Membership Application Process
If you believe you meet the requirements for Ubuntu Membership, there are a few routes you can take to formally apply.
Standard Application
Agree to the Ubuntu Code of Conduct
The first step a prospective Ubuntu member must take is to agree to The Ubuntu Code on Conduct. This is a commitment to abide by the set structures and guides within the Ubuntu community to make it a safe, open, and ultimately enjoyable place to be.
Signing the Ubuntu Code of Conduct requires a Launchpad account. Launchpad is Canonical’s software collaboration platform and a hub for Ubuntu Project software development.
If you have an existing Launchpad account, you can sign the Ubuntu Code of Conduct here.
If you have not yet created a Launchpad or Ubuntu One account, you can register for one here then follow the link above.
Create an Application
Head to the membership category on the Ubuntu Discourse. There you must make a new topic titled “Your name | Membership Application”, and list all of your contributions. The post should include:
- A summary of your contributions to Ubuntu (no longer than 2-3 lines per item)
- A link to your Launchpad profile
- A complete description of your contributions to Ubuntu
- Your plans and ideas for Ubuntu in the future
- And any testimonials to support your application as comments on the thread (must be added by others - do not add these yourself)
To get testimonials for step five, ask friends/sponsors/colleagues/people in the community to comment on your post to support your application. Any of your ‘sponsors’ are also welcome to join the meeting (more on that next) with you to present their testimonials in real-time.
Present your Membership Application
Finally, you need to present your application to the membership board. Don’t worry, the discourse post acts as the application material, the rest is a real-time interview on IRC. Ubuntu membership board meetings take place on Internet Relay Chat (IRC), in the #ubuntu-meeting channel on the Libera network (see the notes section below for details about using either an IRC client or the web browser-based interface).
Once you have a nickname on IRC, and your discourse post with all the testimonials you want, you have to add yourself to the next board meeting agenda that you can attend:
Add your name, your IRC nickname, and a link to your Discourse post. We recommend that you add yourself to an agenda that is at least a week away so the board members can coordinate and make sure of maximum attendance. The board meetings can take up to an hour. If you are not present at the meeting time you have specified your application will be deferred until you choose an alternative meeting, or at the board members’ discretion a vote will be held via email. It is, therefore, important that you attend the meeting.
The board may want to ask questions to clarify any details they are unsure about or to tease-out details you may have not included in your application. During the meeting the board members will vote on your application and you will get an immediate yes or no answer at that time. If for some reason your application is not approved, please do not give up. We strongly encourage applicants to continue their work in the community and apply for membership again in the future.
Specialized Membership
While the Standard Application is the most common Membership route for typical contributors, there are other membership avenues for those with a history of specialized contributions:
Ubuntu Developers
Members of the community who are involved with developing, packaging and distributing Ubuntu software can apply for Ubuntu Developer Membership.
Kubuntu Membership
Individuals who have made substantial contributions within the Kubuntu project can apply for Kubuntu Membership.
Lubuntu Membership
Individuals who have made ‘significant and sustained’ contributions within the Lubuntu project can apply for Lubuntu Membership.
Xubuntu Membership
Individuals who have made meaningful contributions within the Xubuntu project and demonstrate a motivation to contribute perpetually can apply for Xubuntu Membership.
IRC Membership
Those in the community who have made sustained contributions within the Ubuntu IRC community can apply for IRC Membership.
Forums Membership
Individuals who have demonstrated significant contributions within the Ubuntu Forums can apply for Forums Membership
Notes
If you have an IRC client installed that understands the irc:// protocol in hyperlinks, then you can use the following link to directly connect to the #ubuntu-meeting channel on LiberaChat using your client irc://libera.chat/ubuntu-meeting. If you don’t have an IRC client installed, then you may use web interface to LiberaChat.