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Free Software Summer Training 09

       
By: Jeffrey | Published on: June 23, 2009

Wanna get some cool training on Free software topics like How to do free software projects, Tutorials to use GIT , RPM Packing ? Then come to the online IRC summer training from Linux User Group of Durgapur (http://dgplug.org)

Entry is free. Just log on to the IRC of DGPLUG
#dgplug on irc.freenode.net

You can find more details on
http://wiki.dgplug.org/index.php/SummerTraining

All these training of this year are done by Shakthi Kannan (mbuf).

Time Table of these training are in the Summer Training page.

Just go through the class logs of the classes conducted last year and find out how effective it is.

Try to come for the IRC chat according to the time table given. I am sure it will help a lot.

Special thanks to dgplug for conducting these kind of online classes.

Posted in: FOSS, Free Software Events, GNU/Linux, Open Course, tutorials | Tagged under: , , , , | Leave a comment

Report on the Seminar-Embedded Design With GNU/Linux

       
By: Jeffrey | Published on: March 22, 2009

This is just a small description about the Embedded Design With GNU/Linux seminar that I had attended. Its not a complete report !

Free Software Cell, Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, Thiruvananthapuram had Organised a One Day National Seminar on “Embedded Design With GNU/Linux” On March 21, 2009, Saturday at the College Auditorium in association with Visiting Faculty Scheme, Directorate of Technical Education , Govt. of Kerala and Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment.

I was there to attend the event.  I and Sreeraj reached the Trivandrum  railway station at 3.oo AM. We waited Pramode Sir for his arrival. After refreshing we had a breakfast.  Almost at 9.15 Am we reached the college.

The inauguration was almost at 9.30 AM. There was welcome speech from students and also from the Principal of the college.

At 10 AM we had the Keynote Address  ‘Free Software for Science and Technology’ by  Dr. V.Sasikumar . It was a nice session about Free Software, its importance and also a short introduction on Creative Commons.  It was ended at 10.30 AM.

Next session was by Mr. Shakthi Kannan on ‘Badam Halwa of Embedded Systems’.  It was a nice session and was interactive.  He gave a very good description about the important topics in Embedded Systems.

There was one more session by  Shakthi  on ‘Electronics Design Automation Using GNU/Linux’. It was mainly about the Free Software EDA tools. He showed some electronics designs which was done using Free Software.

After the first session by Shakthi, I had shown him one of my GNUdino board design which was done using Free Software. In the middle of the second session Shakthi invited me to the stage to give a small description about the GNUdino board design. I gave a small description to the audience about GNUdino board and also ARDUINO. This session was ended at 1.00 PM.

The afternoon session was ‘How to Hack an ARM Microcontroller Using GNU/Linux’ by Pramode Sir. He showed the some of his STM32 Primer experiments which is documented here. It was also a nice session. Pramode Sir was afraid whether all will be sleeping because it was such a topic and also because everyone will be in a good sleepy mood after having a good Biriyani. But he showed his skills by giving sticker who answered his questions. All we eagerly listening his talk. There were also some question about the compilation.

The second afternoon session was ‘Java In Action- With Lego MindStorm NXT – Robot’ by Mr. David John. This session was about programming the Lego MindStorm NXT – Robot. It was also a nice and interactive session. At the end he showed a line following robot using Lego MindStorm NXT – Robot .

All the session had an end at 4.30 PM. There was award distribution to the speakers. Also participation certificate to the students who attended the talk.We left from Trivandrum at 11 PM.

It is nice if there is more such talks conducted.  Anyway thanks to Free Software Cell, Govt. Engg. College, Thiruvananthapuram..

Posted in: Arduino, Electronics, Embedded Linux, Free Software Events, GNU/Linux | Tagged under: , , , , , | 3 Comments

Free Software and Open Hardware talk on Chelakara

       
By: Jeffrey | Published on: February 20, 2009

Brief report on the talk conducted at Government Polytechnique college, Chelakara

Yesterday (19-02-2009) Krishnan Unni and I went to conduct a talk on Free Software, Python Programming and Open Hardware. These talk’s were conducted as the request from students of poly technique.

I and unni reached the college almost at 10.00 AM. There was a small inaugural session. After that we were asked to start the talk . The morning session was on Free Software Philosophy, GNU/Linux installation steps and general GNU/Linux doubts. this was handled by Unni.

All the students were eagerly hearing the talk. There was a very good response from the  students. And the important thing is that all the students were very interactive. Questions were coming from all sides on general GNU/Linux tools, virus removal methods, installing games, accessing internet….. This session had an end at 12.30 PM.

The afternoon session was split into two, the python programming and the other was Open hardware. Python Programming was handled by unni. There was a small programming contest on python. He also showed how to develop software’s using python.

My topic was Open Hardware. Actually what I had in mind was introducing what is open hardware, common electronic designing tools and programming the AVR microcontrollers using GNU/Linux. But everything changed after seeing their syllabus.These guys had to  study about ATmega128 and also about ARM processors. I was shocked seeing it. Even the calicut university Electronics Engineering syllabus didn’t have these latest topics. I introduced about open hardware. But programming the AVR microcontrollers was not that much nice. There was a parallel port failure and the other fact was that the students knew how to program all these . What I showed was LED blinking. But they had studied blinking LED’s in their 6th semester itself. Anyway I could have made it more fun if  I knew about the syllabus by adding some superb videos like Big Buck Bunny :(

Now I am in a shame to say that I am learning Electronics engineering because a lower course like the diploma had a lot more to study than engineering course…. these students were more practical.

Anyway the response form the students were fantastic. Thanks to Yamini Madam and all the computer science students of chelakara.

Posted in: Electronics, Embedded Linux, FOSS, Free Software Events, GNU/Linux | Tagged under: , , , | 9 Comments

FOSSMeet @ NITC 2009

       
By: Jeffrey | Published on: February 11, 2009

Hurray….

One more chance for all the FOSS users to meet face to face. It’s the FOSS MEET at NIT Calicut,  Kerala. I most probably I will be also there. Please come for the event. It will be cool and superb. Anyway I am attending this FOSS MEET for the first time.

The meet is from February 27 (Friday) to March 1 (Sunday)

The registration had started one week before. Sorry for reporting too late.

If you want to register as a Speaker, go to Speaker Registration

If you want to attend the talks and workouts as a delegate, go to Delegate Registration

Posted in: Free Software Events, GNU/Linux | Tagged under: , , | Leave a comment