Leading an Experiment by FOSS United - SolapurFOSS

The Story Behind How I Led an Experiment by FOSS United - SolapurFOSS

Hi, I'm Mangesh, a tinkerer and an explorer. I love tinkering and exploring various things, not just in tech. Currently, I'm helping and volunteering for the FOSS United Foundation to spread FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) all over India. Initial Days

I have been using Linux for about three years now, starting my journey in 2020. During this time, I became well-acquainted with the term "Free and Open Source Software," thanks to Linux, which is one of the most well-known FOSS projects globally.

In January, while casually browsing LinkedIn, I stumbled upon a post about DelhiFOSS. I was immediately intrigued by the idea of bringing together individuals to discuss FOSS. This led me to explore the FOSS United website. Simultaneously, I began searching for other FOSS-related conferences and events happening near me. My search led me to indiafoss.net, where I discovered upcoming events MumbaiFOSS and PuneFOSS scheduled for March and April respectively. I eagerly decided to attend both events and bought the tickets.

During my time at MumbaiFOSS, I closely observed the proceedings, the role of volunteers, and various other aspects. This experience prompted me to consider organizing SolapurFOSS and contemplate its potential benefits for students in my city. One Monday morning by the lake, I made up my mind: SolapurFOSS was going to happen. I discussed my plans with two friends who were enthusiastic and offered their support by volunteering for SolapurFOSS.

I shared my idea with Vishal, who approved of it. However, he suggested starting small. After negotiations, we decided on a conference cum meetup format, lasting only three hours. Vishal generously provided sponsorship for SolapurFOSS, including stylish t-shirts. Although I knew the journey would be challenging, I remained excited because it presented an opportunity to acquire new skills.

While Solapur is designated as a Smart City, it lags behind in terms of technical modernization and awareness, especially among students. My college experience was less than satisfactory due to the absence of a conducive tech environment. This motivated me further to organize SolapurFOSS, with the goal of fostering a love for technology and encouraging exploration, just as engineering students should. With the announcement of the conference, our quest for a suitable venue began.

Throughout this phase, I encountered anecdotes and observed the state of affairs, including students, teachers, and technology in general.

The Hunt for a Venue

We reached out to several colleges but faced rejection from five of them. Understandably, they were hesitant to offer their space for a conference centered around FOSS when they had little familiarity with the term. Undeterred, we continued contacting principals and heads of departments at various colleges. After numerous attempts and application submissions, D.H.B. Soni College agreed to sponsor their venue for SolapurFOSS. However, due to miscommunications, we lost this venue as well. In a stroke of luck, I contacted some individuals in my dad's network who were associated with an NGO/NPO.

With their assistance, we made another attempt to reach the principal of Soni D.H.B. After submitting yet another application, they finally approved our request to use their college auditorium for the conference. This was a motivating turn of events because, without a venue, we had contemplated conducting the meetup-cum-conference in a nearby garden, which was far from ideal. We received substantial support from the college and individuals who helped us reestablish contact with them. The Hunt for a Good Speaker

I was initially skeptical about finding speakers willing to come to Solapur and address an audience primarily composed of students unfamiliar with Free Software and Open Source concepts. Vishal advised us to invite speakers if no one applied voluntarily. Thus, the search for SolapurFOSS speakers commenced. I sought recommendations from Vishal and others and began sending invitation messages and emails to individuals located near Solapur or willing to travel to the city.

Some of those I contacted agreed to deliver talks and submitted their proposals. By the time we closed the Call for Proposals (CFP), we had received a total of 11 submissions. This marked a journey from having zero CFPs to eleven. We decided to finalize six talks based on the quality of the proposals and initiated the review process. Attracting Interested Participants

From the outset, we aimed to attract individuals genuinely interested in learning about new technology. We started by reaching out to students in my college. However, many of my classmates were not initially enthusiastic due to the novelty of the concept. We planned to conduct sessions on open source and FOSS in various classes and colleges. After 15 days of outreach, we had sold only 6-7 tickets, fewer than I had expected. There were moments when I felt burnt out and felt like giving up, but there was no turning back. We continued reaching out to potential participants.

We conducted our first session for second-year students in my college. We had given up on my third-year classmates because of their lack of interest. However, the second-year students were more receptive, and we saw this as an opportunity to engage them. It was during this period that I adopted the title of "FOSS Evangelist." The session in my class went very well and was interactive. Students expressed interest and approached us for guidance in various areas, including Linux, tech, and programming.

The session lasted for two hours, and I found myself with sore legs from standing continuously. Our next stop was an engineering college, where the session yielded limited results. I understood that the COVID-19 period had affected students' learning patterns, with some exploring new avenues while others struggled with the challenges of online classes.

By the time of the conference, we had received a total of 45 online registrations. Additionally, we provided 25 free tickets to the venue sponsor college, allowing their students to attend if interested.

The 15-Day Preparation

A significant change occurred when the conference date was moved from August 20th to August 27th due to national-level exams. We quickly adjusted the dates and notified everyone involved. During this time, we ordered high-quality sticker paper, designed and printed stickers, and received the t-shirts, thanks to the FOSS United team's support in providing t-shirts to volunteers and speakers.

Up until the conference day, I constantly wrestled with questions and doubts about whether our initiative would succeed. The first two months had been tense and demanding, with no venue initially secured and a period of zero CFP submissions. I began to wonder if the conference would have attendees and if our efforts would bear fruit. Nevertheless, we persevered, fully aware that unconventional endeavors often carry a higher risk of failure than success. I was prepared to face either outcome.

We welcomed two more volunteers into our team just 20-30 days before the conference. I had been particularly keen on having a female volunteer, as she could set an example for other girls in our team. Finally, we found a young woman with a passion for exploring various technologies.

In the last 3-4 days before the conference, we barely slept for more than 7-8 hours in total. My pursuit of perfection led us to revisit tasks that had gone wrong or appeared imperfect. I honestly feel I might have troubled the designer a lot. We also printed roll-up banners, thanks to funds from donations provided by one of my mentors.

August 27, 2023

Finally, the day arrived. I couldn't sleep for even an hour before the conference, consumed by excitement. The culmination of three months of hard work was at hand, and the question of whether people would attend to learn new things loomed. Fortunately, they did. We welcomed a total of 45 participants to the conference, and the whole team was very happy. The conference kicked off smoothly with an opening note by me, and the college principal extended her well wishes to ensure its success.

The conference concluded successfully, with attendees benefiting from panel discussions and talks. Subsequently, our college heads and teachers encouraged us to conduct similar sessions within and outside the college. I had finally experienced "The Ripple Effect."

In organizing this conference, I realized that FOSS United had primarily focused on larger cities. SolapurFOSS aimed to introduce FOSS to Solapur. Currently, FOSS conferences and events are predominantly held in metropolitan cities. It's time for smaller cities to wake up to the possibilities. FOSS United can make a difference if even one person from a city like Solapur takes the initiative. We attempted, and the conference proved to be a tremendous success for us.

Closing note by Mangesh

I am not a professional programmer or anything like that. I always loved tinkering and trying to do different things. Some might say what was the need of organizing the conference and investing time behind it, instead we could have just studied for our exams and tried getting better at coding. Honestly saying many times I had this thought in my mind, but ever try looking at some student in your class who is there in CS course for just name sake. Try imagining his or her future ahead. You can neither blame them nor the education system. Because, I feel a human being learns a lot from their surroundings. And, unfortunately in the recent days of engineering we have lost that surrounding.

By organizing SolapurFOSS, we had the privilege to try to create an environment or surrounding that will help folks become wonk about learning new things. I am very glad that Yash, Jacob, Aabha and Samarth onboarded me while trying to learn about FOSS and still volunteering on the go. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Vishal, Riya, Kailash Nadh, Kaustubh, Rushabh and everyone who helped us in the organizing of SolapurFOSS.

Thank you for reading till the end!