[Tuglist] [Off Topic] RMS speech at MIT, Chennai

[M K Saravanan]

Dear all,

During my 2nd year B.Tech at MIT (Chennai), I was reading the OS book by
Andrew S Tanenbaum and he mentioned about a Free Kernel called Linux
written by an Undergrad at Univ. of Helsinki, Finland, called Linus
Torvalds following the MINIX.  Almost at the same time, I read an article
on IEE magazine about the GNU project and Free Software Foundation work by
Richard M Stallman at MIT, AI Lab.  I was so inspired by that article.  I
found from google that already a big GNU/Linux community exist in India
and I found one at chennai also and started attend it regular monthly
meetings where they discuss various free and open source software
available.  The very first day after I joined AU-KBC, i decided to use
GNU/Linux in my machine instead of MS-WINDOWS.  Fortunately i was among
one of the audience at Tata auditorium, IISc bangalore when RMS first
visited India in 2000 and gave a lecture on Free Software at IISc.  That
brought me a great change in me, the way i write and use software.  I
thought every student should listen his speech.  I thought if RMS deliver
a lecture on "Free Software and GNU/Linux OS" at chennai that will create
a great impact among many students.

RMS is visiting India in March 2002 and he will be at Bangalore around 7th
March.  So i wrote a mail to RMS that i will take care of the sponsor of
his Bangalore to chennai visit and requested him to deliver a lecture at
MIT, Chennai.  RMS happily agreed my invitation.  I expect many students
from Chennai Linux User group, IITM, Main Campus (AU), other Engg.
colleges, for this event and I will be happy if it create a change in
atleast one student w.r.t to the way we use and write the software,
software manuals and s/w documentation.

So All are welcome for the following event:

Date:      13th March 2002 (Wednesday)
Time:      4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Venue:     Rajam Hall, MIT (Madras Inst. of Tech.), Chromepet, Chennai
Topic:     Free Software Movement and GNU/Linux Operating System
Speaker:   Richard M Stallman

Those who want to have an understanding of who is RMS, what is GNU project
etc.., you can visit http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/

How to reach MIT?

By Electric Train
=================

The best way to reach MIT is, to catch the electric train (Beach to
Tambaram)  and get down at Chromepet station.   Get off at the station and
cross the tracks (on the bridge) to enter the campus at the back gate
(Hostel gate).  

By Car
======

Chromepet is on the Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road, 4 kms south of the
Airport, but the campus is on the other side of the train tracks from the
road (left if you are going south).  Presently, the railway level crossing
just north of Chromepet Station is under repair. You will have to drive
south of the station on GST Road till you reach the Sanatorium Station,
take the level-crossing there, and come back to the M I T Main Gate. 


By Bus
====== 

There are frequent buses to Chromepet (which is en route to Tambaram) from
Guindy, Saidapet and other stops on Mount Road (Anna Salai). Most of these
buses originate from the bus terminus at Parry's Corner. There are also
buses from Ashok Pillar and other points further to the north.  You have
to get down at Chromepet stop.  

MIT map
=======

There is rough map of MIT campus at http://mksarav.tripod.com/mitmap.jpg


-- mks --

+--------------------------==> M K Saravanan <==-------------------------+
 Research Asst.,                                mksarav@comp.nus.edu.sg
 Centre for Internet Research                   http://mksarav.tripod.com 
+---------< School of Computing, National Univ. of Singapore >-----------+