This is it, folks, your last heads-up: FOSS.IN/2008, India’s best known, much awaited, Free and Open Source Software event, begins tomorrow morning (Tuesday, 25th November), at the National Science Symposium Center (JN Tata Auditorium), Indian Institute of Science (aka Tata Institute), in Bangalore, and goes on till Saturday, the 29th of November.

Tomorrow morning’s opening keynote is by Ueber-hacker Harald Welte, on how to do embedded Linux right, and the closing keynote on Saturday is by none other than our very own Kalyan Varma, who will show how his FOSS activities helped him achieve a larger goal in life.

Between the two, there is a jam-packed schedule of talks and WorkOuts, a FOSS expo that shows some of the community’s projects, any number of impromptu meetings, nose-rubbings, hail-fellow-well-met and any number of joyful community gatherings, all over the venue.

And on Friday, we have the largest-ever collection of Linux Kernel Hackers ever assembled in India, with a whole day dedicated to understanding the latest and greatest happenings in the Linux Kernel, and interacting with some of the most important contributors there are – and becoming a part of their world.

This year is special, because for the first time ever, a FOSS event in India attempts to go beyond the usual advocacy and politics, and will actually attempt to produce results. Real results – code the world can use.

Because this year, FOSS.IN is all about the code, all about recognising the fact that FOSS is about Free and Open Source Software and that the software freedom we seek comes out of improving the code.

So head for FOSS.IN, people. If you are into Free and Open Source Software, if you dig the community that has grown around it, if you want to make a difference, or simply interact with the best there are – this is where you want to be.

Make sure you bring your notebooks/netbooks/tablets, wifi adaptor functioning. Because at this event, you don’t just watch – you participate. Watch this video to learn more.

Have a good time. You earned it.

It is not often that I get dragged into something like this, but the team felt it was time to raise the bar, so here it is – the first ever promotional video for FOSS.IN.

While we have been working hard in the background to bring the event to life, it looks like a few FUD (Fear-Uncertanity-Doubt) jockeys have been having a field day spreading wrong information about what the event is all about.

Normally, we ignore this kind of stuff, but I think a bit of clarification is in order:

- FOSS.IN is only for Contributors/Developers

(sigh) This is the most common one. Not that there would be anything wrong with such a situation, but it just isn’t true. From the FAQ:

FOSS.IN is an international event, held annually in Bangalore. It focuses on contribution to Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), especially from India. People from across the world who contribute, or who are interested in contributing, come to the event to meet, discuss, brainstorm, innovate and create contributions to existing and new FOSS projects.

Nowhere does it say that non-contributors cannot attend the event. Nowhere does it, in fact, place *any* restriction on who can attend the event. In fact, the very next paragraph in the FAQ states:

FOSS.IN is for anyone who is interested in FOSS. However, understand that the focus is contribution to, not use of, FOSS. So if your objective is to contribute (in terms of writing code or documentation, testing, developing artwork, etc.) then FOSS.IN is for you. FOSS.IN has no policy that excludes anyone from attending the event – there is no “qualification” other than your interest in FOSS.

- There is only coding/hacking at FOSS.IN, nothing else

Untrue – there is a vast array of technical talks as well, from contributors and well known FOSS people from India and abroad.

- FOSS.IN is all about coding and talks

Untrue again – the amount of community socializing that happens during FOSS.IN has to be experienced to be believed. People meeting people, putting faces to names and IRC nicks, discussing FOSS deployments, hatching plans for world domination…

In fact, just about all the myths and FUD flying around right now are answered directly in the FOSS.IN FAQ – I would strongly suggest that you go read that page before being misled.

One question that is not addressed on that page, and that I am always a bit uncomfortable talking about, is

“Will I get a job if I attend FOSS.IN?”

Let me be brutal – FOSS.IN is *not* about getting a job, it is about Free and Open Source Software. It just so happens that FOSS developers tend to be some of the smartest and savviest developers in the world. Which is why many companies, including FOSS.IN Sponsors, like to be at FOSS.IN, because this is where they get to meet the best. And if you are at the event, then you get to meet them. Whether you get a job that way – well, that depends on how good you are.

FOSS.IN Delegate registration is currently open. More than 600 people have already registered as I am writing this.

Can you really afford not to be there?

The long awaited first shortlist of talks and workouts for FOSS.IN/2008 is out.

You can see it at http://foss.in/news/first-shortlist.html

Please read the introduction at the top of the page FIRST – we don’t want any accidental jumping-out-of-windows!

And yes, I have been rather quiet these past few weeks. I should be able to give you some news tomorrow.

A lot of people have noticed that unlike in previous years, we are not as loud about FOSS.IN as we usually are. Now that the Call for Participation is about to be published, it is time to explain why FOSS.IN/2008 is going to be different from earlier incarnations.

(Clicky)