Weekend Aantel’s Blog

Today was an important day for us. After nearly 20 long months, we finally signed an Memorandum of Understanding - aka MoU, with the West Bengal University of Technology (WBUT) for Open Source Research & Development collaboration.

The MoU covers a wide-ranging scope of activities - thin-client computing, Learning Management systems, bio-informatics HP clusters, Digital Libraries, Localization resource centre, Assistive Technologies and special education needs. Seminars and workshops, including training of interns and other potential users are also part of the planned set of activities.

On the legal front, we are happy that the University has agreed to the release of all work under suitable Open Source Initiative Approved licenses! Yeah!

A while back, I was invited to come as a speaker at ITINEE 2005, organised by Rohini Science Club. As the topic of the seminar was something close to my heart - “Technology Transforming Teaching (T3) - Enhancing Teachers’ Connectivity with ICT Tools“. So, I wanted to attend it, but until this morning I wasn’t sure if I actually could. Damned deadlines!

So come tomorrow night, I’m on-board Ranchi Hatia Express, my return ticket is still WL 1, hopefully it will come through by 18th evening, or else it is the earlier Shatabdi Express back to Calcutta.

The seminar is a fairly small, but tenacious initiative, with its focus on adoption of technology as an enabler rather than being an answer to the shortcomings in the present system in itself.

I used to be an avid shutterbug during my schools days. But that was before the computing bug bit me and I didn’t touch a camera in about 10 or more so years. Must admit I have often thought of shooting a few, but given my lazy nature it turned to be an impossibility… that is until now! Thank god for digital photography and GIMP

Since Sayamindu is having his exams on atm, I’m using his PowerShot A95 in all my borrowed glory. Here are a few pix that I squeezed off during my Bangalore trip.

A view from the window!

Clouds!

PS. Errr… I think I have lost the camera’s air-bubble cover packing… I hope sayam lets me borrow it again… at least till I can satisfy my lust for this .

I’ve been rather busy since coming back from FOSS.IN. Things happening aplenty, and among other things we just got “incubated” as a Tenant Company of Ekta Incubation Centre. Our new address is AQ-13/1, Sector 5, Salt Lake. Yes! that’s right in the heart of Kolkata’s STP area.

Boss informed me about a strong possibility of who might become the third tenant at EIC. I’m really excited and hope it happens, after all he is one of the ex-CDAC people that I have a lot of respect for!