I know, the Title is very frustrated. And even though, Fedora is always my first Love, but this is the truth.
It was last week of February 2008, when I first applied for Fedora Ambassador. I got approval from Thomas Chung within few days on 25/2/2008. It took about a week to explore the full Fedora Project. And I found ¨Zero¨ activity of Fedora in Bangladesh section (L10N and I18N). Then I thought, Fedora L10N Bengali team will be a good idea to join. It was Feb 26, I joined Bengali L10N team. I mailed them. I got a quick reply, “what kind of help do you need….”. Wow, that was a cool welcome, from my “Big Brother”. Anyway, later I got a helpful reply from my another “Big Brother”, thanks for that. Then I start translated some system files. Runa B helped me with this a lot, thanx to her. But, it did not take long before I started to loose interest in this. I was alone and soon got bored.
It was only me, who was translating. I am sure, there has no one who is actively working on Fedora Bengali L10N team, right now. The translation they are submitting, those are all old. If you use Fedora in BN_BD language, you will see, all translation are outdated. So, it was like, I am in a deep ocean, all alone. I was young that time, so patience was a problem as well.
People who works with L10N team, they know, how boring this work is. I had no one to help, with whom I can translate in a group. Group work is always helpful here.
I was in Fedora users list, also in Ubuntu-bd list. And I found, there has many people from Bangladesh who uses Fedora. Even sometimes, they mail in Ubuntu-bd list, seeking answer about Fedora. So, I thought, it’s important to get a separate mailing list for Fedora.
Anyway, I had no idea how to create an official Fedora mailing list. I asked in Fedora Ambassadors list. My first mail in Ambassadors list, here. Within 2 hours, I got a very quick reply from one of my “Big Brother”. Seriously, “Big Brother”, what did you think about me? An idiot, who don’t know the difference between a mailing list and a Google Group? And what happened to u suddenly? I searched full archive of all Fedora mailing list, I did not found any mail from you AT ALL, and all of a sudden, you replied me within 2 hours of duration, with a newly created Google group? Hmm, quite impressive. I am glad, I made u attentive in Fedora Project. Anyway, I replied him very politely, and no words from him. Then, Rahul Sundaram replied me, what I have to do.
And my that “Big Brother” again replied, that he proposed Rahul Sundaram to make someone else the mailing list owner, who is long active Ambassador of Bangladesh. Long active? Do you even know, the meaning of these words?
I replied him. Anyway, Rahul Sundaram did not care to reply him. However, I got supported from, Francesco Ugolini and Fabian Affolter about this. They were happy, as Fedora newbie like me, opening a mailing list.
Then, I sent a notification mail to Fedora L10N mailing list to join the mailing list. This time, nobody care to reply me.
For a long time, everything was normal. I was also the coordinator of Fedora Free Media Program in Bangladesh. Later at the early of 2009, there had a successful Event as well. My fellow “Big Brothers”, did not help me in this as well. Anyway, people who helped me in this, I must have to tell about specially, Bangladesh Linux Users Alliance, Ubuntu Bd and Amader Projukti, also Presidency University, Without their help, it was impossible. You can read about this event, here. Anyway, so over all, I was too busy. Then later on, everyone decided from Fedora to cleaning up Fedora Ambassador Country List (its just a list with people that could be contacted, in order to not have people, from the outer world and ambassadors complaining they don’t receive any answer from their country ambassadors). And I had to mail everyone. Everyone replied, but except my that “Big Brother”. They replied, they still consider them-self as active Fedora Ambassador. But they didn’t explain what they are doing actually, how they are active.
Because of my this mail, my all three “Big Brothers” was pissed at me as well, they were keep telling me, “I don’t respect seniors”. Seriously, I don’t respect senior, who don’t know, how to behave as a senior. Please grow up.
One of my “Big Brother” even used “F” word in mailing list. So Sabrul Jamil, wanted to put him in a moderation flag, but mistakenly, he unsubscribed him. However, he subscribed him immediately, when he saw it.
After that incident, they start mailing Susmit, Francesco Ugolini and CC’d at least 10 persons about this issue. Seriously, was that a circus? To read the language of the mail, I was¨Laughing Out Loud¨. After explaining them everything, finally, I found out, ultimately, what really they want. They want co moderator access on Fedora Bangladesh mailing list. At first, they did not know, a mailing list moderator has not much control over the mailing list. So, after I gave them moderator access, they checked Fedora Bangladesh mailing list, and saw there has not their name in it, and they complained me again, that why they don’t see their name. I replied them the reason. They replied “Sorry, my mistake. I intend to say co-admin. Please, make him co-admin with you”. Dear “Big Brothers”, you don’t even know anything about Administrating a mailing list, what will you do with it? Just to show off your name? Ok, you got it.
Just to test, I changed the mailing list Admin password for about 6 months or more. And still no words from them. That’s mean, they never even tried to login. Often I get spam and advertise in pending moderator requests. To test, even I waited for weeks, but at last, I had to login, to check the pending moderator request.
After releasing Fedora 12, all of a sudden, I got a mail in mailing list, subject “Event Report: Asian University, Bangladesh”. Without notifying official Fedora Bangladesh Mailing List, how could you arrange a release party? At least, we have right to know, about this event, right? Same case about report on BASIS SoftExpo 2010. By the way, we also missed the photos of event audience in the event report. Where they gone?
I know, what I am writing, it’s totally from my negative point of view, and I am not happy for it. I am not lying a word. And it’s a shame, I am criticizing badly my own people. But, I think, I am right. People should know everything. When you are expecting support from others and you are not getting them rather the struggle for power raises from nowhere what is there to hope for? It is easy to criticize but not to volunteer effectively. In a community you expect cooperation and coexistence not fighting and division.
Everyone asking me, why I am not active as Fedora Ambassador anymore. I tried my best to explain the reason. Mark my word, if these “Big Brothers” are always around like now, Fedora Bangladesh never gonna grow up.
I think, I explained very well, the reason of my frustration. People who know me, they know, how dedicated I am with Fedora.
At last, I want to thanks the whole Fedora Community, specially Susmit, Francesco Ugolini, Fabian Affolter, Max Spevack and Paul W. Frields. They helped me a lot. I am a big fan of them. They are the reason, why I am still here, with Fedora Project. As I am no longer active in Fedora Ambassador, I will soon, start my Fedora life as a Fedora Package Maintainer.
