candidacy (Juantomas Garcia)

[Juantomas <juantomas lared es>]

Who am I?

I'm a GNU/Linux user since 1995. I'm a member of Hispalinux (the most 
influent
LUG of Spain) and Vicepresident of ATEL (the spanish lobby for the promotion
of GNU/Linux in the companies and the government). Since 1982 I'm a free 
lance
un*x consultant and I'm the founder of two companies that strongly support
both GNU/Linux and GNOME.

What things have I done ?

I could write quite a long list of things I did before deciding to apply my
candidature, but I will not. I spent the last 3 years promoting 
GNU/Linux and
free software in Spain with conferences, lectures, seminars. Working with
LUGS. Talking with companies and the spanish government. I'm the tech
president of the first commercial event celebrated in Spain: Expo-Linux 
2000.
Having a lot of press and tv contacts to show how GNU/Linux and Free 
software
is changing the software world.

Why am I writing this?

Because I believe in the GNOME proyect and I really love the proyect 
from the
earliest versions.

Because, sure, you didn't see any line of code from me but I believe that
GNOME needs more than code, it needs lots of input and work on and over 
it.

Because the board needs to have a real criticism from the inside that's 
brave
enought to point out whatever is wrong with GNOME. I hope that the GNOME
foundation will not be an endogamic organization.

Because in my everyday work I collect a lot of input from users and 
companies
(read it as non hackers, non gnomies, even kidies) and I do not want that to
be lost.

I'm Spanish and European (and very proud of it) and Europe needs more GNOME
action indeed. I was involved in the trials to start the European GNOME
Foundation but I'm starting to think that it would be better to have an
Universal GNOME Foundation for that.

Because it will be a pleasure to me to work with the people that already 
has a
candidature.

Whatever the results of the elections, my commitment with GNOME is so strong
that I will continue working for it.

Thank you very much.

</juantomas>