by bandali +on December 18, 2020 (also +in plain text)
+ +Originally published on the Free Software Foundation's
+sysadmin blog:
+My internship with the FSF tech team and beyond
Hello! I'm +Amin Bandali, +and this is my second blog post on the FSF sysadmin blog, concluding +my internship with the FSF tech team this year.
+ +Throughout my internship with the tech team, I have worked mainly +on sysadmin tasks related to setting up and/or managing FSF's +GNU/Linux servers. Perhaps most significantly, I set up an instance +of the Sourcehut forge software to +help +evaluate +it as a candidate for the upcoming +FSF forge project. +I documented the installation and setup process of Sourcehut's various +components in the form of a literate GNU Emacs Org-mode file, where +source blocks are interspersed with comments and prose explaining +them. One can then progressively evaluate and execute the source +blocks, and optionally have their results stored back in the Org file +itself to help with documentation/demonstration.
+ +I have also been slowly working on various improvements for the +server running www.gnu.org, and will continue doing work on it as a +volunteer after the end of my internship. This will hopefully be +beneficial to the FSF sysadmins running the server, the GNU webmasters +who do webmastering work on gnu.org, and the general public browsing +and using gnu.org's pages. Notably, changes included upgrading the +server to the latest release of Trisquel GNU/Linux, and revamping and +improving the search mechanism for gnu.org's pages. Additionally, +there are several other projects that I would like to tackle with the +tech team in the near future.
+ +During my internship with the FSF tech team, I picked up a variety +of new skills and learned more about a diverse set of topics and +tools. This included building and installing a complex piece of +software like Sourcehut and debugging issues encountered along the +way, using Ansible for managing and deploying infrastructure, as well +as learning more about the Exim mail transfer agent used to run FSF +and GNU's array of mail servers.
+ +In conclusion to my internship and the year 2020, it's safe to say +that this year has been an eventful year for many people, including +myself. I started my internship with the tech team back in May, and +as a graduate student at the time, I was expecting a reasonable and +balanced workload for my work on my thesis over the coming months. +However, early on (less than two weeks) into my internship I learned +that due to a number of reasons, I needed to complete my master's +studies on a two-month deadline. I told the tech team about the +issue, asking whether I could take a hiatus to complete my studies +without affecting my internship. I am beyond thankful to the tech +team and the FSF as whole for being accommodating, and for their +flexibility in allowing me to take a leave to focus on writing my +thesis and wrapping up my master's studies. I managed to successfully +wrap up my studies in that short timeline, and focus on my internship +afterwards.
+ +However, all good things must come to an end, and this internship +is no exception. I am incredibly grateful to the members of the FSF +tech team -- Ian, Andrew, Ruben, and Michael -- for welcoming me to +the team as an intern and mentoring me, answering my many questions, +and helping me learn more. It has been an honour and a wonderful +experience for me all around working with you all and seeing the +energy and passion with which you take on the work and +responsibilities that come with being an FSF sysadmin and Web +developer. While most of my interactions were with the tech team, I +also got to interact with FSF staffers from several other teams during +my internship, and I'm thankful for our conversations and the chance +to get to know and appreciate the important work you do.
+ +This internship has come to an end, but I will carry with me all of +the good memories and the lessons I learned along the way, and will +happily to continue working with you as a volunteer. The things I +learned have been invaluable and greatly helpful to me, as I +transitioned into my new full-time job at Savoir-faire Linux as a Free +Software Consultant, where I get to work on various parts and aspects +of Jami, a GNU package for universal communication which respects the +freedoms and privacy of its users.
+ +I would like to thank the FSF for providing me this excellent +opportunity to work alongside the tech team as an intern, and take +away so many valuable lessons and great memories.
+ +Interested in interning for the Free Software +Foundation? The application period for spring 2021 internships is +currently open. Please see +https://www.fsf.org/volunteer/internships +for more details and information on how to apply!
+ +Copying and distribution of this file, with or without +modification, are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the +copyright notice and this notice are preserved. This file is offered +as-is, without any warranty.
+