Comments on: Two Ubuntu Community Team Intern Opportunities Available

By: Not working w/ community: A respone to a post from Jono « A Conservative Techie

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:11:58 +0000

[...] working w/ community: A respone to a post from Jono In a recent post on his blog, our wonderful community leader Jono describes several internship positions within the [...]

By: jono

jono — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:30:50 +0000

Folks, I spoke with our head of HR about this and have summarized the changes at http://www.jonobacon.org/2010/03/23/ubuntu-community-team-opportunities-second-draft/

By: Jef Spaleta

Jef Spaleta — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:15:35 +0000

Hey what's with the bad mouthing the Imperial Department of Military Contracts and Procurement? Haven't you read the Star Wars prequal series entitled the "Secret Files of a Sith Administation" trilogy which went into excruciating detail over the managing a Galactic open bid process for contracting the building of the Death Star.

Sure whips were involved...but workers also got an hour and half lunch so its really a quid pro quo there. An hour and a half lunch!!

Speaking of volunteers, I think if there really is a legal oversight here in calling these positions interns...this work could easily be re-imagined as volunteer Ubuntu project positions..like other work that is already goes on.

-jef

By: Adam Williamson

Adam Williamson — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:24:08 +0000

C’mon, it’s not like Jono is out there with a whip forcing people to work on his Death Star. He’s asking for volunteers, here.

By: Jake McGraw

Jake McGraw — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:11:39 +0000

Sorry for the theft comment, you're right, was out of place.

Even if it's a pittance (new laptop + travel expenses, perhaps?) you really should pay your interns. The guiding philosophy should be: how much value will their work contribute to your organization. What, if anything, can you provide to make it easier for them to do a great job.

By: Guido

Guido — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:49:08 +0000

Jono, the bigger problem isn't if this unpaied internships are legal or not. Please, don't call law and eventually its holes as an excuse. The problem is if don't pay them is moral or not. It is a shame that Canonical puts at work two persons and doesn't pay them. This is the point. You cannot call "voluntary" this two positions because them have a work time, duty, etc.

By: jono

jono — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:44:56 +0000

From what I can tell, your definition of "theft" is not the same as the laws: theft is the forceful process of taking someone's things. The original person gets no say in the matter - there things are taken without their consent.

None of this is forced: it is an optional opportunity that is open to people. If something thinks the intern opportunities are crack, just ignore them!

You also said that "anyone with one tenth the skill set required to fill these rolls will be able to find proper, paid employment" - while I think that they can find work, this opportunity provides a way of getting some great skills and a great reference. Again, entirely optional, but some may find it attractive. Put it this way: when I was starting out, I would have jumped at the chance.

By: Phil Bull

Phil Bull — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:40:51 +0000

Hi Jono,

Who is mentoring the documentation intern? I don't remember this being discussed on the Documentation list.

Phil

By: Adam Williamson

Adam Williamson — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:29:19 +0000

Oh good for you, you escaped one borderline bankrupt state for another

Better weather though!

By: jono

jono — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:28:10 +0000

Thanks for the feedback. I have linked our HR department to this post, so we can ensure we take all of these things into consideration and amend the opportunity where required.