Linux Systems Engineer · DevOps/SRE Focus · Systems Thinker with UI/UX Awareness
I build systems with an emphasis on clarity, reproducibility, and thoughtful design. My engineering work spans Linux distribution development, subsystem‑level debugging, and creating reliable, maintainable environments across diverse Linux ecosystems.
Creator of LiviOS, a retro‑inspired Linux distribution engineered around clarity, reproducibility, and intentional design.
LiviOS reflects how I naturally approach systems engineering:
- I design for predictability — systems should behave consistently.
- I document for clarity — architecture should be understandable.
- I build for reproducibility — processes should be repeatable.
- I refine for UX — systems should feel coherent and intuitive.
The terminal‑first workflow is a deliberate design choice for LiviOS, not a limitation of my broader engineering work.
Current status: antiX Edition in active development (pre‑release)
Repository: https://github.com/djmenig/liviOS
I investigated and documented a hardware‑specific audio failure affecting Dell systems (and other laptops using the same audio hardware), where the base speakers would not initialize or produce sound.
My contribution included:
- identifying the failure pattern
- collecting and analyzing SOF + ACPI logs
- isolating the subsystem interaction causing the issue
- validating behavior across multiple distributions (openSUSE, antiX)
- collaborating with SOF and kernel maintainers
- providing reproducible reports and traces for upstream debugging
Relevant threads:
- thesofproject/linux#5488
- thesofproject/linux#5404
- https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1249575
This work demonstrates my ability to diagnose subsystem‑level issues and communicate findings effectively to upstream maintainers.
My engineering style is shaped by how I naturally think and solve problems:
- Clarity — systems should be understandable, not obscure.
- Reproducibility — processes should be predictable and repeatable.
- Maintainability — future work should be easier, not harder.
- Intentional architecture — every component should have a purpose.
- User experience — systems should feel coherent and intuitive, regardless of interface.
This mindset guides me through every computing endeavor I pursue.
A structured roadmap of my current and upcoming engineering efforts:
[ ] finalize architecture documentation
[ ] refine build scripts and reproducibility steps
[ ] prepare pre‑release packaging
[ ] begin tooling evaluation (zypper, OBS, KIWI)
[ ] design cross‑edition consistency guidelines
[ ] establish build pipeline structure
[ ] complete AZ‑900
[ ] complete AZ‑104 using free voucher
[ ] integrate cloud fundamentals into DevOps/SRE skillset
[ ] improve documentation clarity
[ ] add diagrams and workflow explanations
[ ] strengthen onboarding for contributors
[ ] deepen automation and pipeline fundamentals
[ ] expand monitoring/logging practices
[ ] continue hands‑on systems engineering work
[ ] maintain outline for named openSUSE spin (name withheld until release)
[ ] refine opinionated, UX-driven package and workflow selection
[ ] continue using daily-driver environment for iterative improvements
[ ] preserve conceptual design as potential successor if SUSE ever required a name change
[ ] implement after major LiviOS milestones
I work comfortably across a wide range of Linux environments and tools:
Linux (antiX, Debian, openSUSE, Fedora, Ubuntu) · Bash · Git · PostgreSQL · KDE · XFCE · GNOME · terminal workflows · reproducible build processes
I adapt quickly regardless of distribution, init system, or desktop environment — my focus is on understanding systems deeply and building reliable, maintainable solutions.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donald-menig