Ubuntu’s Bleeding Edge, an act of niche journalism

I’ve been struggling to write anything of consequence at all recently… but apparently the best way to get back on the horse is to write what you know, so I have embarked on what might be described as an act of niche journalism.

Ubuntu’s Bleeding Edge is a new blog about the action, intrigue and occasional romance of the Ubuntu development branch, for everyone who thinks Release Day parties are only meant to celebrate the start of a new release cycle. It’s an easy way to keep up-to-date about the goings-on of Maverick Meerkat… particularly if the idea of running an ever-changing, alpha-quality operating system scares the bejesus out of you.

The story so far…

• Welcome to Ubuntu’s Bleeding Edge — an introduction and kickoff
• Previously on Maverick… — the first upload summary, documenting the first month of Maverick
• It’s June already… and Alpha 1 Beckons — second upload summary
• A couple of goofy asides about the boredom of freeze week and relief via the first alpha release (both include video for hilarity’s sake)
• Before the floodgates opened — summary of uploads during Alpha 1′s freeze

It’s a nice way to tackle a problem in bite-sized chunks, have a ready excuse to write regularly, and recall how much I used to enjoy those six month roller-coaster release cycles. It sure helps to have an enjoyable subject that I know pretty well, too!

Check it out, and subscribe to the feed if you’re keen to keep up with the ups and downs of Maverick.

Update: My latest devel branch update covers the removal of aptitude from the default desktop install and the switch to building for i686, both of which have become minor controversies.