News article below is a good example of possibilities for developing
public software applications....
Colleges as resource institutions for supporting the growth of public
software (a disaster management system in this case, is a good example
of public software - see www.Public-Software-Centre.org for what is
Public Software and its rationale), ....and public software as a tool
for strengthening possibilities for collaborative learning processes and
as a possible link across institutions of education, where colleges can
support high schools use of public software esp educational tools ...
regards,
Guru
Free software edge to forge ahead
L Subramani
/Gnu-Linux User Groups on campuses can help colleges save license money
and develop the skills of their students, discovers L Subramani
/
While it is common for students to have the energy and idealism, Adarsh
has something more that could possibly offer him a head-start in his
career: a project to focus on. The eighth semester computer science
student from MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT) has been a
regular contributor to the project to create a disaster management
system that could help reach out to people caught in natural calamities
like earthquakes and cyclones. “The project was born out of the 2004
tsunami, when aid agencies had problems reaching out to the victims. A
few of us have been working with the development team and have even
fixed a bug,” Adarsh explains, a proud smile lighting up his face. The
project Adarsh and his fellow students at MSRIT have been working on is
based on Free Software concepts which, according to the students, “is
where we find one of the most open platforms for knowledge sharing.”
Free Software, which is explained as the freedom to access the source
code, modify the software, share and customise it by the users, not only
gives students the much-needed hands-on experience in development and
testing of software in the Free Software space, but also could initiate
them into projects.
“Lack of quality teaching staff and good experience on software have
been one of the major issues with freshers walking out of colleges with
an engineering degree,” said S Senthil, Convenor, Free Software Movement
of Karnataka (FSMK), the community of software engineers instrumental in
taking Free Software ideals to educational institutions. “Of course,
many proprietary vendors go to institutions these days, but the
difference we bring is the almost community approach to grooming
students to build a value for themselves amongst software engineers.”
/Besides MSRIT, there are other colleges in Bangalore — CMRIT, Yellamma
Dasappa Institute of Technology, Mount Carmel, New Horizon etc — who
have also created what the movement calls GLUG or Gnu-Linux User Groups
in their campuses with active support and guidance from FSMK. The
movement also visits colleges, explaining to their management and
students how the use of Free Software can help colleges save license
money and help develop the skill levels of their students. /Senthil said
support from the management was critical to the process.
Youth appeal
“It is harder to convince them in the beginning, but once they see the
enthusiasm amongst their students, they gradually get to understand the
idea,” he said. Dr K Rajanikanth, principal of MSRIT, said he didn’t
require much persuasion since he knew about the benefits of Free
Software during his stint with the Visvesvaraiah Technological
University which has about 170 colleges affiliated to it. “We have
nothing against proprietary software, but Free Software gives students
and colleges a choice which they are inclined to take, given the
benefits,” Rajanikanth said. “Our move to promote Free Software became
much easier after we got autonomy. The process of converting everything
to Free Software platform began slowly but once the faculty and students
started to show interest, it picked up.”
Institutions like CMRIT (Chikka Munniappa Reddy Institute of Technology)
also gradually took up Free Software. “The entire IT system of our
college now runs in Free Software,” said Prabodh, a lecturer in the
Computer Science department, who has been working with the head of the
department Sudhakar in the college’s conversion to Free Software.
*Hands-on learning*
“We did face opposition initially when we started about four years ago.
It only takes the faculty and students to get used to the Gnu-Linux
operating system and all the free tools we use with them. Now everyone
is comfortable using it and the management has come all-out in support,”
Prabodh said. The most important advantage for students is that they can
play around with the software in whichever way they want. “We can
examine the source code — which is the DNA of any software — and study
how the series of codes controls and runs a computer,” said Abhinav, a
Computer Science student from CMRIT.
“If we want a tool, we just have to find it online and download it
without having to worry about license cost since it is free download. We
also have the community to support us in clarifying our doubts and
almost hand-holding us in working with various components of
technology,” said Mohan, another Computer Science student. CMRIT has
about 300 students, while MSRIT has about 150. “We keep inviting our
alumni and remain in touch with them. If we were to count them as part
of our community, the figures will be nearly 600,” Adarsh said. Though
MSRIT has an elective in Free Software, Senthil said FSMK is working to
introduce it in other colleges. He also said that his movement has plans
to mentor students through projects and help them make more substantial
contributions than what they do currently.
“Most of us are volunteers who work in MNCs and want to do something to
enhance the quality of IT manpower in the country. All that we can
invest is time and skills. The Free Software Movement provides the right
platform for us to make this contribution,” he said, adding that nearly
25 of FSMK members are preparing to lead projects in various colleges as
mentors. *CMRIT students, meanwhile, are preparing to work on ORCA, a
screen-reading software used by the visually challenged on Ubuntu
(Linux) which needs further enhancements*. “We are also creating a whole
new desktop environment for engineering students to work entirely on
Gnu-Linux,” Abhinav said. MSRIT conducts Mukthi, an annual developer
event to work with GLUGs from across the City and interact with those
working on specific platforms. CMRIT also holds monthly events to create
an environment of learning for students.
Senthil believes the activities would stand the students in a good stead
in finding jobs. With companies like Google and Fedora coming out to
select interns to work with them for a sizable scholarship, he said
interest in Free Software would soon spread to other colleges.
Source -
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/74339/free-software-edge-forge-ahead.html*
--
Gurumurthy Kasinathan
IT for Change | Tel:98454 37730
Visit www.Public-Software-Center.org for the Kochi declaration on Public
Software
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