Just Me

Christopher R. Gabriel
Casting pigs into pheasants since 1978

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Welcome to my junk

Important!

Before going on reading this page, please visit this web sites and support their activity:

Actually (don't tell anyone) I've no idea on what this pages are meant for

So please don't expect consistent and well-organized contents. Also, since I hate web sites which tells you "Under construction" (but they remains always the same, doh), I'm telling you that this page is complete, perfect, and absolutely nothing is missing (but I'll update it with the help of the darkness). You're warned.

My main interests are sciences, technology, music, and those cool things called books.

Sometimes I forgot that I keep an online activity log on what I do. I'm using it as a testbed for my written english.

I can't describe my personality. So I've done a personality test on a web site suggested by a real Seth. Here's the answer.

I feel terribly uncomfortable writing good and interesting things on what I've done, on I do and I want to do, but since this page is probably created for such stuff... let me try (I know, there's no try!).

Because of Mark Galassi I'm interested in free software sinnce 1995. Thanks, dude.

GNOME - Get a GNU Desktop

My first productive approach to free software was helping out in the GNOME Project in late '97. I recall back those days fighting compiling mico (and updating it via CVS on a 14.4 modem..), and fighting more with Mark on things like "My fish applet compile!!" and "You've got the fish, but I run X at 24bpp!!" .. and so on. I really miss those days.

After that, since I live in Italy, I've started looking around, and I discovered the Pluto Group, in late '98.

One of the first things I've done inside the Pluto Group has been the italian translation of the Gnome web site, site that I still maintain. I've also translate much of the user documentation and software from Gnome (here).

At Pluto Meeting 1998 I've also met the dudes from the Firenze GNU/Linux User Group (Firenze is the town where I actually live). I've joined them immediately, as a sysadmin for their server, as a webmaster and as teacher for their courses. I've also gave several tutorials at the Florence Engeneer Faculty, about Zope, CVS and other stuff.

I've also worked on several HOWTO traslation. My work inclues the Coffee-HOWTO, the LinuxDoc+Emacs+Ispell-HOWTO, the Serial-HOWTO and the VAIO+Linux mini-HOWTO.

When I remember, I usually maitaint the ILDP web site.

In August 1999 I've been invited to work at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, operated by University of California and the U.S. Department of Energy, at the NIS (Non-proliferation and nternational Security) division. I've been invited also in August 2000 to do research on object-oriented filesystem and storages, working mainly on the Linux Kernel.

On the basis of several ideas (most of them raised during my first experience at Los Alamos), I've started working from September 1999 on the GNU Scientifici Data Visualization library. I've spoken about this project at the Pluto Meeting 2000, along with Simone Piccardi (one of the main contributors).

I've also contributed to the GNU Scientific Library (GSL) to adapt it for the needs of GSDV. I've written some macros and script to support compilation using GNU Autotools.

In August 1999 I went to S.Jose, California, to help out at the Free Software Foundation booth at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo. Really interesting & funny experience! From then I've manage other booth for the FSF at several events, organizing the volounteers and stuff. I've managed the FSF/GNOME booth at the LinuxWorld Expo of New York (February 2000), at the LinuxExpo in Madrid (April 2000) and Amsterdam (February 2001), and at the Pluto Meeting (November 2000). Thanks to many people, I've been able to create a photo gallery of these events. All the photos are hosted on Pluto Devel (Feb. 1999 -> July 1999), trying to coordinate the developer works of the group. I've quit this job since I was thinking not to be the right person for this task. I'm still trying to understand what the real goal of the project is.

I'm a member of the Italian Linux Society since October 1999.

In October 1999, still for the Gnome Project, I've translated into Italian the book ""Gtk+/Gnome Application Development"", from Havoc Pennington. The translation was sponsored by Apogeo Editore, who print and sell the paper version. The downloadable version of the translation is available here.

I've also tried to do some politics. I was a candidate for the Gnome Foundation board of directors, with this presentation. As expected, I've not been elected, but partecipating to this was a real fun. Also, I'm happy to have received votes from people who I really esteem.

At Pluto Meeting 2000 I've done two tutorials and one speech about GSDV. The most interesting thing about the event was the dinner. During a really nerd night I've started, along with some friends a nice project, to write the most powerful mail reader ever wrote, which has to use all the new technologies offered by Gnome. Ovulation was born.

I've founded with some friends, in November 2000, the Associazione Software Libero.

I'm the administrator for the ILS, Flug and SLUG CVS Servers.

I've modified Advogato's mod_virgule, trying to create a small web site where people can discuss about free software and insult themselves freely using a thing called diary. This is why persone.softwarelibero.org was born. Don't worry, I'm hard coded in the trust metric.

During a boring night I've given a UI to Gant, and re-written the engine.

During those years (I'm not that young boy anymore, doh!) I've done several other things, boring things, tremendous things, about I don't want to write here. If you're really interested, please visit the BUG web site.

Last updated: 24th of November 2001 09:10:43 PM
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