Tell us about yourself

Hello everyone, I’m Gannadheesh, an electrical engineering student and a developer passionate about building practical tools and understanding how software works under the hood.

What made you get into free and open source ecosystem?

Long story short, after some blind R&D, I tried booting and using Linux on my old laptop a few years back to improve its efficiency. Further down the lane, I got very attached to the philosophy behind the ecosystem. It also gave me deep knowledge of how computers and software actually work, which hooked me completely.

How did you come across FOSSIA?

I follow Keerthana (aka grittypuffy) on GitHub. While randomly exploring GitHub, I came across her new project, TranscribeIt. As I tried to understand the project, I later learned about FOSSIA through it.

Which project did you contribute to? What made you contribute?

I contributed to TranscribeIt.

How did you feel about free and open source software contribution before your first contribution?

Honestly, I was a bit intimidated at first. I thought you needed to be an expert to contribute, and I worried about breaking something or not being good enough.

How did you feel about making your first contribution?

It felt really rewarding. The process was easier than I expected, and seeing my code merged knowing it helps prevent crashes for others gave me a big confidence boost.

How would you like to contribute further to the free and open source ecosystem?

I’d like to continue contributing by learning on the go through projects, gaining skills and knowledge, and advocating open source to newcomers.

What advice would you give to a first contributor?

The space is extremely supportive, friendly, and patient. Take time to go through the project, understand its objectives, and don’t hesitate to ask questions to the maintainers or mentors.