Ximin Luo

I've been using Debian exclusively on my home computers since 2007. From the very start I was thrown in the deep end, being walked through compiling nvidia graphics drivers from source (this was before DKMS existed) by someone helpful on IRC that I now can't remember the name of. I started submitting bug reports and patches not too long afterwards - #483600 was my first bug report, though the maintainer had already taken care of it by the time I figured out a fix; I was determined to compile a tool that I needed for a university course, rather than resort to installing Windows.

I've been uploading packages to Debian since 2010, and have been a DM since 2014. I currently maintain 11 packages, and have 3 pending uploads that I need to find sponsors for - knock (#761853), nim (#778330) and meek (#764007). I'm a member of groups pkg-go, pkg-javascript, pkg-mozext, pkg-otr, pkg-anonymity, and reproducible. Previously, I have also contributed to discussions about the Debian copyright format. As a DD I would continue with these responsibilities and expand them as appropriate. (Grander long-term plans are good for efficiently achieving a specific goal, but I see no personal reason to commit to a particular one at this time.)

Outside of Debian I'm also a developer for the Tor Project and the Freenet Project, and have mentored for both of these during Google Summer of Code. My day-to-day work is research and development on secure group messaging systems. I help various cryptography projects such as OTR and PGP, as well as CryptoParties in Berlin and previously London. Every year I go to CCC, RWC, FOSDEM, the Tor developer meetings, CTS/CTF when it happens, and occasionally HOPE and PETS. 2015 will hopefully be my first year at DebConf.

I have a lot of respect for Debian. It is one of the largest and most structured FOSS projects existing today. It has a strong drive for developing standards for interoperation between projects; this is important in order for many smaller projects - and most FOSS projects are small, yet many - to work together in a wider context to achieve greater real-world affects. It has a consensus-based process for forming these standards that is continually being questioned and improved; this is important so that unity may be achieved without sacrificing the components' independence and individuality. Not only do I want to contribute technically to Debian, to improve the state of FOSS in the world; but I also want to explore this method of organisation further, and I believe that this will help future societies in ways that are deeper and broader than what is commonly meant by "technological progress".