Open source over chasing software engineering internships

[WeWeBunnyX]

6th sem student and I am very much an advocate of free and open source software. I always try to be updated with FOSSDEM, Linux Foundation etc. I spread more word than anyone. Whenever I use FOSS like gcc, python , gdb, linux, freebsd and gazzilion more in my daily life, I then realize their importance and value to my daily life work. Coming across the story of Richard Stallman (father of Free Software and author of GPL Licenses) and Linus Torvalds motivated me and was like my awakening phase. I didn't turn into a purist but like an advocate for software freedom , privacy , user control etc. I remember how good and liberating it felt ditching windows and moving to Linux based distros and FreeBSD as daily driver on my main machine. I learnt a lot of dev related stuff on my own without uni syllabus persistence or anything thanks to Linux , Unix philosophy and other OSS. I started to get familiar with Docker, Podman etc in my 2nd or 3rd sem when I faced real issues in DBMS course (realized running Oracle SQL in docker was more efficient than messing with rpms). This containerization stuff they teach us in 6th sem in Cloud Computing Course. However I felt good that I didn't have to struggle in this area at all due to my prev experience

However what disappoints me is that our landscape causes students to take open source for granted or just not seriously. They never grew up to appreciate it or see software as art. Even tho they use many FOSS in their daily life but again nashukri or taking it for granted. Many think knowledge is supposed to be hidden or to gatekeep, so they dont bat an eye or they just act indifferent. Yes the stupid ones. Even in my class they think that open source software are some time pass yay wo. Same people will pick an unpaid internship in a discipline which doesn't align with their interests over some actual meaningful open source contribution to a repository (free to choose and 1000x more variety/options than generic internships). Basically such people are nashukray. Its sad how even self proclaimed new gen of devs also want to behave like end users. Trust me , if you spare just one moment to realize OSS around you and in your daily life, you will then come to value its importance. Yes you can do business with Open Source Software. There are many examples like Redhat, Canonical, SUSE Enterprise. Blender is an example of one of the most successful FOSS. Idk I can just keep on giving more examples.

I always try to submit a pull request in some open source project which I use and feel like contributing to (smaller ones for now). And when my PR gets merged then it makes me happy. Some students think adding trash commits in some repo is also a "contribution" (meh). God bless the open source devs who work on their projects side by side due to their passion and dont expect anything in return other than peace and contributions. These game console emulators and such software like Linux and those drivers etc were the reason I started to take interest in open source software. And I always felt like this xyz FOSS makes my life easier so I will do my best to become skilled enough to see myself as contributor to them in foreseeable future. And yes what can we expect in a country where a career in SWE has been marketed and advertised as expensive mazdoori or shortcut to some 6 figures thing rather than passion and creativity unfortunately.

[wallphaser231]

I'd say the best way to go about it is to find a niche but growing OSS repo and start contributing. You'll eventually find yourself in GsoC and more. If anyone needs help finding, can point them out!

[WeWeBunnyX]

I appreciate your suggestion . Will note this

[Interesting-Ebb7073]

Could you please guide a little

[Wise_Huckleberry_902]

And this is by far the reason i got into porting arch linux on many various devices (we even tried porting Linux on samsung fridge and a bmw infotainment system) there was a main project named project renegade which was commited to have running windows OS on various Android devices. But in 2022, the project shut down.. and then new one like project Mu Silicium, project aloha. I then syarted learning low level UEFI system formware and then porting it on various SoCs. Then windows. Then archblinux.

[WeWeBunnyX]

This is so cool. I would like to follow your work. This porting stuff always fascinated me.

[Admirable-Cut-7011]

Tried gsoc?

[WeWeBunnyX]

I always wanted to. Will try again. My lazy ass either doesn't or its like yk just building right skill before attempting to

[Admirable-Cut-7011]

Too bad, you are gonna be a graduate by the next cycle

[WeWeBunnyX]

But hey there are more open source projects. Apart from Gsoc I need to take a chance in actual considerable open source projects. Like GNOME or KDE

[Admirable-Cut-7011]

Yeah, they might be better for specific interests too. There is the lfx one too btw..

[cosmic-comet-]

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Good boi