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SOUL: Software for University Libraries - Library Management Software|NTA NET Paper 1 Expected

Free/Libre and Open Source Software for Education

FOSSEE

Illustration: FOSSEE
Illustration: FOSSEE
  • Scilab โ€“ numerical computation from France โ€“ alternative to Simulink
  • Python for programming
  • eSIM- circuit design โ€“ alternative to OrCAD
  • OsDag-steel structures by GUI
  • DWSIM โ€“ chemical process stimulator
  • OpenFOAM โ€“ fluid flow to solid dynamics
  • OpenModelica โ€“ modelling and simulating complex dynamic systems
  • Open PLC โ€“ programmable logic controller
  • Scilab-Arduino โ€“ embedded system experiments
  • Single board heating system โ€“ lab in a box set up for control systems
  • R โ€“ statistical computing
  • QGIS โ€“ alternative to ArcGIS
  • FOCAL โ€“ computer graphics

Activities

  • Textbook Companion
  • Lab Migration
  • Niche Software Activities

The Textbook Companion (TBC) activity aims to port solved examples from standard textbooks using a Free/Libre and Open source software. Objectives:

  • Make individuals learn FLOSS through a practical approach.
  • Provide a huge database of Textbook Companions as a learning resource.
  • To make it easy for users of such textbooks to start using FLOSS.
  • To improve the documentation available for FLOSS.

Lab Migration aims to migrate labs that use proprietary software to a Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) only lab. Colleges can save a large amount of money that is spent on procuring licenses for commercial software by switching to FLOSS. Objectives:

  • Provide suggestions on the different ways FLOSS can be implemented in the laboratory.
  • Coordinate the migration of the lab to a FLOSS only laboratory.
  • Provide solutions to the labีšs problem statements.

Niche Software: To popularize FLOSS in all colleges in India, we have initiated various activities that aim to convert typical projects undertaken by students as their final semester/year project or any mini project during undergraduate or higher studies. This can get good students attention from industry, which can result in possible internship and subsequent employment. Some of these activities are

  • Flowsheeting in DWSIM
  • Circuit Simulation in eSim
  • Case Studies in OpenFOAM
  • Flowsheeting in OpenModelica
  • Power Systems Simulation in OpenModelica and OpenIPSL
  • Xcos Simulation

FLOSS or FOSS (Free and open-source software)

  • Free & open Source
  • anyone is freely licensed to use, copy, study, and change the software in any way
  • Source code can be shared to improve software

Other benefits of using FOSS can include decreased software costs, increased security and stability (especially about malware) , protecting privacy, education, and giving users more control over their own hardware. Free and open-source operating systems such as Linux and descendants of BSD are widely utilized today, powering millions of servers, desktops, smartphones (e. g. , Android) , and other devices.

It meets 4 essential freedom

Four essential freedoms of Free Software (FSF) : FSF requires the softwareีšs licensing respect the civil liberties/human rights of what the FSF calls the software userีšs โ€œFour Essential Freedoms.โ€

  • The freedoms to run the program as you wish, for any purpose (freedom 0) .
  • The freedom to study how the program works and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1) . Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
  • The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others (freedom 2) .
  • The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3) . By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

โœ Mayank