FOSS Club STIST - Updates

perry · 3 February 2024 16:18

February

Goal-Driven Triumph: Navigating Challenges to Success by Jobin Selvanose on 2024-02-02T05:30:00Z→2024-02-02T07:30:00Z

Report

Session was supposed to be about developer habits and mindsets
Some miscommunications ended up in the talk being solely about motivating students to set a goal, make money, etc.
Speaker seemed a bit too confident and went on talking about the usefulness of money, high paying job, etc.
Talk deviated towards “success” and other stuff
Might have affected our “image” as a club
Anyways, the tea and snacks were good and the QA was useful.

Findings

Students get bored when session is too long, even when tea break is given in between
Students decide whether to engage/concentrate or snore from how they perceive the first few minutes of the talk

ansh · 3 February 2024 17:10

This happens, following the CFP model (or just reviewing the content beforehand) should solve this to some extent.

perry · 8 February 2024 14:40

March Tech Fest stuff

The college is conducting a 3-day inter-college tech fest on 2024-03-14T18:30:00Z→2024-03-16T18:30:00Z (moved due to conflicts with CET fest and FOSS Meet). The FOSS Club is organizing the following events:

Hosting talks related to FOSS (CFP open until Feb 21): [CFP] Speakers for talks in STIST tech fest
Linux installation party
Treasure-hunt like competition

Status

2 persons willing to give a talk

Sent an email today

Jobin_Selvanose · 26 February 2024 04:19

It is sad to hear this report. I should have this reply because I have tagged and used images in this forum.

Sorry If I didn’t have a session about OSS, But while discussing it before the month I said that I would take some general topic.
This was my reply when it said the most students are not aware of code.

Then can we have an general topic? Which is like how to become better developer or some kind of habits/mindset shift? But its not related to oss

So taking technical sessions is not better for the audience, that’s why I prefer to speak about some good habits and mindset that help to achieve goals as a developer.

The topic of money is just a module I talked about.

Skill Based Economy
Money
Types of Skills
Passion
Timeline cycle of growth
Goal, what is a goal and what is not a goal
Possibility and Probability
Affirmation and vision board
Discipline equals freedom
Extreme Ownership
Work Ethics
Habits
Perception equals reality
Internal and external perception
Networking and its important
Q&A

These are the modules I took, every module I took was exampled and talked retable to engineers and developers. So sorry to say that I was not only talked about misconceptions about money and high-income jobs. That was just a module and I literally spoke only 5 - 7 minutes. The only problem was I took this topic to the wrong audience. I had taken the same session to a group of college students and it was very interactive and that was for monetary benefits, I think the session happened on STIST was the wrong audience and was not serious and 90% was not interactive to open-ended questions.

Sorry if these comments hurt anyone. but this is the reality. I said my session would not be FOSS related and It was a voluntary session without looking for any benefits. The time I spent between my schedule and shared values is my contribution. Glad to know the Q/A helps but it seems only 2 -5 minutes Q/A.

perry · 2 April 2024 16:26

Yukthi’24 - College tech fest

The FOSS Club conducted talks, a competition and a linux installation party as part of the first college tech fest.

March 15, Friday

How we cloud connected our maruti dzire, and how you can too by Vishal DS, STIST – cancelled due to delay in Yukthi inauguration and speeches
Why and How of FOSS by @fossdot, FOSS United
Digital security and state of internet shutdowns in India by Kiran S Kunjumon, SFLC.in

March 16, Saturday

Prav Messenger: Convenience, Privacy and Choice by Ananthu C V, Debian Maintainer
Open Data: An Introduction by Athul R T, FOSS Enthusiast
Exploring Self hosting by Advaith Narayanan, MITS FOSS Club Lead
SegFault – CTF+Treasure hunt based competition using CLI tools and clues on paper

March 17, Sunday

Linux installation party

Report

All sessions were awesome
Timings got delayed, and participants weren’t happy with that
Some participants came just for activity points (KTU students get points for participating in talks and workshops and they are mandatory for getting college degree)
Many people who registered didn’t attend the sessions
Sessions were interactive, and many participants talked with the speakers, which is unusual in our college

Things we learned

Too many events are not manageable
Most people attend tech fests with an aim to either have fun or learn new stuff but not both
Many college students care more about activity points than learning new stuff
Students are more interested and attentive when new ideas are presented in a way they can relate to

Ganesh_Adimalupu · 16 October 2024 18:09

Hello folks,

I realize it’s been a while since this topic was active, but I wanted to revive the discussion to share some exciting updates from the FOSS Club at St. Thomas Institute for Science & Technology, Trivandrum. Over the past few months, we’ve organized several initiatives aimed at introducing first-year students to open-source tools and the broader FOSS community.

Ganesh_Adimalupu · 16 October 2024 18:18

SEPTEMBER

Induction Programme for First Year Students, St Thomas Institute For Science & Technology, Trivandrum

Date: 16th October 2024
Organiser: FOSS Club, St Thomas Institute for Science & Technology
Report by: Ganesh Adimalupu

The FOSS Club at St Thomas College hosted an induction programme for first-year students to familiarize them with the open-source culture, tools, and opportunities available through contributions to Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). The session aimed to motivate new students to join the club and participate in upcoming FOSS-related activities and events.

Timeline of Events

Day 1 (September 11, 2024)

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM: CS2 and DS Student Session

Welcome Address and Introduction to FOSS
Speaker: Ganesh Adimalupu

An overview of the FOSS Club, its mission, and the role of FOSS in today’s technology landscape.
Key topics included: open-source philosophy, how to begin contributing to FOSS, and tools like Linux, OpenOffice, and GIMP.
FOSS Tools and Technologies
The session highlighted various open-source tools, including the Linux operating system, OpenOffice for productivity, and GIMP for graphic design. Each tool was introduced with examples of its use in academic and professional contexts, showcasing the benefits of adopting FOSS in daily life

Projects and Opportunities
Students were introduced to popular FOSS projects such as Linux, Apache, and Blender. Real-world examples illustrated how contributing to these projects can lead to career advancement and global awareness. A live demonstration on navigating GitHub repositories was also provided.

Day 2 (September 12, 2024)

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Session for CS1 Students
The session’s content was consistent with that of Day 1, maintaining a similar level of student engagement and enthusiasm. Notable aspects included the GitHub demonstration .

Agenda for the FOSS Club Induction Program

Day 1: September 11, 2024 (CS2 & DS Students)

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM
Welcome and Introduction
Speaker: Ganesh Adimalupu
A brief welcome note introducing the FOSS club and outlining the objectives of the induction program.

10:15 AM – 10:45 AM

Understanding FOSS
An exploration of Free and Open-Source Software, emphasizing the significance of community involvement and the worldwide FOSS landscape.

10:45 AM – 11:15 AM

FOSS Tools and Technologies
An introduction to fundamental tools such as Git, GitHub, and Linux, accompanied by a live demonstration on how to navigate GitHub repositories.

11:15 AM – 11:45 AM

FOSS Projects and Contributions
A presentation on prominent FOSS projects (including Linux, Apache, and Blender) and a discussion regarding the advantages of contributing to these initiatives, highlighting personal development and career prospects.

11:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Practical Examples of FOSS Contributions
Sharing success narratives and tangible instances of how contributors to FOSS have progressed in their careers.

12:15 PM – 12:45 PM

Interactive Q&A Session
An opportunity for students to pose questions, express their views, and seek clarification on initiating their journey in FOSS.

12:45 PM – 1:00 PM

Concluding Remarks & Future Directions
A summary of the session along with an outline of forthcoming events, including the scheduled Git and GitHub workshop in November.

Day 2: September 12, 2024 (CS1 Students)

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Welcome and Introduction
Speaker: Ganesh Adimalupu
An opening address with content similar to that of Day 1.

10:15 AM – 10:45 AM

Understanding FOSS
A discussion on the principles and significance of FOSS within contemporary software development.

10:45 AM – 11:15 AM

FOSS Tools and Technologies
An overview of the tools that underpin the FOSS ecosystem, particularly focusing on Git, GitHub, and Linux.

11:15 AM – 11:45 AM

FOSS Projects and Contributions
An introduction to essential FOSS projects and guidance on how students can begin their contributions.

11:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Practical Examples of FOSS Contributions
Showcasing instances of students and professionals who have gained advantages from their contributions to FOSS projects.

12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Special Assistance:
Merfin and Vaishnav provided hands-on support during the Git walkthrough and the interactive Q&A session. Their contributions helped students to gain a minimum on how to use Git and GitHub for version control and making open-source contributions.

Strengths and Challenges in Student Engagement

Strengths:
The students who were genuinely interested really got involved during the live demos and enjoyed the interactive parts of the session. They were excited to learn about FOSS tools like Git, Linux, and projects like Blender and GIMP. Many of them were curious about how contributing to these open-source projects could help with future career opportunities, and they showed a lot of interest in joining the upcoming workshops.

Challenges:
A significant portion of the attendees, particularly those from a biology background, struggled with some of the technical terminology and concepts. Many students were present due to parental influence, which affected their level of engagement. Only a few students displayed a clear passion for technology and open-source software, which led to varying participation levels.

Conclusion:
The induction program successfully introduced the first-year students to the world of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). Despite some challenges in understanding technical terminology, particularly for students from non-technical backgrounds, the session sparked curiosity and interest in FOSS tools and projects. The active participation from engaged students shows the potential for growing the FOSS community within the college. Moving forward, the planned workshops and events will provide further hands-on experience, helping students deepen their understanding and contribute meaningfully to open-source projects.

Ganesh_Adimalupu · 13 November 2024 08:54

Upcoming FOSS Awareness Session at STIST on November 15 with ICFOSS Speaker

Hello FOSS United Community,

I am pleased to announce an upcoming FOSS Awareness Session at St. Thomas Institute for Science & Technology, Trivandrum, conducted by our very own FOSS Cell. We are much thrilled to have the guest speaker Ms. Meharuniza Nazeem, who is a Research Associate from ICFOSS.

Event Details:

Title  : Introduction to Free and Open-Source Software 
Speaker: Ms. Meharuniza Nazeem
         Research Associate
         ICFOSS

Date: November 15, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Venue: STIST, Trivandrum

What to Attend for:

Ms. Meharuniza will present insights into the world of FOSS, showing how philosophy and advantages of FOSS may be reached, how students can initiate contribution in FOSS, and real-world impacts of FOSS projects.
Benefits to one’s personal and professional life while contributing to open-source
This event invites all students who are interested in FOSS and would like to start or expand their journey in open-source contributions.

Ganesh_Adimalupu · 15 November 2024 13:48

NOVEMBER

Event Report

FOSS Awareness Session at St. Thomas Institute for Science & Technology

Speaker: Ms. Meharuniza Nazeem, Research Associate, ICFOSS
2024-11-15T04:30:00Z→2024-11-15T06:40:00Z
Venue: Smart Classroom, STIST

Session Highlights

Understanding FOSS: The Dosa Shop Analogy
Ms. Meharuniza began by explaining FOSS in a relatable and memorable way, comparing it to a dosa shop.
- She illustrated how, like sharing the recipe for dosa openly, FOSS allows anyone to use, modify, and distribute software freely.
- This analogy resonated with the audience, making the concept of FOSS more accessible and understandable.
Demonstration of ICFOSS Projects
- Ms. Meharuniza showcased several projects developed by ICFOSS, highlighting their real-world applications and the use of open-source technologies.
FOSS in Career Development
- The speaker emphasized how contributing to open-source projects can significantly enhance students’ technical skills, portfolio, and employability.
- She provided examples of how open-source contributions have propelled the careers of many professionals, offering them global recognition and opportunities.
ICFOSS Support for Students
- Ms. Meharuniza detailed the support and resources that students can avail from ICFOSS, such as mentorship, project collaboration, and tools for fostering a culture of innovation.
- She encouraged students to actively engage with ICFOSS for guidance and assistance in their open-source journey.

Student Feedback

The storytelling approach, particularly the dosa shop analogy, was praised for making the session engaging and easy to understand.
Mark Alexander Varghese, a student attendee, shared positive feedback, highlighting the session’s interactive and inspiring nature.

Ganesh_Adimalupu · 28 February 2025 14:47

FOSS Club STIST & MuLearn Present: Yukthi 2025

Hey everyone,

We’re thrilled to share that FOSS Club STIST is teaming up with MuLearn for Yukthi 2025. This will be a three-day tech and culture fest full of workshops, competitions, and chances to meet others!

Event Details

Linux Fest
Led by Ganesh and Aryan from STIST, S8.
LaTeX Workshop
Hosted by ICFOSS on 2025-03-05T18:30:00Z, featuring:
- Ms. Fulwa Asheeb (Research Intern, ICFOSS)
- Ms. Pooja P M (Research Assistant, ICFOSS)
Hackathon (Yudhya)
Get ready for 36 hours of coding!
- Mentors:
  - Anil Antony
  - Edwin Emmanual Roy
  - Muhummad R (MuLearn)
Capture The Flag (CTF)
We’re looking for a CTF mentor to create challenges and judge the event!

Support

Swags (t-shirts for core team and stickers for talk&workshop participants)
Sponsor snacks and tea for participants, and prize money for competition. If you can help with funds for the hackathon, that would make it even better!
FOSS United will definitely be a big part of this event.

Stay connected:
FOSS Club STIST Instagram
Yukthi 2025 Website
Yukthi Instagram
Event Brochure

Let’s make this an amazing FOSS-powered event!

Ganesh_Adimalupu · 8 July 2025 06:36

Linux Installation Party & FOSS Community Meet at STIST, Trivandrum - Seeking Support!

Greetings FOSS United Community!

The FOSS Club at St. Thomas Institute for Science and Technology in collaboration with Free Software User Group, Thiruvananthapuram is organizing an exciting Linux Installation Party and FOSS community introduction session!

Event Details

Date: 2025-07-10T00:00:00Z
Time: 1:30 PM - 4:20 PM
Venue: CCF Lab (A-101), Ground Floor, A Block, STIST
Mode: Offline
Registration: Free of cost
Eligibility: Open to ALL - Students, enthusiasts outside STIST welcome!

This event is perfect for everyone - whether you’re a seasoned distrohopper or a complete Linux beginner! Join us to:

Introduction to FOSS by Athu R T
Hands-on Linux Installation
Community Networking

Featured Speaker: Athul R T - A passionate FOSS enthusiast and freelancer who will lead engaging conversations about community building and FOSS adoption.

Community Support Request

We’d love the support of the FOSS United team to make this event more impactful for students and the wider FOSS community.

@anand — for help with community engagement & swags
@knadh — if support is possible from the Kerala FOSS United node

Special shoutout to @ansh @fossdot @Ruchika — for any help with FOSS stickers, distro goodies, or Light refreshments for participants during the 3+ hour session.
We’re happy to handle all logistics on-ground and ensure photos & feedback post-event!

This will help keep everyone energized and engaged!

Registration & Contact

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/SCdisKyzVnAocwBS6

Event Coordinators:

Vaishnav: +91 940 046 8722
Abin: +91 812 928 6487

Important:

Registration mandatory for STIST students via: https://forms.gle/SCdisKyzVnAocwBS6
External participants welcome - just show up!
Bring your laptop for the installation experience

About the Organizers

FOSS Club, STIST - Dedicated to promoting open-source technologies among students
Free Software User Group, Thiruvananthapuram - Local FOSS community driving adoption across the region

Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive FOSS community in Kerala!

Thanks in advance for supporting grassroot FOSS evangelism at STIST!

perry · 9 July 2025 11:20

The installation party is postponed to a later date due to a statewide strike tomorrow. Apologies for the last minute post.

perry · 17 August 2025 16:17

jobin_jose · 24 June 2026 09:21

Hi everyone,

I’m Jobin Jose, a 3rd-year CSE student and the current FOSS Club Lead at St. Thomas Institute for Science and Technology.

I’ve been involved with the club through organizing events and helping students get started with Linux, and I’m excited to continue that journey in this role.

For me, open source is about learning by building, sharing knowledge, and helping each other grow. Over the coming months, I’d like to see our community become more active through hands-on workshops, practical projects, and opportunities that help students develop skills that matter beyond the classroom.

Some of my favorite open-source tools are Linux, LocalSend, Signal, Ventoy, and Blender. They’ve shown me how powerful and accessible FOSS can be, whether you’re a developer, designer, or simply someone who enjoys learning new things.

Feel free to say hello or reach out anytime.

jobin_jose · 24 June 2026 10:17

Register for PravConf 2026

Date : 4 - 5 July 2026

Venue: St. Thomas Institute for Science and Technology, Kazhakkoottam, Thiruvananthapuram

Registration Link: https://conf.prav.app

Lets talk Privacy, Fediverse, and Technology!

PravConf brings together members of the Prav community, along with participants from the wider Free Software ecosystem, for two days of discussions, collaboration, and exchange.

The Call for Proposals is now open! Talks and workshops related to FOSS communication platforms, Prav, XMPP, Privacy and Philosophy, the Fediverse, and other similar topics are welcome.

For those who are interested in a more hands-on session, PravCamp is organised at College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram for two days after PravConf (6-7 July 2026) (https://codema.in/d/H2ESzy7I/pravcamp-2026). We welcome those wanting to contribute directly to Prav in design, writing, code, customer service, or anything else. Those working on other XMPP projects are also welcome to come sit with us.

There will also be a mini meeting to help organise PravConf, two days before the main event (2-3 July 2026) at some cafe. You can find more details about these on our website.

Prav is a freedom-respecting, community-run messaging service. Popular messaging apps practice vendor lock-in, which means they only allow you to talk to users using the same app. Prav allows you to talk to all the users on the same network even if they use other apps like Quicksy, Monocles Chat, Dino, Gajim, Monal, and many more.

Register now at: https://conf.prav.app

perry · 19 July 2026 07:11

Please do not use photos of nonexistent people on the poster, especially when labelling them with names of real people.

Also wanted to point out some other stuff in the post which could be misleading:

Prav is a cooperative, not a corporation. The official name is Prav Cooperative.

Some clarification about this: @contrapunctus had specifically mentioned to bring laptops for the OpenStreetMap workshop, but none of the 60 students brought laptops and this was changed into a talk at the last minute?

Also, it would be better to list out all the good and bad stuff in the postmortem, without any linkedinspeak or misleading machine generated content. You can see FOSS Club SRM thread and the FOSS Hack localhost SRM thread for examples.

Prav is not a subset of FOSS United.

The git workshop was by @murufoss and Ranjith Siji. I was not involved in any talks or workshops at PravConf.

Anyways, thanks for inviting the free software community to STIST events. We look forward to more contributions and events from STIST.

contrapunctus · 21 July 2026 10:25

@jobin_jose Seconding what @perry has said - please do not use generative LLMs (confusingly called “AI”) for anything. They spit in the face of everything “FOSS” stands for.

I would appreciate text and pictures created by a human, even if they were worse in quality by any standard. (To be honest, the output of generative LLMs is far worse than any human output.)

FOSS TALK: Introduction to Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)

Date: 03 July 2026
Time: 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Venue: Seminar Hall, STIST
Organized by: Department of CSE in association with FOSS United

Overview

The FOSS TALK: INTRODUCTION TO FOSS session introduced second year students to the philosophy and ecosystem of Free and Open Source Software. Participants learned about software freedom, Debian, OpenStreetMap, and ways to contribute to open-source projects.

Speakers

Mr. Kannan – FOSS Contributor
Ms. Kashish – OpenStreetMap Contributor
Mr. Praveen – Debian Developer
Mr. Athul – Vice Chairperson, Prav Cooperative
Dr. A.G Mathew - Principal, STIST

Attendance

Approximately 60 students attended the event along with faculty members.

Highlights

Introduction to the philosophy of Free and Open Source Software.
OpenStreetMap demonstration.
Debian GNU/Linux session.
Interactive Q&A session.
Exposure to multiple open-source applications and communities.

What Went Well

The event was well organized with active student participation and engaging speaker interactions. Students were enthusiastic about learning the principles of Free and Open Source Software and were excited to interact with experienced FOSS contributors and developers.

Areas for Improvement

It was perfect, no need for further improvement.

Open Source Tools Used

OpenStreetMap
Debian GNU/Linux
GitHub
Other Free and Open Source Software demonstrated during the session

Challenges

Permission for the OSM session was granted only the evening before the event, forcing a last-minute pivot from a hands-on laptop workshop to a lecture presentation.

Crowd Favorite

The introduction to the world of Free and Open Source Software, along with the OpenStreetMap demonstration, received the most positive response from students.

Potential Mentors

The invited speakers demonstrated excellent mentoring potential and would be valuable speakers or mentors for future FOSS United events.

Financial Details

No additional costs were incurred for the event.

Additional Notes

The event successfully introduced students to the FOSS ecosystem and encouraged them to explore and contribute to open-source communities. The interactive discussions and practical demonstrations sparked significant interest among participants.