Free Software Foundation Tamil Nadu
 | |
| Abbreviation | FSFTN |
|---|---|
| Motto | Building Social Movement around Free Software & Knowledge Sharing |
| Formation | 2008 |
| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Purpose | To spread free software philosophy among the masses and help in bridging the digital divide using free software and also by mobilizing the under privileged. |
| Headquarters | T.Nagar, Chennai |
| Location | |
Region served | Tamil Nadu, India |
Official language | Tamil, English |
Main organ | Executive Committee |
| Affiliations | Free Software Movement of India |
| Website |
www |
Free Software Foundation Tamil Nadu (or FSFTN in short) is a non-profit organization formed in 2008 as [1] a part of Free Software Movement of India (FSMI).[2] This organization is a social movement that works towards enlightening the masses with the essence of Free Software and to liberate knowledge to the commoners.[1] FSFTN organizes different workshops and seminars[3][4][5] in Tamil Nadu among the youth to spread the idea of knowledge liberation.
Presently FSFTN is active in campuses like Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Anna University, Madras Institute of Technology, etc. in and around Chennai.[6]
Name
Free Software Foundation Tamil Nadu is the body working as a part of Free Software Movement of India and not the Free Software Foundation of India.[7] It is often believed that FSFTN is the official chapter of Free Software Foundation or Free Software Foundation of India.[8] Recent disclaimer of Free Software Foundation, Tamil Nadu makes clear that FSFTN is a part of Free Software Movement of India and they are not associated with either Free Software Foundation or Free Software Foundation of India anyway other than the ideology.[1]
Objectives
As per the FSFTN site the main objectives of the organization are as follows:[1]
- To take forward free software and its ideological implications to all corners of our country from the developed domains to the underprivileged.
- To create awareness among computer users in the use of free software.
- To work towards usage of free software in all stream of sciences and research.
- To take forward implementation and usage of free software in school education, academics and higher education.
- To work towards e-literacy and bridging digital divide based on free software and mobilizing the underprivileged.
- To work among developers on solutions catering to societal & national requirements.
- To work towards a policy change favoring free software in all walks of life.
Activism
The Free Software Foundation Tamil Nadu was in the forefront of the protests against the inclusion of proprietary software in the free laptop scheme by the Government of Tamil Nadu.[6][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]
On February 6, 2012, FSFTN organized a lecture on "Freedom, Free Software and Education" by the founder of Free Software Foundation - Richard Matthew Stallman at IIT Madras in Chennai.[6][10][16][17]
On February 19, 2012, a Mozilla localization seminar was organized by the Free Software Foundation, Tamil Nadu at IIT Madras.[5]
On June 9, 2012, FSFTN conducted a protest against Intermediaries Guidelines Rules and spread awareness about the importance of a free Internet through posters, distribution of pamphlets and speeches by some of the volunteers at Besant Nagar Beach, Chennai.[13][14][15]
On June 2013, FSFTN conducted 5 days workshop in collaboration with ILUGC at IIT-Madras on various technologies and discussed about social issues like "Internet Democracy","Gender Biasing" etc.
On 23 April 2015, as part of Free Software Movement of India's call for campaign in support of NetNeutrality, FSFTN organized a walkathon in Besant Nagar Beach[18]
Projects
FSFTN runs a discussion forum that entirely works on Free Software like Discourse which by itself is built using RubyOnRails, a programming language which is also Free Software, etc. The site is http://discuss.fsftn.org/
References
- 1 2 3 4 "About". FSFTN. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
- ↑ Deepa Kurup (22 March 2010). "National Free Software coalition formed". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ↑ "Regional convention on free software". The Hindu. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ↑ "Chapter Activities". Easwari Engineering College. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- 1 2 "Indiameetup2012/Localization Sprints". Mozilla.org. 19 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- 1 2 3 Arun Janardhanan (12 September 2012). "Free software movement spreads in universities". Times of India. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ↑ "Board statement on recent issues". fsf.org.in. FSF India. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
- ↑ Rankin, Dave (21 August 2013). "Mozilla Firefox in Tamil Now Available". About.com Open Source. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
- ↑ Vasudha Venugopal (26 June 2011). "ELCOT determines technical requirements for free laptops". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- 1 2 Vasudha Venugopal (6 February 2012). "It's no 'free laptop' as long as it has proprietary software". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ↑ Vasudha Venugopal (3 September 2011). "Free laptops not to have open source software". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ↑ "Minister for IT, Tamil Nadu, clarifies free laptops to be loaded with Linux". Linux Candy. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- 1 2 Karthik Subramanian (9 June 2012). "Anonymous India gears up for its first street protests across the country". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
- 1 2 Karthik Subramanian (9 June 2012). "Online activists hit the streets". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
- 1 2 "People join hands for Net freedom". Deccan Chronicle. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
- ↑ "Free software from legal control". The Hindu. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ↑ Prasanth Radhakrishnan (25 February - March 09 2012). "Social inertia the main obstacle". Frontline. Retrieved 27 February 2012. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ "Young Chennaiites join campaign to protect net neutrality". Deccan Chronicle. Chennai. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.