Kevin Smith for Council 2013

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I'm Kevin Smith, I've been serving on Council for seven years, and I'm reapplying for a eighth. I've chaired the Council for the last five sessions.

My approach to Council is unlikely to change significantly if I serve this year:

  • I tend to turn up to all the meetings.
  • I tend to read the XEPs fairly thoroughly before voting on them.
  • I tend to challenge and propose alternatives when I don't believe a XEP's ready.
  • I tend to let XEPs through when they solve a problem the community wants solved.
  • I tend to change my mind when there are compelling arguments.

History in XMPP

  • Started using in 2001.
  • Started writing code for Psi in 2002.
  • Joined the JSF/XSF members sometime later.
  • Project lead for Psi from 2004 until 2009.
  • Contributed a couple of early patches to SleekXMPP (Python library)
  • Wrote most of SleekBot (Chat bot using SleekXMPP)
  • Wrote SleekMigrate script (extract XEP-0227 export data from a server that doesn't support it)
  • In 2006 I participated in the Summer of Code program as a student
  • In 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 as a mentor
  • In 2010, 2011, 2012 as an org admin.
  • Develop the Swift client with Remko.
  • Work for Isode, on the M-Link server and associated tools.
  • I'm one third of the writing team that brought you XMPP: The Definitive Guide, via O'Reilly.
  • Wrote MaybeLater, a web-based TODO app using XMPP for the datastore.
  • Wrote the Stroke XMPP library for Java (a port of Swiften to pure Java).
  • My name's on a number of XEPs.
  • I've served on Council for the 2006/2007/2008/2009/2010/2011/2012/2013 period, chair for the 2008-2013 sessions and would like to serve for 2013/2014 if I can be useful.


Suitability

Reasons I can helpfully contribute:

  • I have a lot of experience of XMPP through Psi, Sleek, Swift, M-Link, jabber.org admin, Council etc.
  • I have experience doing 'new stuff' and thinking ideas through, from a PhD and a couple of R&D-related jobs.
  • I can read and write XMPP 'stuff' (re: book).
  • I still have new things to say about XMPP.
  • I'm one of the jabber.org admins, so I've seen quite a lot of server use, both from users and abusers, and from the server P.o.V. (I've run at least five different server softwares in production and more in testing environments).
  • I have (hopefully) interesting perspectives of different types of real-world deployments through my day job.

Films

No, those weren't me. Don't let that stop you voting for me, though, if you liked them.

Contact

xmpp:kevin@doomsong.co.uk