Interview with Zach Kriesse

This week we have zkriesse in the interview series. In my opinion, zkriesse is one of the Ubuntu community members who may not be well known, but certainly keeps things going as smoothly as possible. He’s involved in a great number of things, including the Ubuntu Beginners Team.

1. Tell as much as you’re willing about your “real life” like name, age, gender, location, family, religion, profession, education, hobbies, etc.

Name: Zach Kriesse
Age: 19 (20 in March WOO!)
Gender: Male
Location: Western, Rockford IL
Religion: Non-Denomination Christian
Profession: Student, Ubuntu Wiki/Doc Admin/Editor, Potential Army Recruit
Education: Some College Biology/Environmental Science
Hobbies: Medical Stuff, Computers, Fishing/Reading, Writing
Marital Status: Single

2. When and how did you become interested in computers? in Linux? in Ubuntu?

I started using computers when I was about 12, my dad made me take a computer learning program before I was allowed to really “use” it though…in/around 2007/2008 I started getting into Ubuntu/Linux, been using it on/off as the situation demands since then!

3. When did you become involved in the forums (or the Ubuntu community)? What’s your role there?

Ah the Ubuntu Forums…my home away from home…started hanging out there when I started using Ubuntu so probably around 2008 or so…after that I found the Beginners Team, and from there the rest is history. (Or, so they say… )
I’m just a regular user but I’m hoping to become a forum admin eventually down the road…more into the documentation side of things though…

4. Are you an Ubuntu member? If so, how do you contribute? If not, do you plan on becoming one?

TOTALLY! I do a bit of work through various teams…the most notable are the Ubuntu Beginners Team, the Ubuntu Youth Team, (Which I lead), the forums, the Lubuntu Project, and some other stuff…

5. What distros do you regularly use? What software? What’s your favorite application? Your least favorite?

Don’t really have a least favorite…my favorite would have to be Thunderbird…great email client, works well and it’s pretty damn fast! Ubuntu would have to be my regular distro but I’ve tinkered with Fedora, Open Suse, and Lubuntu…

6. What’s your fondest memory from the forums, or from Ubuntu overall? What’s your worst?

Don’t really have a worst memory from the forums but a favorite? Jeez, every moment really! The ability to provide answers and insight while learning in that same step? It’s amazing!

7. What luck have you had introducing new computer users to Ubuntu?

I’ve introduced a few kids I know at my college and they’ve begun to enjoy it!

8. What would you like to see happen with Linux in the future? with Ubuntu?

Linux? Well I’d like to see better support honestly…same for Ubuntu…I say this as we are an open source community which means most, if not all, of us are volunteers…this isn’t a paying OR a full time job which means we have real lives, real jobs, real concerns other than Ubuntu itself…

9. If there was one thing you could tell all new Ubuntu users, what would it be?

Don’t give up right away…Ubuntu/Linux can be tough to get used to right away so don’t be immediately discouraged!

Originally Posted here on 2010-11-21