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| -rw-r--r-- | blends/boss.mdwn | 116 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | blends/india2015.da.po | 4 | ||||
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diff --git a/blends/boss.mdwn b/blends/boss.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0c21e4a --- /dev/null +++ b/blends/boss.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,116 @@ +# BOSS - Barath Operating System Solutions + +[[!meta date="2016-01-26"]] +[[!tag debian blog]] + +Siri and I are on a journey through India and Nepal, +with the aim of learning about needs of Debian derivatives, +to improve Debian and encourage closer integration. + + +## C-DAC and BOSS + +Centre for Development of Advanced Computing ([C-DAC][]) is a large organization +serving country- and state-level institutions in India, +with offices and training facilities several major cities. +In Chennai, C-DAC has a staff of 25 developers +working full time on Barath Operating System Solutions ([BOSS][]). + +BOSS is a Debian derivative with several flavors +- a desktop for use at primary schools (EduBOSS), +a desktop for governmental offices (BOSS), +and a range of server-oriented use cases using same core as the desktops +with various (non-packaged) code and configuration on top. + +The core common to all BOSS flavors is a derivative of Debian. +Major work has been in strengthening localization and related code +- including the development of a font +covering all officially supported indic scripts, +tuning input methods configuration, +and bugfixing LibreOffice handling of complex scripts. +All that work is all passed directly to upstream code projects +(some still show as derived work until sifting down again into Debian). + +Besides locale derivations, +BOSS currently includes 11 packages not yet in Debian +- a mixture of package dependencies, branding data and configuration tweaks. +Seems most if not all can fit into Debian with a bit of restructuring work. + + +[C-DAC]: <http://cdac.in/> + "Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)" + +[BOSS]: <http://bosslinux.in/> + "Barath Operating System Solution (BOSS)" + +[blend]: <https://wiki.debian.org/DebianPureBlends#Terminology> + "Debian Pure Blend - subset of Debian configured for a target group" + + +## business... + + +## small computers + +As some of you know, +I always had a special interest in low-resource (yet general purpose) computers +(partly driven by my lack of money to spend on shinier hardware), +and since ~2009 particularly in ARM-based computers. + +After 4 days of meetings and discussion with C-DAC, +- literally few minutes before departure - +I casually mentioned my interest in small computers, +and much to my surprise it turned out that C-DAC also works on that, +just didn't get around to mention it yet at the Debian wiki page. + +C-DAC have worked for a year on tuning BOSS to work on the Vidyut laptop +(successor to the Aakash tablet). +All except builtin camera is allegedly working. + +C-DAC is also looking into Olimex boards +- my favorites - +possibly for use with small server setups... + +...but our time was up, we had to leave for our train to Pune, +so details on that we will have to figure out through mail. + + +## collaboration + +In the past, C-DAC have kept in touch with their users +through BOSS-specific places like a dedicated IRC channel. +Recent changes in management style at the development office +have caused less attention available to that communication, however. + +C-DAC have politely offered their code changes upstram for years, +but maybe "too polite": +Maybe they have offered only polished fixes, +being less loud about "interesting problems". + +I suggested, as way to improve while limiting (ideally avoiding) extra work, +is to mentally take a step up the stream: +Treat BOSS not as a derivative but a subset of Debian itself, +hang out and discuss issues and ideas at debian irc channels, +and maintain your packages directly in Debian. + +Only parts unfit for Debian +- secret stuff done for India military, +and dirty configuration hacks not yet possible within Debian Policy - +really need to be kept away from Debian. + +C-DAC agreed, and Debian now has a BOSS team! + +Anyone interested to follow BOSS as a Debian blend, +and perhaps even contribute with opinions and/or code, +is quite welcome to join the newly created mailinglist +on Debian Alioth: +<https://lists.alioth.debian.org/mailman/listinfo/boss-devel>. + +Our meetings with BOSS developers have been very pleasant. +Even those working at the top of cloud or big data stacks +- furthest away from our mindset of tightly "locking down" all parts as packages - +were patient with us. + +Thanks in particular to Prema S and Prathibha B, +working on packaging of BOSS for the past 5+ years, +and both likely to enter the Debian New Maintainer Queue before long :-) diff --git a/blends/india2015.da.po b/blends/india2015.da.po index 5e90c13..f9b282c 100644 --- a/blends/india2015.da.po +++ b/blends/india2015.da.po @@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ msgid "[[IT@School|it-at-school]]" msgstr "[[IT@School|it-at-school]]" #. type: Bullet: '* ' -msgid "BOSS Linux" -msgstr "BOSS Linux" +msgid "[[BOSS Linux|boss]]" +msgstr "[[BOSS Linux|boss]]" #. type: Plain text msgid "Thanks to the organizations and individuals hosting us on our journey." diff --git a/blends/india2015.mdwn b/blends/india2015.mdwn index d0ff456..30df1a3 100644 --- a/blends/india2015.mdwn +++ b/blends/india2015.mdwn @@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Distributions we will look into - some more detailed than others - include... * NepaLinux * SWECHA OS * [[IT@School|it-at-school]] -* BOSS Linux +* [[BOSS Linux|boss]] Thanks to the organizations and individuals hosting us on our journey. |