Worries about the future, and questions for the free software community.
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Hi all,
I've been using GNU/Linux for about five years now, and recently came to care about software freedom. I have noticed that the GNU/Linux community seems to be increasing in size, partly due to the impending EOL of Windows 10. The majority of the existing community doesn't seem interested in teaching them the value of free software. They seem to be focused on getting GNU/Linux in as many hands as possible.
I am not sure of the general age in the free software movement, so forgive me if I am off, but it seems to lean toward the older side. I am on the younger side (18), and people around me seem indifferent about free software. It makes me worry about the future of the movement. Finding GNU/Linux and later the FSF were beacons of hope for me, as I have felt increasingly alienated from the world around me. The invasive tech, the corrupt billionaires and politicians. What worries me most though, is society's indifference and complacency towards it all. I apologize if that is a bit too personal. There doesn't seem like there is anywhere else I could speak my mind about it. To avoid getting caught up in anxiety, I would like to ask a couple things.
What can I do to help the movement? I already am an associate member to the FSF, though I feel that money will mean nothing if there isn't any people to utilize it.
How would you recommend learning to program? I do not currently know how to program, though I would like to learn. Most resources I've found seem to be full of paid subscriptions and tend to spoon-feed answers.
Thank you.
The important contribution we all need to make right now is testing the pre-release versions of Trisquel 12 and reporting any issues that we have: https://trisquel.info/en/forum/first-beta-isos-trisquel-12-are-out-getting-closer-0
Maybe during your Trisquel 12 testing you'll find some additional ways you'd like to contribute.
See https://www.gnu.org/help/ if you have not yet.
I feel you there, people are dumb as dirt when it comes to how bad invasive tech is and they don't fight billionaire assholes enough. It really pisses me off how much they get away with because people don't realize that anyone who is called a socialist by the media is likely trying to FIX THESE EXACT PROBLEMS!
Basically, if you try to help the poor and middle class instant socialist alert.
But if you try to help the rich, you are just a centrist.
Like give me a break...
This is what I think is effing up usa if nothing else. Although it probably is messing up other countries too.
Any country that is leaning authoritarian or has leaders who want to push it there, has this problem big time.
I very much would prefer billionaires to perish off this planet because it seems like they will do whatever it takes to keep their money even if it means sending the world to hell if need be.
So you see why I also hate billionaires.
Yea...
Oh and as a last thought, mass surveillance enables fascism and worse which is a wake up call the world itself needs badly.
And the corporate goons need to be pushed out of the way for this to be heard.
lrl,
Nice to hear from you and your participation in the forum is a help in its own right. I read of your worries and I connect and for that feel a little more human. And if you bring your questions to the forum and some of our incredible developers share the light, no doubt others will benefit also and become interested in the principles behind the 'movement.'
I went to college using fafsa and finished without owing anything. Most of the classes were Windows centric but learning about loops and ifs and elseifs and then doos etc, in Visual Basic and ASP wasn't a total loss. One serious place to learn everything about tech is https://www.oreilly.com/. I see you can try it for free. I bought a subscription for my nephew and it was a bit expensive (maybe $200 a quarter). But they have books on every programming language and every kind of server you can study. I think O'Reilly has been in open source software's corner for a long time even though their books aren't free. I hope others offer suggestions.
MB says "See https://www.gnu.org/help/ if you have not yet." For that I see something new: https://savannah.gnu.org/ Gonna check it out.
re Zoma: 'Basically, if you try to help the poor and middle class instant socialist alert.' ALERT!...ALERT! - been there, heard that.
I think if I stand in front of a mad steam roller coming my way, I know what's going to happen. But if the only other choice is to occupy a seat on that roller too, maybe it would be best if I submit to the squishing. Concerning society's ills, I have accepted the possibility of temporary defeat, but I have a trump card (and it ain't you know who) - it's good to trust in God.