Episode: 1306
Title: HPR1306: Freedom Followup
Source: https://hub.hackerpublicradio.org/ccdn.php?filename=/eps/hpr1306/hpr1306.mp3
Transcribed: 2025-10-17 23:17:04

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Greetings HBR community. I am going to do another unscripted podcast here. I've just got
a list sitting on my front porch with the local Ferro Cat Barney. Hopefully it won't
be as noisy as my last one, but there may be some vehicles going by. A couple of weeks
ago I gave a talk here on HBR about a week in freedom where I tried to use nothing but
free Libre open source software for an entire week. I received mountains of email. Oddly
enough I didn't know that many people listened to HBR but it was pretty cool to get those
responses. A lot of people wanted me to have a follow up. A lot of people were supporting
me and got a lot of good questions and some good dialogue out of it and I appreciate everybody
that wrote. So now that I've got a few experiments this morning I wanted to spend some time talking
about what I've done since then. So it's definitely been well over a week and I've continued
to use free software and I'll talk about some of the things I've used. Unfortunately
at work it is absolutely impossible for me to completely use free software as they have
standards in place. Most of it is Mac-based work in a web development shop and I do
back end development in Ruby. So the Ruby community is pretty well steeped in the cult
of Mac. Therefore to maintain a consistent environment at work they generally operate
with nothing but Apple software. We do use some free software in the process of working
but I'll not be able to change the operating system. So I'm still using Triscoll and a
virtual machine on my Mac Mini. Mostly because I'm not too sure I can install a Libre operating
system, specifically GNU Linux on the Mac Mini and have everything function. So I'm
still in the market for a netbook. I don't really know that I'm in a financial position
to buy one right now so I'm shopping around looking for a good option. So I'll talk a
little bit about my goals toward the end but netbook is in there. So I wanted to talk
a little bit about the apps I'm using daily now. I found that I, in using Libre software,
I have started to centralize my computing. I know there's a big push against software
as a service or I forget what the QDAC or NEM they assigned to it. I think it services
a software substitute because so much of that is not free. I've had to centralize a lot
of my computing and so I find that that virtual machine has become the center of my computing
life. So I'm using a lot more apps than normal. So we're possible. I'll try to talk about
what web apps or other applications these may have replaced. So the first thing is I
use life ray and I may be pronouncing that wrong. I've been using it for most of my feed
reading RSS and Adam feeds and it's worked out quite well. I've switched from news
buter on SDF to life ray and while the graphical environment was a little confusing at first.
Right now it's not so bad. I've gotten used to it and I quite enjoy it. I've gotten
into a flow every morning of how I like to parse my feeds and sorry I had to caffeinate
there. It works pretty well. I like the interface. It's simple. It does one thing and does
it well. It reads feeds. I do miss idly rummaging through feeds from elsewhere. I've been
trying not to use the software on my phone for anything more than making calls and sending
text messages. Fortunately I do perform the occasional internet search. I have not
broke myself of that habit and I do occasionally check my mail. But I do miss being able
to read feeds on my phone as well as elsewhere and have them sync up. It's been a bit of a
blessing in disguise though because I find that I'm not idly parsing feeds when I'm procrastinating
in other places. I still use pinboard which is web service. It is not free in open source.
I would definitely like a free replacement if anybody knows of a good bookmark manager
that's hosted. I do still access my bookmarks as a reading list from elsewhere and I would
like to be able to access that for many browsers. So if anybody knows of a good hosted bookmarking
service, especially if it has an unread tag, I would sure appreciate it. The pinboard
generally just works and that's why I've not switched off. I really like their software
and there's nice plugins for my browsers to be able to interact with it. I mentioned
browser. I'm still using a browser. I really, really like it. It's not as bloaty as Firefox has
been in the past. And I believe the difference now is that it doesn't load up every tab all
at once. It only loads them as you open them. So even with only a gig of RAM assigned to this
virtual machine, a browser is done quite well. The plugins I use in it enjoy reading to replace
every note clearly or readability works beautifully. It just changes the CSS for an article.
I've been using CryptoCat once in a while. I know it's not free software. Maybe it is. I think
they publish their source but I don't know if it's under the good new license. Use ad block
edge and no script. I tried to use LibreJS from Free Software Foundation but I found it rendered
the internet just totally unusable. I'm not visiting YouTube or anything like that but I found
that even news websites it made it impossible to view the text. It even complained with media
wiki which some of the free software sites use like LibrePlanet I believe is using media wiki.
It was a little ironic that I could not access LibrePlanet with the LibreJS plugin installed.
So I was a little frustrated about that. Then I have a couple of utilities for parsing XML
a little bit easier because I have to do that for work once in a while. I'm using Genome Terminal.
I like to use Suckless's SL Terminal but I mean Genome Terminal was just there. I don't have
any real reason for using it other than it just works. I'm still on SDF. About all I do there now
is I use it to store my notes, read my mail with mutt when I'm not at my virtual machine.
Hang it on their bullet board and I use IRSSI there in a teamux session so that I can attach to
it from anywhere and chat with my friends. I also do some of my coding there. Most of the work on
the LREB client library for pump that I'm writing is done there. And it hosts my website
hobc.stf-us.org. It does a pretty good job of doing that. I don't really have a need to
replace any of it. I also update their documentation there and try and help with the community where I
can. I understand that SDF is not completely free, but I find that we have to strike a middle ground
somewhere, got into a bit of an argument in the Triskyl channel on free note with somebody about
SDF being what amounts to an evil organization because not all of their software is free.
But I think it's less evil than most. So I will continue to use SDF and their services. I think
it's a wonderful community. And I don't know that I'm willing to draw the line on free software
and moral issues at that point. And I'm sure most free software advocates would disagree with me
there, but baby steps, I suppose. If anybody knows of a good free is in freedom,
Shell Hosting Service, and that provides the features and community that they do,
it would be happy to throw money at it and check it out.
So along the lines of coding, I've kind of switched over to using EMAX a little bit where I can.
The thought process I've been using them for nearly 20 years, and well,
VI, anyway, for nearly 20 years. And I thought if I'm going to start trying new software, I might as well
make, you know, shake things up a little bit, try a new editor. I tried G-Edit for a little bit.
It was a fun little toy to play with. It's good for quick edits. But I know that a lot of people
in the canoe world like to use EMAX. So I fired it up and I've been playing with it.
I still feel like a baby deer trying to stand. I've got some basic navigation around,
but I'm not quite fluent as I am with them. That'll come in time. About the only plug-in I've played
with was the, I guess, extension or application. I don't know what the word for software that you
attach to EMAX is. But I've used multi-term, which was nice because it fixed a lot of the problems
with the terminal mode. I like EMAX a little bit. It's a little more kitchen sink than I'm into.
I prefer more minimalist tooling, but you can really replace most of your daily interactions
with just EMAX. And I now understand the running gag that EMAX is a great operating system
with a terrible tech steditor. It's not been bad. I'm still trying, still enjoying it.
Most of the laryb client has been written using EMAX and I'm learning. I'd like to try and use
G-News in it and pump I-O-E-L, maybe org mode, maybe try using IRC in it. But I already have a lot
of great applications to do those things for me. So I've just been adopting them slowly as I get
the opportunity. I use the DNR-A pump client. I spend a lot of time. I'm not on any social networks
except for pump.io and I'm on pump merely because I'm developing a library against it.
And I find that the interaction with pump is best done through a client as opposed to the
webinar phase. So I've been using DNR-A and I believe it is released under the GPO. I may be
misspeaking, but I believe it's at least compatible. I use that in pumpa. I use pumpa mostly to view
the fire hose, but DNR-A is how I do most of my interaction with pump.io. It's a really good client.
So that's the social networking tip. For my mail, I'm using Thunderbird. I don't know,
I think there's the derivative like I-Stub or some sort of deep branded Thunderbird available. I'm
sure there are people screaming at their radios and their cars or while they're jogging right now
trying to tell me what it is, but I can't remember it off the top of my head. I don't know why
Triskool doesn't ship with that, but the default mail client was evolution. I've used evolution in
the past. I don't care for it. Thunderbird was in the repositories, so I installed it in a way we
go. It's worked pretty well. I've got in a mail in there, although I don't do much with GPG these
days. I wish I did more. It seems like years ago when I had keys that were verified and signed
with other people. I used it a lot more, but these days since I've lost keys and recreated keys
and don't have anybody that I correspond with that's generally interested in encryption,
my mail stays unsigned and wide open plain text. I do still occasionally check my mail with my
iPhone, generally avoiding that, but there's sometimes when I need some information,
so I will reach for that. A couple of extra communication applications. I do use XChat now. I've
been using ISSI for years and years. I happen to fire up XChat and it works all right. A lot of my
oddly enough, a lot of my free software transition has been one of command line two graphical interface,
and I think that is a symptom also of my leaving IT for development. I find that I spend less time
on the command line unless I'm actually working. Then the applications that I want to work with on
a daily basis for that are not work related, I find I just want to get the job done and move on.
And so nine times out of ten, lately a graphical application with its defaults serves the purpose.
I don't have to tinker. I get in. I get the information I'm interested in or the interaction I'm
interested in and then I get out. So XChat has been good for that. I use Linphone for my SIP
account at SDF. Linphone works quite well on the VM. And I use Pigeon for XMPP. If I don't use
CryptoCat, I find that I prefer CryptoCat, but it's a lot easier to get a hold of people with Pigeon.
And with Google apparently throwing XMPP out the window, I don't even know that a Jabra account
will be useful to me. My contact list is quite small and it's only a handful of close individuals
who know how to contact me. Given that I don't use social networks, I found that my
circle of friends has been condensed to those who really care to keep up with me. It's been kind of
nice. It's a nice different perspective. So those folks call me on Linphone or contact me with Jabra.
For entertainment, I haven't really been playing any games. I don't have time for much games
these days. But one thing I do keep up with is QGo on IGS. I use the QGo Client, which is an
interface for Ganugo. And I've been delving into the Ganugo source code when I have time.
I think it's well written. It's got good test coverage. I was hoping to learn a little bit more
about the game as I've been studying it quite a bit lately. But I play on IGS if any of you play
Go on IGS. You can find me on Pandanet as CMHOBBS. And I would love to play a game with you.
I'm beginner class, so I prefer 9x9. But QGo is a great way to do that. So that's most of the
software I use day to day. I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but I just rattled this list off on paper.
And now I'm trying to rattle it out into the computer here for all of you to hear. So some of my
goals for this. When I have a little bit of disposable income, we've just made some major purchases.
And so hardware purchases will have to wait. But I would like to get a netbook.
Maybe an old E. I'm clearly a Yilun is the pinnacle of all of this for me. But I'd like to see
that. And I would like to get a phone that is just a phone. I'm tired of my iPhone. I'm tired of
carrying, I guess it's a little bit lullied of me, but I'm tired of carrying everything in my pocket.
Like a phone that just sends and receives text messages. And then I would like my
computing to be portable in the form of a netbook. Not real into tablets. I like a keyboard. And
I've used netbooks heavily in the past. So I'd like to find one maybe on H-node that has a
platinum rating so that I know that everything will work and carry that around. So
still shopping, looking for something secondhand or
you know older model. It doesn't need to be heavily powered because I use SDF for most of my
horsepower. Just needs to be able to open a few of those applications I mentioned.
So once I have that, I imagine I will carry just a regular old phone around with me. And
a netbook. And that will help me unplug a little bit. I don't like to be constantly connected.
And that will assist with that. The only real feature I would lose is GPS, but
I existed for years without GPS. I know how to use a map. And I know how to follow directions. So
I think life will be easy with those skills. I would like to find some alternatives to hosting
providers. I would really like an open source option for excuse me a free option for pinboard.
Considering moving my site to a wiki right now, it's just plain HTML. So I'd like to find a
private wiki. I've seen a few sites done with icky wiki that looked really good considering moving
that direction. I would just like to cut off most of my reliance on web services. And I've
been able to do that so far. I still like to use a hosted get so I can share publicly with people
and using getorious rather than get hub where I can. Get hub, my username is nilmethod
N-I-L-M-E-T-H-O-D. On getorious, my username is CM Hobbes. And those, I'm generally moving
away from nilmethod and towards CM Hobbes so you can find me all over the internet under both
of those names. I would also like to learn a lot more about free culture. The more I delve into
this and the more I drink the Kool-Aid, the more I find things about open access and
you know, liberate knowledge and things of that nature. In my, I'm still quite young but in my
younger years I was a big proponent of liberty for people and freedoms and that knowledge and
information should be free. And the more I delve into this, the more it sort of rekindles that
fire. And I really hope to educate myself on political matters a little more, educate myself
on matters of free culture and hopefully help to advocate since I've started this. I've joined
at the Free Software Foundation. I've I've kept up with some of the work done politically through
the EFF and Freedom of the Press and in groups like that. And additionally from there I'd like to
put my skill set to use for other people. I've been a developer and I've been working with IT
for nearly 15 years now quite some time and professionally anyway, much longer personally.
And I would just like to use those skills to improve people's lives. In the past I've worked on
accessibility projects and I've worked on OpenSusa and so on and so forth. But all of that work is
gone by the wayside. So now I'm looking for projects where I can contribute a little time I have
left over to bettering people's computing experiences and maybe enriching their lives through that.
And if I can do that through Free Software, I will be absolutely elated. So there you go guys. That's
the follow up to my week of freedom. I sure appreciate everybody listening. I sure appreciate all
of the responses blown away by the HPR community and coming out of my show a little bit more
recording some more podcasts. And I appreciate you guys hosting them and listening to them.
And I appreciate everybody posting podcasts. And if you haven't recorded a podcast yet for HPR,
I would really encourage you to go out and contribute some material. There's been some
great talks lately and would love to see more from Fresh Faces. Thank you all for your time and
support and catch you on the next podcast.
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