Free Software Foundation Tamil Nadu is the body working as a part of Free Software Movement of India and not the Free Software Foundation of India. It is often believed that FSFTN is the official chapter of Free Software Foundation or Free Software Foundation of India. Recent disclaimer of Free Software Foundation Tamil Nadu makes clear that FSFTN is a part of Free Software Movement of India and they are not associated with either Free Software Foundation or Free Software Foundation of India anyway other than the ideology.
Objectives
As per the FSFTN site the main objectives of the organisation are as follows:
To take forward free software and its ideological implications to all corners of our country from the developed domains to the underprivileged.
To create awareness among computer users in the use of free software.
To work towards usage of free software in all stream of sciences and research.
To take forward implementation and usage of free software in school education, academics and higher education.
To work towards e-literacy and bridging digital divide based on free software and mobilising the underprivileged.
To work among developers on solutions catering to societal & national requirements.
To work towards a policy change favoring free software in all walks of life.
The GNU/Linux Users Group are the essential place for Knowledge sharing activities for Colleges and Regions co-ordinated by FSFTN. FSFTN has both Regional and College GLUGs. The GLUGs operate at various levels and is guided by the Core Committee Members of FSFTN. The functionalities and structure of GLUG are as follows,
Each GLUG will have a Representative who will co-ordinate the GLUG and take care of the activities of the GLUG
The College GLUG consists of only the College Students and a Staff Representative
The College GLUG organises activities and events inside the College and will aim to bring people involving them in Community Contributions, Projects, etc.
The Regional GLUG consists of members from the locality and gets involved in Knowledge Sharing sessions and bring innew people from various colleges in and around the region
GLUGs are the main point of contact for FOSS related activities and events in the locality
GLUG members will represent their GLUG in the Summer Camp organised by FSFTN every year.
Activism
The Free Software Foundation Tamil Nadu was in the forefront of the protests against the inclusion of proprietary software in the free laptop scheme by the Government of Tamil Nadu. On 6 February 2012, FSFTN organised a lecture on "Freedom, Free Software and Education" by the founder of Free Software Foundation - Richard Matthew Stallman at IIT Madras in Chennai. On 19 February 2012, a Mozillalocalisation seminar was organised by the Free Software Foundation, Tamil Nadu at IIT Madras. On 9 June 2012, FSFTN conducted a protest against Intermediaries Guidelines Rules and spread awareness about the importance of a free Internet through posters, distribution of pamphlets and speeches by some of the volunteers at Besant NagarBeach, Chennai. On June 2013, FSFTN conducted 5 days workshop in collaboration with ILUGC at IIT-Madras on various technologies and discussed about social issues like "Internet Democracy","Gender Biasing" etc. On 23 April 2015, as part of Free Software Movement of India's call for campaign in support of NetNeutrality, FSFTN organised a walkathon in Besant Nagar Beach
