "backed" by trained staff explaining the benefits, advantages, utilities of Ubuntu to consumers.

The China "deal" is to be expanded in the near future to 350 stores in the next months because "the response has been phenomenal".