FOSS (Free Open Source Software)

Our Institute is the "SUPER RESOURCE CENTRE" for the Spoken Tutorials - promoted by IIT Bombay Spoken Tutorial in association with Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) as part of its Mission for Education - Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

The month of October, 2011, we started conducting FOSS (Free Open Source Software) courses fromIIT Bombay Spoken Tutorial. We started the courses namely Linux, Latex, Scilab, Python and PHP MySql. Once the first batch of students learned Linux-Ubuntu, appeared for the on-line exam and received certificates fromIIT Bombay Spoken Tutorial. The courses started gaining a momentum. We started batches in every semester and students got benefitted by the above said courses.The great support from the Spoken Tutorial team,IIT Bombay Spoken Tutorialmade us continue our journey in FOSS. The FOSS movement steadily attracted the interests of all and more students started to learn the courses in batches and more than 250 students were certified in the above said courses. We started spreading FOSS to the society. As a result of all these efforts leading to a commendable progress we have planned to start a community for FOSS in our institutions.

Hence FOSS provides you the Freedom to

• Execute the Software
• Study how a program works
• Redistribute copies
• Modify / improvise
So you may get the software at no cost but as per the license you canrun, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.
The major advantages are,
• The availability of the source code and the right to modify
• The right to use the software in any way
• Core software is free
• Evolving software and the future is FOSS
• Encourages hands on experience
• Cost Factor
• Legal issues with software
• Security, reliability and stability
• Collaborative problem solving
• Vendor Independence/ open standards
• Localization
• Employment
• Not tied to a single vendor
• Big community to support

Benefits

The major benefit is that the students will learn FOSS courses. Other benefits include,

• The club will help them to update their knowledge
• The students can participate in discussion forums
• This knowledge will help the students in their placements
• The students can contribute to the FOSS community with software’s
• The students can participate in competitions conducted by the club
• The students can take part inIIT Bombay Spoken Tutorialprojects
And above all, the students can contribute to the growth of our Nation by reducing the software cost.

The training is via self-learning so one does not need to leave the campus. It is offered totally FREE of COST, as it is funded by the Govt. of India. In the beginning, we will guide and support the learners, once familiar with the method, all can learn. After learning and practicing the tutorials the student becomes knowledgeable enough to take an online assessment test. Learners receive Spoken Tutorial Projects, IIT Bombay certificates on clearing the test.

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