Fwd: Thanks for Ubuntu

[Martin Owens]

The other week I was heading back from FOSSed with two wonderful people
Carline and Ian who are both working on a port of Sugar to Ubuntu and
hope to make a sticky type sugar release for schools.

On the way back via the scenic backroads of Maine and New Hampshire we
needed to go to a Best Buy[1] and pick up some USB sticks for their
project. The first place we drove to didn't have any of the ones we were
after, but the second larger store did.

I was just hanging out while the purchases happened and noting rather
depressingly the large selection of windows only computers and large
Microsoft advertising displays. We were heading out when I happen to ask
the Geek Squad guy if he knew what Ubuntu was.

You should have seen his eyes light up! Oh had he heard it, it was the
most wonderful thing he'd used on his computer, only the thing he's been
having fun with for the past year!

Then I mentioned that me and Ian were programmers on Ubuntu. Wow! did he
really get excited then. He just wanted to grab me by the hand and shake
it so warmly you'd think I'd done some amazing personal favour. He
thanked me for our work on it and wished us the best for the future.

Finally I left to catch up to Ian and Carine who had already left with
their usb goodies.

I wanted to tell you guys this story because I'm not really the one he
thanked, really it's all you guys here developing Ubuntu platform,
desktop experience and contributing community. I wanted to make sure
that you all know there are people like our geeky squad friend in New
Hampshire that are not only delighted by Ubuntu, but I would say
profoundly effected by it.

Best Regards, Martin Owens

[1] Best Buy, a USA company that has large stores selling office
supplies and media. Similar to the Dixon group in the UK.