Telegram conversation with ICFOSS's new director: https://t.me/ic_foss/2984\ Also available through the Matrix Room
Point by point replies copied from chat follows. Bold is question, non-bold is answer by director.
Original points
- Prof Deepa Gopinath (espeak, festival, cmu sphinx) wants to link research with products that people can use and go beyond just research papers.
Deepa mam, I hope is doing research on NLP and wants to develop a usable product.
"Pls tell me dor the first item what is expected from our team
Like wise actionables may be posted that gives more clarity."
- Ramesh from KSEB wanted this good initiative to meetup with community continued and not dropped (this was accepted and quarterly meetup on every 1st saturday was announced)
- He also wanted a solution to Income Tax return submission (only Microsoft Excel format is accepted)
- Another issue he raised is lack of Free Software to digitally sign for e-tender
- He was also not happy with current status of KSEB's lab for experiments which was started but did not progress
- He proposed creation of framework to share KSEB's experienced people in migrating other offices (they have 10k computers powered by Ubuntu)
"Second and third I fully endorse Ramesha view that knowledge sharing should.happen both horizontally and vertically. Can we make use of our Jitsi instance"
"I also want the community to find a solution to replace excel in etenders also, currently excel is used for the financial BOK part ridden with macros I can share a copy later"
"Regarding certain things which falls under the KSEBs jurisdiction, ICFOSS cannot intervene, but KSEBs oruma team is very much active may request them to take it up with their management"
- Sebin from SMC wanted ICFOSS to intervene in migration of e-office software to proprietary software in secretariat as its a clear violation of state IT policy which supports Free Software for all e-govt initiatives.
- He pointed there is no representation for community in govt's Malayalam computing initiative.
- He also pointed out the private ownership attitude of ICFOSS for community projects
- He also underscored the need for thinking in terms of feat
as opposed to current product development attitude
- He proposed ICFOSS should consider community as an extension of itself
"Regarding Sebins point as an individual or an organisation, we cannot go against the government, but through proper interventions of like.minded people in the ministry and beurocratic grp we may be able to change."
"Regarding Malayalam computing, one of the request is to have good unique typefaces, and plans to develop 5 openfonts, 2 CdIT has agreed, 2 nos can give it to community if a group consisting of designers and techies join together and mail a proposal along with honorarium for the final product, ICFOSS will evaluate it within. Week's time and release the order Which has to be ready by October 15."
- Amarnath Raja proposed to survey the Free Software adoption in govt departments to have an idea of the numbers to help further campaigns
"What Amar sir told is very essential and the socio economic impact of Libre software in Kerala has to documented In government as well as in social front, I already has requested help of some MTech students, as After Covid mobilty is at stake and has to confine data collection from home, Any ✋ for this, we may give give this to planning board as we'll so that will.be an indicator for subsequent policy adoptions"
- Sebin suggested ICFOSS should allow all its workers to spend 20% of its work hours to spend on community projects similar to how corporates like Google. Srinivasan from ICFOSS clarified such a policy already exist, though its not very effective
"Regarding dedicating 20 percentage time for activities, I will issue a circular"
- Manoj mentioned the need for loosening up the funding structure for community and college foss events.
[Possibly addressed elsewhere]
- The brainstorming session highlighted the need for focusing on Free Software contribution instead of academic profile as ICFOSS fellows selection criteria.
- Kannan emphasized the need to develop Free Software Developers instead of just Software Developers and involvement of community in trainings is essential for that
- Community involvement should get preference when selecting new people to ICFOSS
[Possibly addressed elsewhere]
- Sebin proposed Google Summer of Code or Outreachy like mentoring programs where community manages the program and ICFOSS provide funding
- Ramesh from KSEB suggested ICFOSS should spearhead more Free Software adoption campaigns in targeted areas like library management, 12th standard syllabus, DTP centers...
"regarding 12 and education I can take this up with Anvar Sadath or Shajahan sir, but be ready with what we can deliver"
- ICFOSS director Sasi PM agreed to 90% of the demands and mentioned the decisions will be shared in the ICFOSS instant messaging group (Matrix bridged with Telegram).
"Let's have a fresh start and assure you that we are with you."
"I will go through the comments and will respond, but past is past and let's make a pledge to do.the best."
- Directory of Free Software groups will be created by community and ICFOSS will publish it on its website.
"One pls compile a list the major areas of expertise/ work contacts, I will publish it for public scrutiny and those agreeable to the community will.be published as final list"
- KSEB project documentation will be published as case study
"Regarding certain things which falls under the KSEBs jurisdiction, ICFOSS cannot intervene, but KSEBs oruma team is very much active may request them to take it up with their management." [could be in response to a different point above]
"Kseb case study is already published I hope or it can be made as a lighthouse case study in the impact of Libre software in Kerala report planned."
- Community organized events will be supported by ICFOSS
"Community organised projects - not all ,but programmes which stands the scrutiny of a committee in which at least 2 members will be from the community and within the funding limit will be supported."
- ICFOSS will involve community in fellowship selection process
"Involving community in selection, in this case community is a broad term, I need names of Captains who can be in the selection board, a roster which will be on a round robin mode. Otherwise if I include Shyam, Naveen and Akshay s Dinesh will say I am syams man. So to avoid that pls select the captain's and share the Names and as I mentioned 2 members will.be there, but it shouldn't be a never ending parallels, let the lines slant and converge."
- ICFOSS servers will be accessible for free software projects as soon as the current server maintenance is over
"Reg Server Access, I have to discuss with my team and will revert back."
Points raised as follow-up in the conversation above
akshay: waiting for you to reach the points about funding, community engagement, etc. But please do go ahead point by point. Thanks for doing this.
"Regarding funding let us be democratic, it is a time where RTI is being weponised, so we need to frame a guideline for funding, fixing criteria, who all can volunteer in this task"
naveenpf: community grants can be split as
1. Project grant
2. Events and Travel grant
Project grant proposals can be invited once in a month in a year.
Events and travel grant proposal invited anytime.
Grants committee should be formed with community members. All depends on yearly budget for community grant.
Structure for fund expenditure reporting template should be in place. (can be reused from wikimedia grants reporting)
"Our budget was cut 30percent initially and 90 percentage of funds set apart for seminar, travel was also cut Covid to blame."
"This is a good suggestion, biggest task before me is to frame meticulously charted guidelines for each of the external funding progs. Otherwise it may be the Next Story of Nepotism.."
116.8KB PDF named SR17Guidelines.pdf https://t.me/ic_foss/3038
"This is what I mean a structured document published in the website and an online application system"
Hrishi: Adding to this,
Travel support can be of two types.
1. Grants
2. interestless loans
The second one should be easy to work out. Few years back I was in need of a travel support when I had an opportunity to present one of my projects in a prestigious event abroad. The organizers were reimbursing the travel expenses but I had to advance it to make the arrangements. I tried to get support from many such govt programs (including startup mission) in vain. If such a travel support can be arranged, it is not an expense per say. As the candidate will repay it when she gets the reimbursement.
praveen: We expect ICFOSS to intevene when some departments of govt go against its on stated IT policy of promoting FOSS.
"Thanks"
Hrishi: Are you saying the fonts should be release ready by October ?
Anivar: Few points i want to list are fixing institutional behaviour to foss communities
1. ICFOSS need to be a facilitator for both foss projects and foss requirements of government . It is should not a big fat research only org/ funding platform/ ownership holder foss communi produced work.
Maintaining a fair balance is the key.
Saying this because i invested efforts in past at icfoss and later seen many if those values washing away in last 4 years
Anivar: 2. Major gap i see in this process is empowering room for free software choices and suggestions in government. I know it is not easy, but it is a continuous battle. This need policy briefs within government, documenting best practices and more story telling based on foss projects and their adoptions.
Anivar: 3. . Initiate and build institutional support for volunary initiatives and help them to be sustainable communities . Eg. Building a Kerala rescue based preparedness stack (i heard some good initiatives happening)
Anivar: 4. Research Partnership with foss orgs and communities in kerala and outside. Facilitiate value for foss projects via this associations , more contributors, mentors , cross community expertise curation etc
This will avoid indian foss projects searching for FOSSASIA type orgs abroad to provide org home
"Anivar valid points and will take it up"
"Regarding Kerala rescue, we need some one to rescue, because all the free credits of Cloud is over and no funds earmarked, and now an institutional arragemt is being made with SDMA to channelise finds for.the cloud through ICFOSS as they can tranfer amount only to a govt entity to be "Safe" and accidentally we haveinformedthem"
Anivar: 5. Not all foss projects are not in a possition to build campus presence . Use campus presence for ICFOSS for joint/partnered event organizing help. Communities can easily provide expertise while organizing efforts can be done by icfoss's campus representatives.
6. Build and maintain a High priority projects as per the governance + local needs . Priorities contributions to this via a task based / bounty based support structure
"Reg pt 6 request from.govt to have a locale specific version of GNU khata and to enable GST and contact less QR based or digital transaction and community members should provide support locally to small pan shops and SME"
"KTUs Anil Student coordinator has assured all support to mobilize the students as well, also earn while you work can also be leveraged."
Anivar: 7. Decouple startup /product / event/ certificate focused campus club structure to contribution based model. contribution shouldnt be code alone.
8. Use Open organization structure to maximum extend , use issue trackers and build transparancy around programs, planning and participation. Invest efforts in addressing issues . This will avoid a lot of conflicts even though it may be a bit difficult in start.
Changing an org culture is hard. But i am sure sabarish's willingness is a very positive step
General points
"Let's do it, not just chasing wild dreams but fix up a measurable outcomes as vividly pointed out, and have a plan of action agreeable to a majority."
"So let me conclude
Action items
Volunteers for framing a guideline and criteria for funding
Proposals from member groups for developing 2 Open fonts not fontforged variants
Contribution of case studies for impact of Libre software in Kerala
List of Communities and their Nomenclature
List of Captains representatives for.inclusion in the board for project/event selection and fellow selection.
Wholehearted support"
"So when can I expect the delivery of the 5 items Let's fix one week. Pls post the spreadsheet here in this group, and kailas and Akshay from.ICFOSS may compile the same."
List of Communities and their Nomanclature
- FSCI
- SMC
- Wikimedia Kerala User group - Rec by WMF
- OSM Kerala community
- Raksha - Kerala Rescue team
- Space
- DAKF