Re: [lp-ca-on] Fw: [gnu.org #1158584] The path to free

[Bob Jonkman]

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Hello Leya! Welcome to LibrePlanet Ontario!

At this time there aren't many active members in the LibrePlanet Ontario
chapter, and we're scattered across southern Ontario: Toronto,
Kitchener, Owen Sound, Niagara Fall, and now Cornwall!

Unfortunately, you've just missed our monthly meeting, in which we use a
Mumble voice chat server to talk with each other for an hour or so. You
can catch up with recordings of previous meetings at
http://podcasts.libreplanet.ca/ I hope you can join us next month, 24
November at 9:00pm.

You can join us on Internet Relay Chat, #lp-ca-on on the freenode.net
server. You can use the Web interface at
http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=%23lp-ca-on Most of us are idlers,
we join the channel but don't actively chat or even monitor it. But if
you type a user name (I'm BobJonkman) it'll send an alert and that
someone will respond (if they're at the computer).

I've learned from someone orginally from Brockville that there are no
GNU/Linux User Groups (LUGs) in your corner of Ontario, but with the
reach of the Internet you can join any other LUG.  The Greater Toronto
Area LUG http://gtalug.org/ , Bruce/Grey LUG http://bglug.ca/ and the
Kitchener-Waterloo LUG http://kwlug.org/ are full of people who may be
able to provide informal tech support through the LUG's mailing lists.

Welcome!

- --Bob.


On 2016-10-26 01:31 PM, Empress Pyra wrote:
> Hello Libre Planet Ontario. Enclosed you'll find a thread of a local Ontarian 
> looking for some answers. I sent this message to the general help email of 
> Gnu and they gave me a set of links that helped me track down groups like you 
> in my area.
> 
> I live in the municipality of Cornwall, Roughly one hour South East of 
> Ottawa. Finding out if there are LIbre resources available in my locality 
> would be highly helpfull.
> 
> Leya
> 
> 
> Sent from [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com), Swiss-based encrypted email.
> Sent with [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com) Secure Email.
> 
> 
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: [gnu.org #1158584] The path to free
> Local Time: October 26, 2016 11:06 AM
> UTC Time: October 26, 2016 11:06 AM
> From: address@hidden
> To: address@hidden
> 
> Hello, Leya,
> 
>> address@hidden - Tue Oct 25 18:22:07 2016]:
>> Hello Gnu Project. I'm a single Canadian woman in her 30s and I didn't
>> know anything about free software or internet security or anonymity
>> until the last couple months when I started researching and
>> actively familiarizing myself with Edward Snowden, wikileaks and
>> free software initiatives like gnu and I've learned a great deal in
>> a short time and I am frankly feeling somewhat overwhelmed with
>> where to go, what to do and how best to manage my needs. I have a
>> fairly severe neurological disorder which doesn't impact physically
>> as much as it impact mentally and I am on a fixed income for this
>> so my budget is very low and I use technology assistively to manage
>> my situation. However I believe strongly in human rights, anonymity
>> and freedom. I use a mac because I part of my disorder means that
>> any equipment I use has to be fairly robust and the breakable
>> plastic of some low end windows computers just wasn't going to cut
>> it, as oposed to the hard metal less breakable mac hardware.
>> However, from videos with Richard, I've come to understand the
>> inherant back doors and insecurites of Apple technology. Part of my
>> impairement is that visual learning and understanding how things
>> work is very poor and all this written reading is becomming very
>> painfull and I am fed up with trying to understand all of this new
>> information about free os and every new program I am going to have
>> to learn to go "libre" as some might have it. For now, I have
>> installed what I can, Tor browser, Open Office, Startpage,
>> protonmail and a password manager just to get me started. Would you
>> guys be able to offer any resources, wisdom or advice on how I
>> might proceed.. I want to be able to still play games like the ones
>> on steam.. I want to be able to use photoshop, or if someone can
>> recommend a non proprietary profesional photo and video editing
>> software that is as good as photoshop, I have tried some free image
>> editing software but none really did what I needed for my work. I
>> would love to fully install a gnu/linux os on my mac hardware , but
>> I do not know if that is possible and my disability makes figuring
>> it out on my own very hard and then there's the anxiety that once I
>> do, I won't be more impared because I can't find or use any of the
>> things I need for my wellbeing.
>>
>> Thank you and I appreciate your time
> 
> First off, let me say: I'm really impressed by how much you've learned
> in so short a time, especially considering the hinderances! We are
> really glad to hear of your interest and that you are moving to free
> software.
> 
> You've already taken a number of a excellent measures to ensure
> freedom and privacy. I understand your reservations about
> transitioning to a free operating system. As you've ascertained,
> using a nonfree system does, of course, not preclude you from using
> any softare that your freedom. Please see
> <http://www.fsf.org/working-together> for more information on this.
> There you will find links to moving to free software
> (<http://www.fsf.org/working-together/moving)>. The following few
> pages might also be of interest, help:
> 
> - <https://www.fsf.org/windows> (how to switch from Windows)
> - <http://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.en.html> (distributions we
> endorse)
> - <http://www.gnu.org/software/for-windows.html> (free programs that
> work on Windows)
> - <https://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/endorsement/respects-your-freedom>
> (laptops we've certified respect your freedom)
> - <https://h-node.org/> (database of hardware that works well with free
> software)
> - <http://emailselfdefense.org> (instructions on how to set up e-mail
> encryption)
> - <http://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Orca> (Gnome screenreader)
> 
> This is only the general e-mail contact for the FSF and the GNU
> Project and I am unable to answer technical questions. If you have
> questions about how to installation or capabilities, please go to the
> distro's Web site. For instance, instructions for loading a USB drive
> with Trisquel are at
> <https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/how-create-liveusb>. (To download the
> Trisquel iso image itself, go to <https://trisquel.info/en/download>.)
> Volunteers on the mailing lists can answer technical questions you
> might have about installation and capabilities.
> 
> Please note that you have the option of trying a distro before
> switching to it permanently. At
> <http://www.fsf.org/working-together/moving/burning> you will find
> instructions for trying GNU/Linux.
> 
> You can find all the free software we know about in the Free Software
> Directory, at <http://directory.fsf.org/wiki/>. I encourage you to
> search there for a program that meets your needs. Also, you might
> find it helpful to go to <http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/>,
> where you will find a complete list of all the public mailing lists,
> and to <http://www.gnu.org/help/gethelp.html>, which we are working to
> improve.
> 
> I feel it would be most useful for you to be in touch with someone
> who's both visually impaired and experienced with GNU/Linux. I am
> trying to reach such a person, and, if I'm successful, I will put you
> in touch with them, so that they can show you the way more effectively
> than I can.
> 
> Regarding the challenge of doing this on a fixed income:
> 
> - a lot of free software is gratis, so that should help, and,
> regarding tech support, you might be able to find a GNU/Linux user
> group in your area. Please see LibrePlanet's group list
> (<http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group_list>). (LibrePlanet is a Web
> portal to foster community-based free software groups and make it
> easy for people to connect with local and non-local activists.)
> Maybe there is someone in your area who is able to help you with the
> transition.
> 
> - have you considered buying a refurbished computer? This would give
> you the option of holding on to your current one, and experimenting
> with the new(/old) one, until your feel comfortable enough to
> transition permanently. Also, aside from financial reasons, there
> are considerable environmental reasons to do so. There are no doubt
> a number of retailers in your area from which you could get one,
> and, ideally, there might be a nonprofit from which you could buy
> one with GNU/Linux already installed. Otherwise, you could install
> it yourself. (I have a refurbished ThinkPad and that's what I did.)
> 
> Regarding Photoshop, the free alternatives we use are GIMP
> (http://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Gimp) and Inkscape
> (http://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Inkscape).
> 
> Regarding installing
> 
>> gnu/linux os on my mac hardware
> 
> this can be done, but I can't (i.e. am not able to) give you
> instructions (and certainly not better instructions than what could
> find via a Web search).
> 
> I hope this helps.
> I will write you again if I can reach the visually impaired free
> software activist.
> Thank you for supporting free software.
> And best wishes for a successful transition.
> Sincerely,
> j.
> --
> Jeanne Rasata
> Program Assistant
> Free Software Foundation
> GnuPG Key: F24B 3F64 31A1 90D6 1CCC 0394 E8FD 48A0 DE0D C371
> 
> 
> 
> ---
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> 

- -- 


- --
Bob Jonkman <address@hidden>          Phone: +1-519-635-9413
SOBAC Microcomputer Services             http://sobac.com/sobac/
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