Re: [libreplanet-discuss] how would an activist start with Free Software?

[Christopher M. Hobbs]

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On Sun, 7 Feb 2016 11:02:59 +0100
Daniel Pocock <daniel@pocock.pro> wrote:

> I mean how would they start their organization, "movement", campaign,
> party or whatever form their group chooses, e.g.
> 
> a) install GNU/Linux on personal computers
> 
> b) extract all contact data and other essential things from iPhones
> and then smash them with a hammer
> 
> c) setup email and web server using Postfix, Apache, etc
> 
> d) use (what?) for building online community, registering volunteers,
> raising funds, organizing meetings, sharing documents/multimedia, etc
> 

Hello, Daniel!

I think your list is a good start but I think it makes more sense when
implemented in reverse.

Start by helping them set up decentralized communications such as GNU
Social and XMPP.  There are others but these are merely suggestions.
This takes the first step in removing them from the walled gardens
where they are currently trapped.

Once that's done, help them liberate their email and then their local
machines.  I don't know that Free Software on "smartphones" is at a
point where the general public would be willing to turn in their
iThings but that might be the final thing to work with.

Giving them libre alternatives on top of their existing stack seems the
most logical way to introduce things so that the change doesn't get too
scary.

Projects like Freedombone make this sort of thing a little easier in the
beginning.  If they have someone relatively technically inclined, they
can just grab a static IP and a domain, install Freedombone and get
moving with a small server.  I'm not sure how well it'll scale, though.

Ultimately, I think aesthetically pleasing and easy to follow
documentation is the biggest barrier to entry here.  A lot of this
stuff is just hard to put together for the "average user" out there
given the state of technical documentation.  Advertising that
documentation is another challenge.

Thanks for writing your article and the original message here.  I've
been thinking about this sort of thing and I'm curious to see how the
discussion will pan out.

Happy Hacking!
cmh
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