X-Git-Url: https://git.shemshak.org/~bandali/bndl.org/blobdiff_plain/dcbfb97fd6f3841f93520be71eea63a253cf1706..0168c81837341f8434b074bc9659da2bdd83af50:/2020/12/18/fsf-internship-beyond.txt diff --git a/2020/12/18/fsf-internship-beyond.txt b/2020/12/18/fsf-internship-beyond.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..35b6efd --- /dev/null +++ b/2020/12/18/fsf-internship-beyond.txt @@ -0,0 +1,114 @@ +My internship with the FSF tech team and beyond +----------------------------------------------- + + Originally published on the Free Software Foundation's sysadmin + blog: + https://www.fsf.org/blogs/sysadmin/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[1] forge software to help evaluate[2] it as a candidate +for the upcoming FSF forge project[3]. 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. + +[1] https://sourcehut.org +[2] https://libreplanet.org/wiki/FSF_2020_forge_evaluation +[3] https://www.fsf.org/blogs/sysadmin/coming-soon-a-new-site-for-fully-free-collaboration + +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. + +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! + + + -*- + +Copyright (c) 2020 bandali + +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. + +published: 2020-12-18 +this file: https://bndl.org/2020/12/18/fsf-internship-beyond.txt