CoreDeveloperApplication

Revision 11 as of 2023-12-05 02:59:10

Clear message

I, Vladimir Petko, apply for core-dev.

Name

Vladimir Petko

Launchpad Page

https://launchpad.net/~vpa1977

Wiki Page

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/vpa1977

I am applying because:

  • I'd like to eliminate delays in getting my work sponsored.
  • I'd like to reduce the burden on my sponsors.
  • Be able support core toolchains initiative - introduce a set of core toolchain packages (e.g. build tools such as ant, maven) into main
  • Help with the Patch Pilot program
  • Support team efforts such as proposed-migration and +1 maintenance.
  • Assist in toolchain migrations (e.g. default Java 21)

Who I am

A software developer from Hamilton, New Zealand currently employed by Canonical within the Foundations team.

Prior to joining Canonical I have worked for First Watch (NZ cybersecurity startup), Gallagher (Physical Access Control), OpenWay (Credit card processing), Alcatel-Lucent (Convergent Rating Engine), TopsBI (Life insurance project) and Togethersoft (UML modelling tool).

I hold a specialist diploma in Computer Science from St. Petersburg State Technical University and MSc from University of Waikato.

When I am not in front of the computer I enjoy spending time mountain biking or hiking.

My Ubuntu story

I have started using Ubuntu during the studies in University of Waikato (2011-2015) - I had lucid and later precise installed. It was used as a development environment for the assignments and research.

At Gallagher we have used Ubuntu as a development environment for the T20 reader and eventually switched to it for the controller development. At First Watch we have used Jammy as a host development environment.

My involvement

As a member of the toolchains squad my primary focus is Java and Java packages, though as part of normal Foundations work I am exposed to a wider range of packages, e.g. my first task was fixing cryptsetup autopackage test.

Examples of my work / Things I'm proud of

Ubuntu Contributions:

Debian Contributions:

Upstream Contributions

Areas of work

  • Provide fixes for openjdk-11..22 (doko), triaging launchpad bugs, report (and if possible ) fix issues upstream.
  • Provide bug reports and fixes for the Debian Java Team.
  • Prepare OpenJDK Security Releases with Security Team.
  • Participate in +1 maintenance and proposed-migrations.

Things I could do better

  • Better attention to detail and more use of automation to avoid producing irrecoverable typos in my work.
  • Improve communication skills/get to know more people in the community.

  • Improve my knowledge of Java hotspot internals - we are getting a few platform-specific issues such as JDK-8320278

Plans for the future

General

  • Finish clean up of openjdk-* lintian warnings.
  • Re-enable openjdk-* autopkgtests.
  • Complete libheif MIR (probably this will require creating our set of the test material for AOM).
  • Perform Java 21 migration.
  • Help to define core Java package set to improve developer experience.

What I like least in Ubuntu

  • Unmaintained packages - when investigating Java 21 FTBFSes, I have encountered a number of packages that are well behind upstream releases (e.g. weka), or fail to build for a very long time, e.g. android-platform-external-doclava. Probably core Java package effort will allow to ensure that important packages get updated in a timely manner.

  • Launchpad Merge UI - it might be a good rainy day project for me to prototype something similiar to Github UI and propose it to Launchpad team.

Comments

If you'd like to comment, but are not the applicant or a sponsor, do it here. Don't forget to sign with @SIG@.

Endorsements

As a sponsor, just copy the template below, fill it out and add it to this section.

TEMPLATE

== <SPONSORS NAME> ==
=== General feedback ===
## Please fill us in on your shared experience. (How many packages did you sponsor? How would you judge the quality? How would you describe the improvements? Do you trust the applicant?)

=== Specific Experiences of working together ===
''Please add good examples of your work together, but also cases that could have handled better.''
## Full list of sponsored packages can be generated here:
##  https://udd.debian.org/cgi-bin/ubuntu-sponsorships.cgi
=== Areas of Improvement ===