VILLUPURAM: In what is seen as a global connection of free and open source software (FOSS) developers, the DebConf (Debian Conference) was held in the not-so metropolitan, rural town of Villupuram on Saturday and Sunday, where national and international software professionals got together with over 170 engineering students from the district. The conference was organised by the Villupuram chapter of GNU-Linux User Group (V-GLUG), a global community that promotes the use of FOSS instead of proprietary software like Microsoft and Google.
About 30 resource persons from India and abroad, including from Brazil, Hungary, Mexico, and Israel participated in the conference, which presented various topics on the usage of Debian OS.
Software developer and member of V-GLUG K Vijayalakshmi (24) told TNIE, "Debian is a popular and free computer operating system that uses Unix-like kernel, typically Linux, alongside other program components, many of which come from GNU Project. Debian can be downloaded by anyone. Debain is an open source software, which is developed by over 1,000 active programmers from around the world who collectively form the Debian Project."
With the conference being conducted in Villupuram, after its stint in Kochi last year, rural engineering students now have an opportunity to meet and connect with global developers directly, which they claim is a rare and unusual chance. M Kannan (22), a graduate from Mailam Government Engineering College, said, "I have just started working with a private software company and have little scope as a developer or even in the programming of the software. But with the resource persons here I am now a part of the global Debian Project and might get to work abroad easily."
Sources said that since its inception, Debian Project has continued to operate as an all-volunteer organisation dedicated to providing free open source software. The project has its own constitution, social contract, and policies, added sources.
"It has not only got to do with the knowledge of software but improving socio-economic conditions of rural engineering graduates who will learn key techniques without paying for it, or waiting to be trained in by their corporate offices. The fact that they will earn better as well as be efficient is a silent revolution within the rural student community in Villupuram," said Karkee Udhayan (33), organizer of V-GLUG.