FOSS – Free & Open Source Software is a fast growing topic in the Computer World as world is moving fast forward with FOSS. As they are free in cost and source codes are open to everyone they are getting more and more popular between computer geeks all over the world. There are no boundaries to use them, user can edit the source code to modify the programme according to their needs so no need to go here and there to find tools that suits them.
Sri Lanka as a country stepping fast to the development, it is showing a fast and long lasting way in IT sector. Currently Sri Lanka is using many Commercial Software most of the time, in office, schools … etc.. Therefore every Year they spend lot of money on those software while there have free ware even more than commercial software. By using those, Sri Lanka can afford its Goals efficiently and effectively with a minimum cost. So as the future generation who take future development of the country into their hand , they must get aware about these stuffs.
As Computer Engineering Undergraduates we put a step on that. So we done a introductory session on FOSS to school students who don’t have any clue about What we going to teach. So we choosed Ni/Rambuka Maha Vidhyalaya , Rambuka ,situated in Rathnapura District.When talking about the school Rambuka Maha Vidyalaya, Rambuka, Kalawana, Rathnapura, is one of a Leading e-village School from Rathnapura District. Currently there are more than 1000 students studying there and more than 50 of them follow IT and ICT related subjects. And there is an active community in ICT side and they are participating in all national events and once they were introduced to Hons. President Mahinda Rajapaksha and given training at Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.
So you might be feeling that we have chosen the right audience.Isn’t it? đ
Now you might be curious about what we have done.Lets go through them one by one. đ
1). Introduction about the Open Source and its history was given and Students were encouraged to ask and clarify their mind about open source.
First a small presentation was held about Open Source and showed and explained how Linux was created from UNIX and who played major role in developing Linux, to Students. In this we planned to clear idea about what is FOSS and Linux. Brief idea of the actual prices of commercial software were given. By this step Students got the awareness of that most of the software they were using including Operating Systems like âMIcrosoft Windowsâ are Commercial Software which they should be pay to use them. They realized that they were using pirated copies of those commercial software which is a crime, may be punished according to copyright laws.
2). Some Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora and etc.. and open source software like Gimp, LibreOffice were used to let them to gain hand on experience in FOSS.
Then presented about Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Mint, Elementary ,Mint and Showed them interfaces of these distributions and explained how they are vary from each other. Then showed alternatives for commercial software which do the same thing or even higher and available free like Gimp, Inkscape and LibreOffice. Instead of using one kind of Windows OS (XP, 7,8 or whatever) students got know that there are many Linux Distributions (more than 100) which had been made aiming different kind of objectives. They were seen various Desktop environments, more beautiful and utilized than Microsoft Windows Operating Systems(We used Elementary here…. đ ).
In addition to that they realized that there are plenty of freeware which can do the same work as same as commercial software used in Microsoft Windows Operating System or even more than them. And they were guided to use them because they are free of cost and not bounded by copyright laws.
3). The method of Creating a bootable USB drive and Installing Linux Mint Debian (http://www.linuxmint.com/index.php) was taught on a Lab Computer.
we decided to use Linux Mint in this process in that time Mint was the best available option to get familiar with Linux who are switching from Windows to Linux.
A small session was done to introduce them to partition their hard drive using AOMEI partition assistant (as they are switching from Microsoft Windows) and then create a Bootable USB drive using Universal USB installer and taught them how to downloaded a correct ISO image of a particular Linux distribution from internet. And the correct way of installing Linux mint alongside with windows on a PC was shown to students and they were encouraged to install Linux Mint on several lab machines to build the confidence in them . Most of the Students hadnât idea about partitioning their hard Disk and creating a bootable USB drive. So this session was helpful to them in understanding those stuffs. They learnt the mistakes, happen while installing Linux which may be lead to malfunction of the PC, data loss, grub errors. in addition to that they got the chance to work with a Live USB which they could use without installing Linux permanently in hardrive. They realized that Live USB is work fine just like an Installed version of a Operating System. So they understood how Linux kernel is more powerful than windows kernel.
4). The basics of Linux mint, its features and the ways how it varies from Ordinary Windows Operating Systems were explained.
After installing Linux mint, the Basic features of Linux Mint and its work spaces etc. were explained. In here explained the power of Linux operating Systems like not having refresh option in desktop right click menu(As most of them were asking where is that desktop refresh option ). Then showed the differences between the root of the Linux and administrator account of Windows. Also showed them how to install a Software in Linux Operating System. Students got to know that a user who works in MS Windows environment always works in an Administrator Account (if user logged in as Admin) and so many changes may be occurred by user by mistake. but in Linux if user wants to change Something which needs Administrator Privileges, user must be asked for root permission (need root password) without regarding what kind of account user is in. So data Loss by accident is minimum in Linux than MS Windows. They got to know that about Linux terminal, and how to work with it.
5). Students were let to use Linux mint and their problems like working in LibreOffice and Multi-booting were clarified.
Basically that was an Q&A session. In this Students asked about requirements of PC to run Linux, multi-booting problems, how to work on LibreOffice and problems came up when working Linux mint and etc. Students understood the Multi booting options in Linux grub and some functionalities like âadvanced optionsâ to fix some problems in working with Linux. Also they clarified several issues with working in Libreoffice like typing in Sinhala Unicode. And basic knowledge about creating presentations with LibreImpress were also gained by Students.
6). Several Linux distributions were distributed among students to try in their home PC And links to Blogs and websites Likes âLinux- Sinhalenâ were given.
Finally Students session was came to an end and then Linux distributions like Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora and Elementary OS was distributed among Students as preferred.(most of them were asked for Elementary as they were impressed by its Beauty )Also Gave them a Web based learning Materials and links, websites and blogs like “Linux Sinhalenâ ,a blog written in their native language about linux for those who didnât have good English knowledge. Students were encouraged to use Forums and aware about the uses of forums. In addition to that the way how to find solutions to problems occurred in Linux using Google were explained to students.
7). Linux Mint was installed in rest of the Computers in Computer Lab. Installed Linux Mint in rest of Computers in Lab and created an Administrator Account for Teachers and Standard Account for Student for better usage and management, Preventing making mistakes by the students which may be caused in changes in system. Linux mint was installed in the rest of PCs in Computer Lab by the Students as a practice under the guidance. Proxy settings were changed according to the Configuration of the private network.
Conclusion…..
The school students are studying the field of Information Technology, just to follow a career in software developing industry. There are so many clever students who have studied a lot in software related fields. With a proper guidance, they would be able get a better knowledge about Open Source and will be a contributor to Open Source while they are School students. Now world is moving towards Free and Open Source Software More and More. So as a developing country – Sri Lanka also needs to move towards the development along with FOSS. Most of the people in Sri Lanka is now engaged with Commercial Software most of the time and Spends huge amount of money on them already there have plenty of Free ware, using all around the globe. Reason is lack of awareness about FOSS in Sri Lankan Community. Urban Community has at least a brief idea about what is Foss and they have tended to use them. But rest of the people in community havenât that kind of knowledge. Those are the people who should use FOSS and benefited by them. After conducting that session, students asked so many questions that risen up in their mind. That showed how much they are keen on FOSS and like to work with FOSS. At the First time they work with Linux they felt some kind of difficulty as they were used Microsoft Windows for a long time since their Childhood. But after tackling with finally they managed to familiar with it. But further guidance should be given to them for their future work with FOSS. Apart from using Linux they got basic techniques like partitioning a hard disk , dual booting , working with live USB etc⊠when talking about live USB they never experienced Live USB before because there havenât this facility in MS Windows. They got to know that they can work fine with Live USB without permanently installing Linux in System – just like installed it.
Head of the IT Section of Rambuka Maha Vidyalaya attended to this workshop and got the knowledge about open Source because it is efficient in modern IT industry. Also he mentioned that he need our help in their new Computer lab, planned to open by Hon president Mahinda Rajapakse in near future to fabricate it with FOSS and Linux and further workshops in Linux to students.
Finally we are thankful to the Principal of the Rambuka Maha Vidyalaya for Permission and support he was given, and the Head of IT Section for the great support he was given, Dr. Dhammika Elkaduwe, Head of Department of Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Of Peradeniya for the supervision he was given from start to end of the criteria and guiding us, Dr. Namal Jayathilake, Department of Mathematics, Faculty Of Engineering, University Of Peradeniya for guiding us to a successful project at the end of the day.
Links.. https://www.facebook.com/rambuka/media_set?set=a.694693217312139&type=1
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