Follow Ubuntu Progress at a Glance, or Not

News came across the wire today about a new Ubuntu Launchpad feature that allows users to track bug and feature progress with a graphical at-a-glance layout. Color-coding and placement aid the ease-of-use aspects of this online tool. While the actual tool isn't new, regular user access was. There's just one problem.

LeanKit Kanban is an online service that allows projects and businesses to track work flow and progress visually. It has lots of benefits to the diligent and smart user. Those users can eliminate bottlenecks, time and money wasters, and even spot who isn't pulling their weight. Ubuntu uses it mainly to make sure high priority features and bugs are finished and cleared out adequately in an acceptable amount of time and to limit the actual number in-progress features to a manageable level.

So it was a bit exciting to hear that Canonical was going to allow regular users access to their Ubuntu Kanban board. For those that work for print magazines, this could be especially handy given that they sometimes have to employ crystal balls in order to submit news that is still relatively current when circulated. For regular users, it would be an interesting tools for watching the progress of the upcoming release. "New feature" bloggers would probably wear it out.

Unfortunately, the given login and password are still not working 12 hours after the announcement. This is apparently a glitch in the matrix and will be fixed shortly. So, even though it isn't working tonight, bloggers and anxious users note the URL, login (guest@canonical.com), and password (guest) because it will surely be working soon. Then everyone can can track feature progress in Ubuntu Launchpad at a glance.