On Wed, 8 Nov 2017 12:46:30 +1100 Luke Yelavich <them...@themuso.com> wrote:
>It is with an extremely heavy heart that I write to you all to announce my >departure from free and open source software development. GNU/Linux and free >and open source software development has been a part of my life for well over >a decade, some high points being my employment at Canonical for over 9 years, >and the opportunity to maintain a free software project, Speech Dispatcher. > >I care very deeply about GNU/Linux accessibility, and free and open source >software. I strongly believe that the philosophy behind free software is key >to a better future for this world. However, I have lacked motivation of late, >and the current state of accessibility on GNU/Linux, as well as the lack of >funding for it, has not helped. I also would like to spend more time on other >tallants I have, which have been neglected somewhat until recently, and are >more likely to bring in a source of income in the future. > >I am sure I will return one day, with renewed motivation, enthusiasm, and a >desire to contribute again. I am also sure I will be keeping watch on what >transpires in this community, and since I will still be using GNU/Linux, I >may still submit a bug fix from time to time for anything that I find >particularly annoying. > >I step down from my positions as Vinux lead developer, and as Speech >Dispatcher maintainer with pride and joy at what has been achieved. I am >sorry that I have not fully helped to realize a renewed Vinux distribution >based on Fedora, but I am sure that no matter what direction the Vinux >project chooses to go, it will be lead well, and received well by the >community. > >I will be closing my patreon campaign. To those who have supported me >financially, I thank you deeply. Your support has been much appreciated. You >know who you are. > >I am so grateful for the time I have spent in this community. I have learnt >much, and have shared knowledge with others, and both the learning and >sharing have always been a pleasure and a joy. It has also been a pleasure to >talk to, and work with the free software community at large, but I would >particularly like to thank a few people. > >To Rob Whyte, leader of the Vinux project, I owe a particularly heart felt >thank you. You have been a rock and confidant when I have needed someone to >talk to, as well as someone who I could blow off steam with, when things have >been rough. It has been an honour, and a pleasure, to work with, and get to >know you. Feel free to contact me any time if you want to chat. > >To everybody at Brailcom, particularly Hynek Hanke, Tomas Cerha, and Jan >Buchal, I would like to thank for having given me the opportunity to maintain >the Speech Dispatcher project. I had many plans to improve Speech Dispatcher, >and I am sorry that these were not realized. I am sure the Speech Dispatcher >project will still be relevant and developed going forward, and I am sure a >maintainer can be found in the community. I wish that maintainer well. > >I also have to thank Canonical for giving me a chance and a job. I had the >opportunitiy to work with some wonderful people while there, and I am happy >to have learnt so much, particularly when it comes to building and developing >a GNU/Linux distribution. > >Finally, I would like to thank the community. It has been a pleasure talking >with you all, bouncing around ideas, discussing functionality, collectively >digging into problems and solving them together. This last decade would have >been for nothing if it weren't for all of us, whether we be users, >developers, helpers, doc writers, etc. For now, I plan to exit for a while, >and watch from the sidelines, but I do hope to return as a more active >community member again, in the future. > >I wish you all well. You will not be forgotten. > >With kindest regards and best wishes. >Luke > Good luck to you in all your future endeavors, Luke. It was a pleasure to be able to work with you in the past. -- Charlie Kravetz Linux Registered User Number 425914 [http://linuxcounter.net/user/425914.html] Never let anyone steal your DREAM. [http://keepingdreams.com]
