Jimmy Kaplowitz's SPI Board of Directors Self-Nomination Platform
Sunday, November 24, 2002

Introduction:
-------------

I care very much about SPI, and it is very unfortunate that it is pretty
much stalled right now. I think that SPI needs board members who can
attend the meetings, bring good ideas to the table, and involve the
membership. Let me tell you a bit about myself and why I am seeking this
position.

Brief Bio:
---------

My name is Jimmy Kaplowitz. (Or, for legal purposes, I am James
Kaplowitz.) On Freenode, I use the nickname Hydroxide. I am 19 years old
and from New York City. I am currently in college at Brown University in
Providence, RI, USA, planning to major in CS. I have formerly been
employed at a NYC-area ISP, doing various things including PHP/Perl web
development and UNIX/Linux sysadmin work.  I started using Linux
exclusively in August 1998 and I joined Debian in May 2001. For Debian I
have done a few things, most notably implementing the mostly-completed
PowerPC support for PGI, the Progeny Graphical Installer for Debian. I
also do user support on #debian as time permits.  At Brown, even though
I am a freshman, I have already started a Linux Users Group here, and we
are working closely with the IT people on many projects, including the
establishment of email and web kiosks around campus, which we hope to
have running Linux.

Ability to Attend Meetings:
---------------------------

Second to a love of free software and a sharp brain, the most important
thing that a board member of SPI needs is time to be actively involved
by attending meetings. I have this time. A college schedule like mine
provides much free time, especially on weekends but also on afternoons
and evenings, and if I know in advance when a meeting is I can certainly
work it into my schedule. I know that quorum has not been met in the
past two meetings of the SPI board, and I will endeavor to be in
attendance in all the meetings except in those rare cases where I have
an unavoidable conflict.

Bringing Good Ideas to the Table:
---------------------------------

SPI has a lot of potential to make waves in the world of software. SPI
certificate of incorporation outlines lots of goals and purposes for
which the corporation was ostensibly formed, many of which go beyond
SPI's traditional purpose of serving as a legal umbrella and donations
recipient for free software projects. For example, many of them involve
educating the public on how to use computers, computer systems, the
Internet, free software, etc. I have personally done this sort of
tutoring as a volunteer with Windows and MacOS, and while even
continuing that through SPI would enhance the general public's computer
literacy and generally be a good thing, it would be wonderful to hold
educational events as they pertain to Linux and free software as well.

Despite the above, I understand that SPI cannot shirk its core role of
steward for Debian, OFTC, and all the other affiliated projects it
represents. That must be its most essential mission, and I am dedicated
to that and will help further that as a board member.

Involve the Membership:
-----------------------

Right now, SPI membership means very little other than a subscription to
spi-private. We should involve the members, so that we can receive their
input and ideas. This would involve more use of the public and
members-only mailing lists, wherever it wouldn't violate
confidentiality. I am thinking now of Nils Lohner's message to
spi-general when membership was first introduced, and we need to again
ask the members what they want the board to be doing.

I would be honored to serve as an SPI board member, and I hope that I am
given the chance.

- Jimmy Kaplowitz
jimmy@debian.org