Joining BlankOn Revival - Contributing to Indonesia's Open Source Linux Distribution

Introduction

I’m excited to share that I’ve recently joined the BlankOn Revival Project as a core contributor in the Infrastructure Team. BlankOn Linux is Indonesia’s very own GNU/Linux distribution, designed specifically for Indonesian users with localized features and cultural elements that make computing more accessible to our communities.

BlankOn - Proudly Made in Indonesia

About BlankOn Linux

BlankOn Linux is not just another Linux distribution—it’s a movement toward digital independence and technical competency in Indonesia. The name “BlankOn” itself carries a profound philosophy: the transformation from blank (empty) to on (filled/enlightened), representing the journey from unawareness to awareness, from consumer to producer.

The Philosophy Behind BlankOn

The project embodies a powerful vision: transforming Indonesians from mere consumers of technology to producers and innovators. It’s about changing the mindset from dependency on foreign products to creating our own solutions.

Blank → On: The journey from emptiness to enlightenment, from consumer mentality to producer mentality.

BlankOn’s Relationship with Debian

BlankOn is a Debian derivative distribution that maintains 100% compatibility with Debian. This means:

• Applications for Debian can run on BlankOn
• BlankOn-specific applications can be installed on Debian
• BlankOn can be installed on top of existing Debian systems
• It’s not just a remaster—it has its own packages and repositories

The Mission: Building an Open Source Ecosystem

The BlankOn Project aims to develop a comprehensive ecosystem around free and open-source software by:

1. Enhancing Local Talent: Building competency in FOSS development—from technical aspects like application development and Linux distribution to non-technical skills like leadership and community building

2. Creating a Self-Sustaining Ecosystem: Bringing together individuals, educational institutions, companies, and organizations (nonprofit, commercial, and governmental) that use BlankOn as their foundation

3. Transforming Mindsets: Converting people from consumers to producers and innovators, encouraging them to create code, ideas, artwork, and profitable business ventures

4. Perpetual Innovation: Creating a perpetual motion of innovation that feeds back into the BlankOn project through funding, feedback, and manpower

From Import-Dependent…

…To Self-Sufficient

My Role: Infrastructure Team

As part of the Infrastructure Team (Infrastruktur), I work alongside talented developers to maintain and improve BlankOn’s technical backbone:

Team Members

Infrastructure Team:

• Harry Suryapambagya (Denpasar) - Infrastructure Lead
• Bagus Kusuma Loka (Jakarta) - Infrastructure Developer
• Firmansyah Dzakwan Arifien (Depok) - Infrastructure Developer (Me!)

My Responsibilities

Role: Infrastructure Core Contributor
Team: Infrastruktur BlankOn
Location: Depok, Indonesia
Contact:
  Email: fdzak01@gmail.com
  Telegram: @fdzak01

My work focuses on:

1. Server Infrastructure: Managing and maintaining BlankOn’s server infrastructure
2. Build Systems: Ensuring smooth package building and distribution processes
3. Repository Management: Maintaining package repositories and mirrors
4. CI/CD Pipeline: Automating build and deployment workflows
5. Security: Implementing security best practices and GPG/SSH key management
6. Collaboration: Working with the packaging and R&D teams to support development needs

All infrastructure work is done transparently using GPG-signed commits and secure SSH authentication, ensuring the integrity of BlankOn’s systems.

The Revival Project Structure

The BlankOn Revival project is organized into three core teams:

1. Infrastructure Team (Infrastruktur)

Responsible for:

• Server and network infrastructure
• Build and deployment systems
• Repository and mirror management
• Security and access control

Members: Harry, Bagus, and myself (Dzakwan)

2. Packaging Team (Pemaket)

Responsible for:

• Creating and maintaining Debian packages
• Package quality assurance
• Dependency management
• Integration with Debian upstream

Members: Herpiko, Lucky, Raffi, and Raska

3. Research & Development Team (Riset dan Pengembangan)

Responsible for:

• New feature development
• User experience improvements
• Localization and Indonesian language support
• Innovation and experimentation

Members: Atqa, Arthur (Aris), and Atikha

Vision for Success: Real-World Impact

BlankOn’s success isn’t measured just by downloads or installations, but by real-world transformations. Here are some aspirational scenarios that guide our work:

• Education Access: “I’m a student in a remote area, accessing Wikipedia offline using an affordable BlankOn computer”
• Accessibility: “I’m visually impaired, using BlankOn’s accessibility features to access the Internet”
• Disaster Relief: “I’m a disaster victim, communicating through emergency telecommunication systems powered by BlankOn”
• Agriculture: “I’m a farmer, using irrigation solutions controlled by BlankOn systems”
• Creative Industry: “I own a graphic design and animation studio, all our software is FOSS, including BlankOn”
• Business: “I’m a telecommunications entrepreneur, selling mobile phones with software components developed by BlankOn”
• Government: “I’m a governor, using BlankOn to implement official communication in local languages and scripts”
• National Security: “I’m a general, our combat communication systems were developed with the BlankOn Team”
• Policy: “I’m the president, mandating open-source software and open data formats across all government agencies”
• International Impact: “I’m an entrepreneur from Vietnam, using applications developed with the BlankOn Team”
• Regional Expansion: “I’m a computer retailer in Malaysia, selling computers with BlankOn pre-installed”

These aren’t just dreams—they’re concrete goals that guide our development priorities and measure our impact on society.

Technical Stack & Tools

Working on BlankOn infrastructure involves:

# Core Technologies
OS: Debian/BlankOn Linux
Version Control: Git with GPG signing
Authentication: SSH with Ed25519 keys
Security: GPG for package signing and verification
Build System: Debian packaging tools
CI/CD: GitHub Actions and custom automation
Repository: APT repository management
Monitoring: System and service monitoring tools

# Development Workflow
git commit -S -m "Signed commit"  # GPG-signed commits
ssh-keygen -t ed25519              # Secure SSH keys
gpg --sign --armor                 # Package signing

Why This Matters

Contributing to BlankOn is more than just technical work—it’s about:

1. Digital Sovereignty: Building Indonesia’s capacity to create and maintain its own technology
2. Knowledge Transfer: The chain mentoring system means today’s mentees become tomorrow’s mentors
3. Community Building: Creating networks of skilled developers across Indonesia
4. National Pride: Proving that Indonesia can produce world-class open-source software
5. Social Impact: Making technology more accessible to Indonesian communities

Getting Involved

The BlankOn project is always open to new contributors! Whether you’re a developer, designer, writer, or just passionate about open source, there’s a place for you.

Ways to Contribute

• Technical: Package maintenance, infrastructure work, feature development
• Documentation: Wiki editing, tutorial writing, translation
• Design: UI/UX design, artwork, branding
• Community: User support, event organization, advocacy
• Testing: Bug reporting, quality assurance, user feedback

Resources

• Website: blankonlinux.or.id
• Wiki: blankon.github.io/wiki
• GitHub: github.com/BlankOn
• License: GPL (Free and Open Source)

BlankOn is free to download and use, but donations are welcome to support ongoing development!

Looking Forward

Joining the BlankOn Revival Project as an infrastructure contributor is both an honor and a responsibility. I’m working alongside talented individuals who share the vision of digital independence for Indonesia.

This aligns perfectly with my broader journey in system administration and cybersecurity:

• SMTP 2025: Cybersecurity knowledge from Korean experts
• Jarvis Academy: System administration bootcamp
• Red Hat RH134: Enterprise Linux administration
• BlankOn: Infrastructure for Indonesian Linux distribution

Each experience builds upon the last, creating a comprehensive skill set that I can now apply to serve Indonesia’s open-source community.

Personal Reflection

The transformation from blank to on isn’t just BlankOn’s philosophy—it’s my personal journey too. From learning Linux basics to now contributing to Indonesia’s own distribution, from being a user to becoming a builder, this is exactly the kind of transformation BlankOn represents.

I’m committed to the mission of changing Indonesia’s technology landscape from consumer-dependent to producer-innovative. Every commit, every infrastructure improvement, every collaboration brings us closer to that vision.

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The Journey Continues: From learning system administration to securing networks, from earning certifications to building infrastructure for Indonesia’s Linux distribution—every step forward is a step toward digital independence.

Connect & Collaborate

If you’re interested in contributing to BlankOn or learning more about Indonesian open-source projects:

• Email: fdzak01@gmail.com
• Telegram: @fdzak01
• GPG Fingerprint: 65C4 F8CC A444 02DD CE9E B998 5F3D 6D9F 31A4 02B6

Let’s build Indonesia’s digital future together—from blank to on, from consumers to producers, from dependence to independence!

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Tags: #BlankOn #OpenSource #Linux #Debian #Indonesia #Infrastructure #FOSS #DigitalSovereignty #MadeInIndonesia #SystemAdministration