I had been wondering for some time if I was going about things the wrong way by doing #OpenStreetMap workshops (where I teach people to use iD) at #FOSS meetups and conferences.

While I’d also try to cover why #OSM is important and how to use it, most of the time was taken up in learning to edit…which seemed backward. Why would someone continue editing afterwards if they weren’t convinced of the importance of the project?

There was also another thought stewing in my head…most of the people who have attended our mapping parties, and all the people who are regular participants, are all big on #SoftwareFreedom and #privacy. Maybe we should try focusing more on software freedom, and promote OSM in that context?

With these ideas in mind and after discussions with @ravi, I decided to prepare a new talk - one focused on getting people to use some #Libre map apps (CoMaps, OsmAnd, and OsmApp). If we can convince people to do that, they’ll probably also start contributing data, and participating in mapping parties…

This time, I added a lot more screenshots in the hope of providing a more engaging experience. I’ve also been burned by conference WiFi all too often, so this time I made many screen capture videos instead of demonstrating websites or applications live.

I gave the talk at today’s FOSS Meetup Delhi. It was far from perfect, but at least I got a clear path towards improving it - I need to cut down the run time and some irrelevant content, so I can present it in 15 to 30 minutes depending on the situation. And of course, there are still more screenshots and video demos to be added.

https://codeberg.org/contrapunctus/osm-presentations/src/branch/production/foss-maps-and-why-you-should-use-them

(All presentations made with #Emacs , #OrgMode , and #RevealJS )

This time I also made sure to arrive early so I could understand how to extend the display using the projector, and use RevealJS’s speaker view. That way, I was able to use the slides to guide me without giving away what I was about to say, and I could speak first and let the slide summarize it afterwards.

Relying on the laptop to act as a teleprompter has its drawbacks, though…you want to be focused on the audience, not the screen. And you want to be free to move around…

#contraMaps#Delhi#India#FreeSoftware

📣 Consumers should be able to buy laptops without any specific operating system, and should not have to pay the license price if they don't want to.

Together with the @ItaLinuxSociety we launched the initiative 'Refund4Freedom' to protect consumer rights when buying a new computer.

Join our demand to end of this practice that limits user freedom

🔗 https://en.refund4freedom.org/

#SoftwareFreedom#FreeSoftware

📣 Consumers should be able to buy laptops without any specific operating system, and should not have to pay the license price if they don't want to.

Together with the @ItaLinuxSociety we launched the initiative 'Refund4Freedom' to protect consumer rights when buying a new computer.

Join our demand to end of this practice that limits user freedom

🔗 https://en.refund4freedom.org/

#SoftwareFreedom#FreeSoftware

Dear Emacsers.
I need some help w/ #elisp for my #LiterateProgramming + #ReproducibleResearch thesis (an exploration of meaningful abilities to operate outside academia).
I'd like it as completely self contained in -and sustained by- #Emacs (yes, I'm a geek and I'm proud) as possible and, while going forward, I've found my #elisp fu limiting.
Can anyone share some time to help me with this thesis and show the power of Emacs and #FreeSoftware? I'd gladly share my abilities back.
1e^3.Thxs

Not being allowed to install what I want on a phone is like being told I cant make a sandwich with the bread I bought.

#Android#Google#FreeSoftware#FOSS#OpenSource

Jenna with her old laptop, now updated to GNU/Linux! She'd stopped using it some time ago because #Windows had become so slow that it was unusable. A project of our local #Library where I #Volunteer. We spent some time installing then a brief introduction to the basics of using #GNU #Linux and a few of the apps.

She was excited to have a working computer again and, bonus, touch screen worked perfectly which made her extra happy.

#FreeSoftware #MutualAid #FOSS #Microsoft #Endof10 #Missouri

Jenna with her old laptop, now updated to GNU/Linux! She'd stopped using it some time ago because #Windows had become so slow that it was unusable. A project of our local #Library where I #Volunteer. We spent some time installing then a brief introduction to the basics of using #GNU #Linux and a few of the apps.

She was excited to have a working computer again and, bonus, touch screen worked perfectly which made her extra happy.

#FreeSoftware #MutualAid #FOSS #Microsoft #Endof10 #Missouri

It's unbearable. The Free Software community can no longer remain silent about the #genocide in #Palestine.
As the author and project leader of @gnuhealth , I ask any freesoftware project to join forces and publicly condemn this atrocity. Our values must go beyond coding. ❤️
#GNU#FreeSoftware#OpenSource#HumanRights

Last week, we released #LibreOffice 25.8. But it's not just a major update of the free office suite – it's a strategic asset for organisations, governments and enterprises focused on digital sovereignty and #privacy: https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2025/08/25/libreoffice-25-8-backgrounder/ #foss #open #freesoftware

#freesoftware #digitalrights

This is a story of how Nicole Faerber enforced #GPL and required source code from @sumup.

Very interesting and informative report.

https://fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250820-01.en.html

This is a story of how Nicole Faerber enforced #GPL and required source code from @sumup.

Very interesting and informative report.

https://fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250820-01.en.html

Last week, we released #LibreOffice 25.8. But it's not just a major update of the free office suite – it's a strategic asset for organisations, governments and enterprises focused on digital sovereignty and #privacy: https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2025/08/25/libreoffice-25-8-backgrounder/ #foss #open #freesoftware

@PttP I'd like to see my current effort of one turn into a #FreeSoftware user group that can multiply the offering. #Rural #Missouri is fairly impoverished, I think if we can keep at it we'll slowly raise an awareness of what #GNU #Linux and Free Software can do for people on a budget. And, along with that, improve local users' knowledge, #computing self-reliance and willingness to help other users is #MutualAid. A seed that can be planted anywhere if there's a local gardener to care for it. 🙂 🌱

C++ library update in -current https://www.undeadly.org/cgi?action=article;sid=20250822171538 #openbsd #cplusplus #c++ #programming #development #library #clang #freesoftware #libresoftware

CachyOS August 2025 released, with a new packages website, LTS kernel as a fallback option, Niri WM window manager, new features in Proton-CachyOS, bootable btrfs snapshots in GRUB when choosing btrfs, and more

https://cachyos.org/blog/2508-august-release/

#cachyos #archlinux #linux #linuxlts #linuxdesktop #opensource #freesoftware

If you're in Missouri and want to share Free Software with others I'm looking for folks to join in the effort.

Fascism is here. Whether it's coming from the current admin or capitalists, #FreeSoftware is worth fighting for. We do not have to accept their effort to control us. We do not have to cooperate in our own subjugation. We can organize in our communities to help others be more free. We can all do our part.

#Resist#Computing#BigTech #microsoft#Google#Apple

https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:LibrePlanet_Missouri