You are a free programmer or designer or developer. You are free to do whatever you want. You are free to develop software for yourself. You are free to make it big and better. But not for very long. Because as soon as you get a job, your freedom is lost. The fun for programming is over. Your spirit dies when you do it for money and position.
Imagine, you are a software engineer. Working for 9 hours a day. You just got a 100 page specification from your boss. You got a deadline. And now, painful days of working like a machine. 'Machine' because you are to do what you are told. You cannot innovate. You are not allowed to think. You ain't free. Your freedom sold in dollars.
Again, imagine you are an open source developer. The scenario is different now. You are working on a project you chose for yourself. You are enthusiastic about your work. You've new and great ideas and you are gonna implement them. The fun of programming is alive and everyday is a holiday. You innovate new things, and you find appreciation. You find greatness.
As Niyam (at ILUGD) puts it, "You are born unknown. You'll die unknown. You won't be great if you don't do great things. Join the free software community and get known. Then only you'll be called great. Find that greatness!"
As a student, you've taken the freedom you enjoy for granted. But once you've a boss, you are no longer free. You are a slave of your boss, and your boss is a slave of his boss.
You don't need to be a Linux geek to join us. All you need is a belief in software freedom. There's no second to waste. Rise against ignorance. Make everyone aware of free software. Participate in development! Get known. Get your friends involved.
Freed.in is near. Fasten your seat belts! We've to make it bigger than ever. Free your friends from proprietary software. Involve as many people as you can! Tell everyone what is free software. Tell them to use it. Invite them to Freed.
Gear up! The world is yours!
And don't hesitate to ask me if you don't know what to do.
