Free software for wide-world, yes we can!

users
#1

Hi,

I have been a Debian contributor for 10 years, even if it is in back
office and in particular in the accessibility team. Then I am more and
more sure that this distro can be adopted by everybody. Yes additional
service is needed, of course some stuff need to be fixed more quickly
than upstream do in user experience, sure upstream needs help, but I do
all this now through hypra https://hypra.fr.

Hypra developed:
- a service to provide a free software based computer, as nice as
typical PCs, with a better uman support (better privacy, including
search engine, etc)
- a Debian system accessible through the newest solutions dedicated to
the universal design
- contributions to projects such as GTK, Firefox, Libreoffice, and
assistive technologies.
- 200 blind and old people now use Debian GNU/Linux, Libreoffice and
Firefox thanks to our system and human support.

Three years later, I am afraid with two things. 1. Most free software
companies drop the desktop. It has consequences on privacy, and usae of
computers with a low Internet connection. Cloud is cool, but excludes
basic users, and while they use tablets or mobiles, they drop their data
and limit their usage. Free software has not yet had success due to lack
of human support with the free software based products. 2. Free software
has less and less forces for accessibility and universal design. Only 5
persons work on the accessibility stac.

The struggle must go on! We shall never surrender! Because Hypra uses
software and service, libre except for components unacceptable by basic
users in their current status, because we believe in capability of
everybody to use a computer if assisted and supported, many people now
have invested in Hypra to support us. Public funds are there, but
require to be completed by crowd equity.

The campaign is finished in less than 1 month. We search for 30000
euros, we raised 140000. If everybody helps, free software will be
enforced to be developped for basic users instead of professional only,
Hypra will be democratical as funds depend on contributors.

Yes, supporting Hypra is contributing to an ethical computing project to
avoid computing to take control of our societes. Of course we do that
hoping an economical feedback so that investment is not lost.

Any further information is available if you want, don't hesitate to
forward to intereted persons.

Thanks in advance to anyone supporting tis initiative.

Cheers,

#2

Jean-Philippe - "Most free software companies drop the desktop"

That statement might be true, but I think there are a lot of users still using desktops and needing the space for multiple drives. Of course people keep telling us that the desktop is "dead". We but more laptop/notebooks now to replace our desktops.

As for the idea of tablets taking over our needs, I find it has many drawbacks.  The first one is the memory size. The second one is the lack of a keyboard and mouse experience many of us need when we create large paper size or large page number documents. I find that the tablet keyboards are not the best for my needs. The lack of a mouse as well. It may be just me, though.

He does make a valid statement about professional software. We need more professional quality packages for Linux and Android platforms. Whether it is free, or even really low priced, too many developers do not want to spend their free time developing professional grade packages.

We are lucky that LibreOffice has people who believe in the need for a professional quality free suite to replace Microsoft's Office suite.