Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
dear friends: FOSS propagation has multiple aspects. While many of the active LUG members would like to have correct FOSS inducted in correct manner, the ground realities have to be taken into account. At the outset, FOSS cannot be a subject in the strict curriculum sense. The concept of knowledge sharing, collaborative work (which were once hallmark points in academia and research) have yielded to the pressure of scoring marks, getting projects ... FOSS awareness could bring back the good values! Specifically, if we think of engineering curricula, FOSS concepts (collaborative development) could be the focus for CSE/IT, while ECE/MECH and other branches could concentrate on using contributing to FOSS alternatives for the proprietary they use. Biotechnology (esp in Arts Science colleges) uses open sources heavily -- Linux, Python are regular papers for their Masters programmes. The universities also have their own norms -- in anna univ, a new subject had to be introduced as elective (theory!!) and then could grow. the rule might be getting changed now. Anna Univ Coimbatore has introduced FOSS as core paper. If you think 45 hrs / theory (or practical) etc., restrictions is ridiculous teach FOSS, please remember that the restrictions are also hampering many other subjects. There is (hopefully was) a rule that a theory subject should have one specified textbook (at most two). We had 1 hour discussion in a syllabus committee meeting that this is ridiculous for subjects like software practices, software testing, etc. What NRCFOSS (and various academicians) are trying is to breach the proprietary wall in whichever reasonable way possible -- i hope we realise that the awareness level in 2004-05 was much less compared to what is now. My suggestion : let us continue to introduce subjects in the curriculum subject to university norms, introduce FOSS alternatives in labs, draw the students towards FOSS usage/projects, try to remove the restrictive clauses like only specific software should be used, and be ready to take advantage of the changing scenarios. Often, it may be the local professor/lecturer/student groups who will have to brave the scenario, and FOSS community / NRCFOSS related agencies should be willing to pitch in. I apologise for the long msg and let me conclude with the example of Jaya Engg College : when they introduced FOSS elective in 2005-06, the official notification had not come, but university authorities with backup from NRCFOSS took care of the admin aspects ; AU-KBC ( CDAC) to certain extent, and ILUGC members in great measures ensured that their FOSS club activities flourished. Their students did well in exams and some of them also contributed to the FOSS repository. Of course, the backbone was Prof Kumaran ably supported by his enthusiastic band of students and staff (lab sessions to teach the theory paper, migrating to FOSS alternatives in some the labs, etc.). Srinivasan. Dr. S. Srinivasan Project Scientist NRCFOSS/BOSS CDAC Chennai (formerly with AU-KBC) ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
My suggestion : let us continue to introduce subjects in the curriculum subject to university norms, introduce FOSS alternatives in labs, draw the students towards FOSS usage/projects, try to remove the restrictive clauses like only specific software should be used, and be ready to take advantage of the changing scenarios. The engg. colleges have started realising the importance of FOSS in regular curriculum and we have interacted with more than 20 engg. colleges in the past one month, discussing about the Open Source Lab setup and the institutions are ready to setup FOSS labs, FDPs and make their students to do Lab practicals/Projects using FOSS tools. Regards S. Baskar CEO/LinuXpert Systems ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
In this case, this part of the syllabus was not an NRC-FOSS initiative. It has been drafted by the BOS of Anna University who had taken some feedback from some of us. As such NRC-FOSS had made no commitments regarding the portal. We all forget this. :-) NRC-FOSS is not responsible for Anna University Syllabus. As ILUGC members, can we do anything? -- Regards, Victor ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
On Saturday 26 June 2010 09:55:38 prakash srinivasan wrote: Will they reply? Definitely NO. definitely YES Do not expect the reply here from any one of NRCFOSS employees include Mr.Kenneth. There are many other present/ex NRCFOSS people are watching this list. But they cant take any responsibilities. They are here just because of their interest in FOSS/GNU Linux. project engineers are not allowed to speak on behalf of NRC-FOSS - but senior staff will certainly both take responsibilities and speak. In this case, this part of the syllabus was not an NRC-FOSS initiative. It has been drafted by the BOS of Anna University who had taken some feedback from some of us. As such NRC-FOSS had made no commitments regarding the portal. The delay in replying to this is due to the fact that NRC-FOSS is a large project run by 7 different institutions and we had to check with all of them and our ex staff members to ascertain whether we had any role in this matter. That said, we are now discussing with AU as to whether we can play a role to support this initiative, and also we are quite willing to host any support materials that luggies can provide. -- regards kg http://lawgon.livejournal.com/ ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
Re: Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
On Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:21:40 +0530 wrote On Saturday 26 June 2010 09:55:38 prakash srinivasan wrote: Will they reply? Definitely NO. definitely YES Fine. Keep the same momentum for while(). Do not expect the reply here from any one of NRCFOSS employees include Mr.Kenneth. There are many other present/ex NRCFOSS people are watching this list. But they cant take any responsibilities. They are here just because of their interest in FOSS/GNU Linux. project engineers are not allowed to speak on behalf of NRC-FOSS - but senior staff will certainly both take responsibilities and speak. In this case, this part of the syllabus was not an NRC-FOSS initiative. It has been drafted by the BOS of Anna University who had taken some feedback from some of us. As such NRC-FOSS had made no commitments regarding the portal. The delay in replying to this is due to the fact that NRC-FOSS is a large project run by 7 different institutions and we had to check with all of them and our exstaff members to ascertain whether we had any role in this matter. That said, we are now discussing with AU as to whether we can play a role to support this initiative, and also we are quite willing to host any support materials that luggies can provide. Appreciate the effort. Let us hope, the effort will come to the right target soon. If it is possible, you may provide more info here about who are the other institutions, AUKBC-NRCFOSS role, Other's role, current structure of NRCFOSS,.etc. So that they can understand the complete structure/processes and avoid the controversies in future anything relevant to NRCFOSS. Hope your infos may stop the controversy between LUGGIES and NRCFOSS. -prakash ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
Re: Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 3:03 PM, prakash srinivasan asprakash...@rediffmail.com wrote: If it is possible, you may provide more info here about who are the other institutions, AUKBC-NRCFOSS role, Other's role, current structure of NRCFOSS,.etc. So that they can understand the complete structure/processes and avoid the controversies in future anything relevant to NRCFOSS. Hope your infos may stop the controversy between LUGGIES and NRCFOSS. You could visit : http://nrcfoss.org.in and click on the constituent sites (AU-KBC, IIT Madras, etc.) to get to their respective links. Srinivasan. ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
On Friday 09 July 2010 15:03:33 prakash srinivasan wrote: If it is possible, you may provide more info here about who are the other institutions, AUKBC-NRCFOSS role, Other's role, current structure of NRCFOSS,.etc. So that they can understand the complete structure/processes and avoid the controversies in future anything relevant to NRCFOSS. Hope your infos may stop the controversy between LUGGIES and NRCFOSS. what controversy is this? the relevant links for the above have been given and only those who did not bother to read the links have any doubts. As mentioned before, there is a lot of symbiosis between NRC-FOSS and the LUGs - we work very well together. For example this page reads like a whois of active LUG members all over India: http://nrcfosshelpline.in/code/wiki/FossSpeakers -- regards kg http://lawgon.livejournal.com/ ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 8:20 PM, Victor Johnson victor.li...@gmail.com wrote: I am still wondering why there is no reply from NRCFOSS for my previous questions. As I've mentioned before, that syllabus won't be 'taught' atleast for another year - so NRCFOSS has time. If my understanding of the Anna Univ syllabus process is correct, then the syllabuses are revised atmost once per four years. So if they missed including the Open Source Lab this year, it might've had to wait for a few years more before being accepted - subject to edupolitical issues, it might've never made it. So even though it is half-baked and incomplete now, it is better than nothing. And, I'm sure that NRCFOSS will be able to develop competent supporting material within the year's end. I hope. However, it *would* be nice if we could get some news directly from NRCFOSS instead of speculating and assuming things. Anyone? The same will happen for the Anna Univ Students and Lecturers. With no guidance, preparation, This syllabus will make the people to RUN away from linux after their college. Also, fyi, most students run away from programming after (and during) college anyway, so it's not much of a departure :) -- Yuvi Panda T http://yuvi.in/blog ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
Fine. Thanks for the thoughts. However, it *would* be nice if we could get some news directly from NRCFOSS instead of speculating and assuming things. Anyone? True. Instead, we discussing about this, Let us wait for someone from NRCFOSS reply on their activities on Anna University Syllabus. Will they reply? Regards, Victor ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
Re: Re: [Ilugc] Anna University Syllabus and NRCFOSS
On Fri, 25 Jun 2010 20:35:31 +0530 wrote Fine. Thanks for the thoughts. However, it *would* be nice if we could get some news directly from NRCFOSS instead of speculating and assuming things. Anyone? True. Instead, we discussing about this, Let us wait for someone from NRCFOSS reply on their activities on Anna University Syllabus. Will they reply? Definitely NO. Do not expect the reply here from any one of NRCFOSS employees include Mr.Kenneth. There are many other present/ex NRCFOSS people are watching this list. But they cant take any responsibilities. They are here just because of their interest in FOSS/GNU Linux. So you have to reach them. Its very easy. You may send all your comments/queries to Mr.C N Krishnan, Project Coodrinator of NRCFOSS, AU-KBC. He is the right person to clear all your queries reg the subject. You can reach him by cnkr...@au-kbc.org -Prakash ___ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
