People of openSUSE: Sascha saigkill Manns

Please introduce yourself!

I’m 29 years old, living in Germany, single and I have a budgerigar. I’m working as a merchant and I love to read books, blogs, everything, and to write.

Tell us about the background to your computer use.

My computer career starts in the 80’s with a Commodore C64. I have subscribed to a magazine called “64er” and my first steps in programming were to write the listings from the magazine into the editor. At that time I tried to write in BASIC and Assembler.

In the beginning with C64 there has no GUI and mouse, but then came GEOS to the C64, and from that time it was possible to write in WYSIWYG .

In the school we had a computer training classes. We had a 286er with monochrome monitor. At that time there was no Windows. We had the Word and Excel in a DOS Mode. At the beginning of 90’s we’ve got a 386er computer with a color monitor and WIN 3.11. That was a great improvement.

First experience with the network was with my C64 through an acoustic coupler. We dialed a BBS telephone number (Bulletin Board System) short called “mailbox”. In the mailbox it was possible to write emails, or post a message to the public board. Later we’ve got real modems. My first was a 9000 bps, later on a 28000 bps and then 56000 bps modem.

In the beginning the Internet was great, no Flash or Javascript. But now…. :-)

When and why did you start using openSUSE/SUSE Linux?

That was between 2000 and 2004. I bought an old SuSE version (6.X), but for me as Windows user that was too difficult . I started officially with an Version 8.X.

When did you join the openSUSE community and what made you do that?

That was last year (2008). I have tested the UNSTABLE tree from KDE and posted bugreports.

In what way do you participate in the openSUSE project?

I’m working in the Marketing Team, openFATE Screening Team and creating my own packages in the openSUSE Build Service.

Last week, I started a new project. I’ve created a German spoken version of the openSUSE Weekly News. It is a part of the live broadcast. This week will come the issue #65.

What especially motivates you to participate in the openSUSE project?

In my eyes openSUSE is the best distribution with optimum of stability and usability. Then, I have found the great community.

What do you think was your most important contribution to the openSUSE project/community or what is the contribution that you’re most proud of?

I think my work in the Marketing Team (Weekly News) and openFATE Screening Team.

When do you usually spend time on the openSUSE project?

Every day, if I have enough time.

Three words to describe openSUSE? Or make up a proper slogan!

Save your data, kill Conficker, use openSUSE.

What do you think is missing or underrated in the distribution or the project?

My hope is, that the openSUSE Members can send submitrequests (OBS) in the openSUSE:Factory tree.

What do you think the future holds for the openSUSE project?

I think we have a good distribution where majority of needs are fulfilled and that is the reason that many cities change their infrastructure to openSUSE/SLED. I hope that more people will become a registered users, and so the community will grow up.

A person asks you why he/she should choose openSUSE instead of other distribution/OS. What would be your arguments to convince him/her to pick up openSUSE?

I think openSUSE has an good usability, has YaST (great tool). Everyone can build his own packages in OBS and the openSUSE branding is great.

Which members of the openSUSE community have you met in person?

I have met few people from the openSUSE desk in Frankfurt, but I don’t know their names.

How many icons are currently on your desktop?

17 + 16 in the Favorites Place from the KMenu.

What is the application you can’t live without? And why?

Firefox and Kontact.

I’m using Kontact for all things (calendar own and remote, email mailing lists, RSS. and diary). I have modified Firefox, so it can remove ads, disable scripts, and through ScribeFire I can blog.

Which application or feature should be invented as soon as possible?

kqlives (an Zelda-like game). I’m working actually on it in my OBS project.

Which is your preferred text editor? And why?

For short things vim (like his handling) and for long changes I use Kate. I like to have a good overview.

Which famous person would you want to join the openSUSE community?

Barak Obama

Which computer related skills would you like to have?

I would like to learn C and C++ and Python.

The Internet crashes for a whole week. How would you feel, what would you do?

I think I would be nervous. No emails, no Weekly News, no OBS. No good perspective.

Which is your favorite movie scene?

In movie “Dead Poets Society”. The scene at the end of the film when few guys stands up, go to the captain and say: “O Captain, my captain”

Star Trek or Star Wars?

Star Trek (but only the version with Cpt. Picard)

What is your favorite food and drink?

Roasted chicken with chips and drinks are coffee and beer.

Favorite game or console (in your childhood and nowadays)?

Maniac Mansion and Ultima.

Which city would you like to visit?

Prague and Moscow.

What is your preferred way to spend your vacation?

Around May and Jun in Germany are festivals called “Night of the museums”.

During that festival museums are open from 18:00 to 03:00, and we can have one ticket for all museums. I would like to go to Frankfurt.

Someone gives you $1.000.000 – what would you do with the money?

I’ll buy me a better monitor.

If traveling through time was possible – when would we be most likely to meet you?

Jesus Christ time.

There’s a thunderstorm outside – do you turn off your computer?

No.

Have your ever missed an appointment because you forgot about it while sitting at your computer?

Yes.

Show us a picture of something, you have always wanted to share!

Actually I have no good pictures :-(

You couldn’t live without…

PC, TV and good books.

Which question was the hardest to answer?

What are you going to do with one million :-)

What other question would you like to answer? And what would you answer?

— Why is your nick Saigkill?

This was a typing error. I wanted to write “sigkill”, but my fingers were faster and they are typed “saigkill”. That’s all Folks…