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As the tech transbian of the family, I'm trying to get my mother to regain some of the independence blindness (add an overprotective partner to the mix for maximum effect) took away from her by re-teaching her to use the computer. When she lost her sight she used JAWS or NVDA (I can't remember which one) and she even wrote a couple of books with that, but a fatal update broke compatibility with the program and neither her nor her partner knew how to deal with that situation, so she started relying on other people for computer stuff.
So, fedi people with disabilities, I'm asking for pointers on this. Accessibility software of any kind, if there are updated versions of either JAWS or NVDA that run on modern Windows (don't tell her to delve into Linux, that ain't happening in the near future. One baby step at the time.) or any alternative software to those programs, voice controls, resources for learning, anything. All info is welcome. Thanks in advance!

#blind #software #accessibility #lowvisiontech





People continue to think about #AI in terms of #2010s computing, which is part of the reason everyone gets it wrong whether they're #antiAI or #tech bros.

Look, we had 8GB of #ram as the standard for a decade. The standard was set in 2014, and in 2015 #AlphaGo beat a human at #Go.

Why? Because, #hardware lags #software - in #economic terms: supply follows demand, but demand can not create its own supply.

It takes 3 years for a new chip to go through the #technological readiness levels and be released.

It takes 5 years for a new #chip architecture. E.g. the #Zen architecture was conceived in 2012, and released in 2017.

It takes 10 years for a new type of technology, like a #GPU.

Now, AlphaGo needed a lot of RAM, so how did it stagnate for a decade after doubling every two years before that?

In 2007 the #Iphone was released. #Computers were all becoming smaller, #energy #efficiency was becoming paramount, and everything was moving to the #cloud.

In 2017, most people used their computer for a few applications and a web browser. But also in 2017, companies were starting to build #technology for AI, as it was becoming increasingly important.

Five years after that, we're in the #pandemic lockdowns, and people are buying more powerful computers, we have #LLM, and companies are beginning to jack up the const of cloud services.

#Apple releases chips with large amounts of unified #memory, #ChatGPT starts to break the internet, and in 2025, GPU growth continues to outpace CPU growth, and in 2025 you have a competitor to Apple's unified memory.

The era of cloud computing and surfing the #web is dead.

The hype of multi-trillion parameter #LLMs making #AGI is a fantasy. There isn't enough power to do that, there aren't enough chips, it's already too expensive.

What _is_ coming is AI tech performing well and running locally without the cloud. AI Tech is _not_ just chatbots and #aiart. It's going to change what you can do with your #computer.


Da gibt es die Initiative

stifter-helfen.de/
Sie vermitteln vor allem #Software #Lizenzen an #NGO's oder gemeinnützige Vereine zu Sonderkonditionen.

Sooft ich mich dort in den letzten Jahren für einen Verein informiert hatte, begegneten mir hauptsächlich Angebote für #Microsoft-Produkte.

Nun war ich auch mal beruflich in einem gemeinnützigen Unternehmen beschäftigt, welches solche Sonderlizenzen direkt von Microsoft in Anspruch nahm. Das ging ne Weile gut, bis Microsoft die Regeln änderte...

Das ist ein Grund, weshalb ich es als Vereinsvorstand ablehne, auf solche Sonderangebote einzugehen.

Nun hat stifter-helfen grad nachgefragt, warum unser Verein denn die Dienste nicht nutzen würde. Auf der Webseite heißt es, es wären über 90.000 Organisationen in ihren Datenbanken....

Eine Frage im Antwortformular lautet:

Was müsste sich ändern, damit Stifter-helfen wieder interessant für Ihre Organisation wird?

Da habe ich folgendes eingetragen:

Gemeinwohlorientierte, datenschutzmäßig unumstrittene OpenSource Software offerieren, die der Richtlinie Public Money - Public Code entspricht.

Ich gehe davon aus, dass unser #Verein nicht der Einzige ist, bei dem nachgefragt wird 😎
publiccode.eu/de/
#PublicMoneyPublicCode #Förderung #Gemeinnützigkeit #digitaleGesellschaft #OpenSource



SHIFTtalk zum Thema ShiftOS

Save the date!📆

Lange von euch gewünscht, jetzt ist es endlich so weit.
Ein ganzer SHIFTtalk der sich nur um das Thema Software bzw. ShiftOS dreht!🤩

Hier findet ihr das Fragenformular und nächste Woche den Livestream: shift.eco/shiftphone-8-status/

#shift #shifthappens #shiftphone #shifttalk #community #software #customrom


I’m So Tired


Recently I was shopping for a water gun for my son’s birthday, and to my surprise, it was hard to find a simple, sturdy one that didn’t have some kind of battery-powered feature. Not only is that one more thing to break, but I really don’t want to add yet another device to the list of things in our house that require charging. It got me thinking: nearly every purchase these days feels like a negotiation between joy and technology.

That’s not to say they’re always at odds. But finding the sweet spot is getting harder.

There was a time when the march of “smarter” items was a net positive. It made things smoother, smarter, simpler and generally more joyful or interesting to use. These days, that optimism is harder to summon. I know I sound like the aging guy yelling at clouds, but I don’t think it’s just nostalgia. The balance really does seem to have shifted over the past decade, and the trend line isn’t encouraging.

Sure, there’s still plenty to like. I can check the weather, unlock my front door, and queue up music from the same screen. But the magic wears off fast. What starts as convenience often ends in clutter. Every small problem now has an app, gadget, or subscription that fixes one issue and quietly creates three new ones.

Streaming music feels less intimate than owning a few beloved albums. Delivery apps bring cold fries, surge pricing, and mystery fees. Social media promised connection but mostly delivers outrage. Smart homes? Great until the WiFi blinks and nothing works or your fridge needs a firmware update. Even the web is a mess of pop-ups, autoplay videos, cookie banners, newsletter traps, and paywalls. Every click has a privacy cost as well.

You can never possibly watch all of the amazing entertainment that on YouTube and every streaming service out there. And yet, it’s more frustrating than ever to navigate subscription costs while fighting the algorithm that recommends more and more ragebait on YouTube. Toys for toddlers need firmware updates. Cars have become rolling iPads. Your heated seats might already be installed, but unless you pay a monthly fee, they stay cold — taunting you with unearned luxury. Most products require an account. They harvest data. They nag for upgrades. When they break, you’re not allowed to fix them. The tools don’t serve us — they serve their makers. And it’s exhausting.

Even Apple, a company I’ve long admired, feels less like a craftsman and more like a casino. Their stuff still (mostly) works great, but it no longer feels entirely yours. Most of the apps I use are rented. Let a subscription lapse and the functionality vanishes. Not all subscriptions are bad, but when everything is a subscription, it dulls the entire experience. Even products that don’t have a subscription (yet) associated with them loom over us. We’re just waiting for the shoe to drop.

I don’t know what to do about this, really. I have tried to be more intentional about my purchases in general, limiting my exposure to subscriptions, overly complicated features, and “smart” tech in general. I fully appreciate that this makes me sound like the old man I’m increasingly turning into. But my optimism around any consumer purchase has been replaced by cynicism and even a bit of dread. It makes me sad but hopeful that a turning point looms as more folks tire of the state of “smart” everything and looks for something a bit simpler.

#apps #smartHome #software #streaming #technology




Happy I Love Free Software Day! 💕

Unfortunately, this year I could not join nor organize any in-person celebration, BUT of course I want to share my gratitude to the many, countless #FreeSoftware services I don’t merely use, but actually depend on.

Last year, I decided to focus only on #YunoHost, because it would have been crazy to list all the projects I use and I love.

This time, even if I will most certainly forget someone, I am challenging myself to mention all the #LibreSoftware my life is powered by.

Without further ado, THANK YOU to:

  • @yunohost, for powering Nebuchadnezzar
  • @fedora, for running my beloved #Framework laptop
  • @frameworkcomputer, for designing and building repairable, #Linux-friendly and truly open hardware
  • @gnome and @GTK, for being just gorgeous
  • @calyxos (thus @LineageOS), for powering my #Fairphone5
  • #Obtainium, for making me directly download apps on my phone, and @fdroidorg for distributing them
  • #AuroraStore, for proxying the download of apps I am doomed to get from Google Play
  • @element, for developing #Synapse, even though the new proprietary Synapse Pro is VERY PROBLEMATIC AND DISAPPOINTING
  • #Fractal, for being the most beautiful and awesome #Matrix client ever
  • @signalapp, for keeping me connected with the people I love
  • @Mastodon, for also maintaining a feature-packed experimental fork (#GlitchSoc), that is what Pan runs
  • #Tuba and #Moshidon, for being the most beautiful and awesome #Mastodon clients ever
  • #Firefox, for still remaining the best possible #browser choice, despite #Mozilla’s governance messiness
  • @openstreetmap, for allowing us to find the right path, both literally and metaphorically!
  • @organicmaps, for being the simplest, cleanest, yet feature-rich #OSM client and navigation app
  • @protonvpn, for making me browse safely from/to anywhere in the planet and @protonprivacy #ProtonMail, for hosting my email, despite the latest alarming political statements…
  • @libreoffice, for allowing me to draft documents with ease, the last of which was my #CV
  • #LanguageTool, for preventing me from making embarassing spelling mistakes
  • @photoprism, for safely storing and indexing all my photographic memories, on Aby, and for providing stellar and friendly support too!
  • #Actual, for moderating the very likely risk of ending up completely broke, since it forces me to manage my finances consciously and coherently
  • @readeck, for storing and sorting ALL my varied and overwhelming inputs
  • @nextcloud, for storing and synchronizing my data, for its #calendar, its #tasks, and all its awesome apps
  • #Rustdesk, for preventing my friends and family members from going crazy, by allowing me to remotely connect to their devices and directly address the issues they have
  • #Listmonk, for sending out my newsletter
  • @eleventy, for powering all the websites I maintain, above all the virtual representation of my mind, and for being the only reason why I resist and try to continue learning #JavaScript
  • @forgejo, for giving us a chance to truly control and collectively develop the sources of our software, but most importantly @Codeberg, for RESISTING, RESISTING, RESISTING, despite the hatred and attacks nazi assholes throw at them
  • @musicbrainz for keeping music knowledge open and free, and @ListenBrainz for scrobbling the crazy music I listen to
  • The @fsfe, for promoting this celebration and fighting the good fight!

Lastly, but most importantly, the biggest thank you goes to all the free software libraries and dependencies the above mentioned #software are made of/built with, including #C, #JavaScript, #Python, #Rust, and all community-maintained programming languages.

I am super sorry if I forgot someone!

#OpenSource #ILoveFS #SoftwareFreedom #Fairphone #Android #LineageOS #FSFE #OpenStreetMap #PhotoPrism #LibreOffice #Readeck #Eleventy #11ty #GNOME #Signal #forgejo #Codeberg #MusicBrainz #ListenBrainz #MetaBrainz


🗺️ As many people are angry with #Google & asking for alternatives to #GoogleMaps, here are some Free & #OpenSource options:

📱 App
- osmand.net/
- organicmaps.app
🌐 Web
- mapcarta.com
- openstreetmap.org

Not Open Source:
🌐&📱
en.mapy.cz
wego.here.com
mapquest.com
🌐
lokjo.com
📱
komoot.com
magicearth.com

#FCKGoogle #Alternative #Apps #App #Web #Software #News #Tech #Maps #Map #Technology #it


Practical FP in Scala + Functional event-driven architecture leanpub.com/b/pfp-feda-scala by Gabriel Volpe is the featured bundle of ebooks 📚 on the Leanpub homepage! leanpub.com #FunctionalProgramming #Scala #Software #books #ebooks





In-Process is out, featuring the results of our braille survey, Elston Changemakers event, the 2024.4 Release Candidate, an NV Access All-Hands, and using Data Validation in Excel.

Read now at: nvaccess.org/post/in-process-2…

#NVDA #NVDAsr #ScreenReader #Blog #News #Software #FOSS #Elston #Excel




makeuseof.com/libreoffice-why-…

Some great reasons to use LibreOffice instead of Microsoft 365

- It's Free
- It Works With Microsoft Office Files
- It Has Lots of Features
- It Is Cross-Platform
- It Keeps My Information Private
- You Can Sync Files With LibreOffice if You Want To

I personally have been using it for years, I love it. This article does a great job of outlining some of the reasons why.
@libreoffice

#opensource #LibreOffice #software


Being #OpenSource has many advantages. For #NVDA has opened the way for community contributions, and has enabled #transparency, #security and #innovation beyond what might have been possible in closed software. Increasingly, governments are also mandating the use of open source. Here is an article on such a step forward in Switzerland:

"Switzerland Makes Open Source Software Mandatory For Public Sector"

news.itsfoss.com/switzerland-o…

#FOSS #NVDA #NVDAsr #Accessibility #Software #News


Despite all my experience, I am sometimes tempted to give certain #software vendors a second chance.

And I was curious to see what the new #AppleMaps could do. Unfortunately, my trial only lasted a few seconds, because neither one of my operating systems nor the browser I use for my daily work are supported.

And so I can say: negative prejudices confirmed, I don't need something like this.

#Apple #Firefox #interoperability #Linux


In-Process is out! Featuring all the news on NVDA 2024.3 Beta 4, the add-on update notification feature in NVDA 2024.3, thanks to Intopia (& all our corporate sponsors) and a look at jumping between paragraphs! Check it out here: nvaccess.org/post/in-process-1…

#NVDA #NVDAsr #ScreenReader #Accessibility #ThankYou #Intopia #Navigation #Beta #Prerelease #FOSS #Software #blog


Do you ever stumble upon an old Excel file that's locked with a password and you can't remember what it is? This can be incredibly frustrating, especially if the file contains valuable data! 😩

In my latest video, I show you a surprisingly easy way to remove worksheet protection from any Excel file, even if you don't have the password! This trick is perfect for those times when you're locked out of your own information.

The best part? You don't need any fancy software to do it! Just a little bit of text editing will do the trick. 😉
Check out my full video here: youtu.be/68goS6XdoW0

#excel #howto #productivity #exceltips #microsoft #office #tutorial #tech #software #spreadsheets #YouTube #Feditips


Funding available for (individual) #FOSS #developers and projects.

#NLnet is seeking project proposals between 5.000 and 50.000 euro.

Currently open for proposals:
1️⃣ #NGItaler (electronic payment related)
2️⃣ #NGImobifree (Android related)
3️⃣ #NGIzero (very broad)

Closing: 1 June 2024

Easily submit proposal:
nlnet.nl/propose/

More info:
nlnet.nl/funding.html

FAQ:
nlnet.nl/mobifree/faq/

#MobileLinux #Linux #opensource #librem5 #pinephone #mobile #phone #software #grant #EU #mobian


The constant push and pull of users and developers to always have the latest, and sysadmins and distributions who prefer ironing out everything instead of seeing flavor-of-the-month bugs pop up left and right... It's a tale as old as time.

#linux #distributions #software


I really appreciate Thunderbird's team, and these updates are going to finally put it into the running with other modern offerings. I migrated to using it as my daily driver for email management a few years ago, and I'm glad I did, but I'm also so excited to be looking at desktop improvements and an android app.

#Thunderbird #Email #EmailClient #OpenSource #Mozilla #Android #Software


Microsoft announced their latest round of FOSS fund recipients. We're thrilled to share that @NVAccess are among this quarter's recipients. From: github.com/microsoft/foss-fund

"A project of the Microsoft Open Source Programs Office, the FOSS Fund provides up to $10,000 USD in sponsorships to open source projects as selected by Microsoft employees."

Congratulations also to The GNU Compiler Collection, Urllib3, CLAP & MSW.

#OpenSource, #FOSS #Free #Software #NVDA #ScreenReader #Accessibility #A11y


NV Access are pleased to share the release of NVDA 2024.1 Beta 13.

Changes introduced in Beta 13:
- Bug fix for interacting with some NVDA controls such as the synth selection dialog and selectable checklist items
- Updates to translations

Read the full information and download at: nvaccess.org/post/nvda-2024-1b…

#NVDA #NVDAsr #Release #Software #FOSS #Beta


We have just issued the first #release of #sshd-openpgp-auth and #ssh-openpgp-auth.

Using this server and client-side tooling it is possible to manage the #authentication of #SSH host keys with the help of an #OpenPGP certificate as trust anchor.

crates.io/crates/sshd-openpgp-…

crates.io/crates/ssh-openpgp-a…

Many thanks to @wiktor for the great collaboration and #NLnet / #NGIAssure for funding this work!

#DNS #KeyOxide #KnownHosts #OpenSSH #Rustlang #Software #WebKeyDirectory #WebOfTrust #WKD #WoT


I'm still concerned but the Python Software Foundation's post about the #EU's Cyber Resilience Act (#CRA) makes me optimistic that it could work for #FreeSoftware. I do agree with the core idea that #commercial #software companies should be held more accountable than they currently are. The key is getting it just right so that anyone can write whatever free software they feel like writing, and share it on the internet, without having to get a lawyer first.

pyfound.blogspot.com/2024/01/C…


We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Gerald Hartig as the new Chief Technology Officer at NV Access.

Please read the full announcement by Michael Curran, NV Access founder at nvaccess.org/post/welcoming-dr…

Please join all of the NV Access team in welcoming Gerald into our community!

#NVAccess #NVDA #NVDAsr #News #Accessibility #A11y #Software


I believe every website that uses #trackers to provide #pii to feed the #adtech beast should provide its visitors with such simple tutorial videos. An important first step in getting people to start understanding the 'cost' they pay for that wonderful, free to use online #software


@shawnhooper People believe they are the hero of their own story. So they believe they can solve problems, if only they had access to the data. However, this kind of power is easy to abuse. Instead people need to consider “what if my enemy had this power over me?” Would they still believe it’s a good idea? i think not. This applies equally well to software as well as the law. The best thing we could do to protect everyone is build strong encryption into everything
#security #Software