Promote libre software, libre tutorials/texts, and related causes like anti-DRM efforts. We currently lack good tutorials for GNU/Linux users regarding applications like OpenOffice. Allot of the ones in existence fail to really support GNU/Linux-even though they are not specific to an operating system necessarily (although in practice they end up being).
For instance the other day I attempted to submit an suggestion for improving a tutorial where the site asked for suggestions. The message I got back was they simply weren't interested in supporting GNU/Linux (at least that is what it amounted to). They claimed to be OS neutral. Then said they only support the unmodified releases. The problem with this is that they really meant they only support OpenOffice.org downloaded releases. This source of unmodified OpenOffice releases is only suitable for MS Windows users. It is simply too difficult for users on other operating systems to install it using this method. It isn't the normal route for getting OpenOffice on GNU/Linux. To deny adding even the mere mention of Ubuntu requiring openoffice.org-evolution meant users of this platform who were inexperienced or new to computing couldn't use the tutorial.
This is the type of thing I would like to see improved. Either working with such sites to redirect GNU/Linux libre software users to fixes for minor issues when following such tutorials when those specific tutorials are not really supporting non-MS Windows users-or writing / modifying those tutorials for libre / GNU/Linux users.
I can't believe anybody didn't mention Linux in this conversation on security. While not all distributions automatically update every program many do automatically patch security vulnerabilities. In this system security is dependent on package maintainers. Just because Microsoft and Apple don't have a system in place doesn't mean it isn't feasible. It is feasible as many Linux distributions have done a great job of it. Zonbu is even trying to take this a step further by adding remote web backup/w encryption features to its systems. I realize people here have lives and need to make a living, but I also think we technical users need to rearrange our priorities and refuse to buy or use MS Windows-only or Mac only software. Stand up, learn Linux, and start migrating to open source and cross-platform software already. Just because your business or company relies on MS Windows software today and will tomorrow doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare to migrate. Start talking to software and hardware companies about your migration plans. If you let reality decide things for you how do you think we'll get anywhere?
Fighting cyber-crime through legislation of the 'bad' guys is a stupid waste of resources when it can't be remotely effective. Adding legislation that increases the penalties or adds to the excessive number of laws already in place to prosecute these individuals does nothing to reduce crime. You simply turn immoral business criminal and end up with a few individuals who are unduly punished in comparison to their peers who get away scott free. I can't emphasize enough how this harms the Americans as they end up with a false sense of safety. The crimes against Americans don't stop just because a few American business criminals get caught and shut down. If it worked to shut down the American criminal element it would still not reduce the problem of American citizens being victims of identity theft. The only people to blame in many of these cases are the victims themselves given the nature of the Internet (negligent, no technical training), the banks (negligent, fail to limit damages due to lack of further authentication), and the credit industry (horrible systems to determine credit worthiness and horrible methods to authenticate once provided credit).
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Promote libre software, libre tutorials/texts, and related causes like anti-DRM efforts. We currently lack good tutorials for GNU/Linux users regarding applications like OpenOffice. Allot of the ones in existence fail to really support GNU/Linux-even though they are not specific to an operating system necessarily (although in practice they end up being). For instance the other day I attempted to submit an suggestion for improving a tutorial where the site asked for suggestions. The message I got back was they simply weren't interested in supporting GNU/Linux (at least that is what it amounted to). They claimed to be OS neutral. Then said they only support the unmodified releases. The problem with this is that they really meant they only support OpenOffice.org downloaded releases. This source of unmodified OpenOffice releases is only suitable for MS Windows users. It is simply too difficult for users on other operating systems to install it using this method. It isn't the normal route for getting OpenOffice on GNU/Linux. To deny adding even the mere mention of Ubuntu requiring openoffice.org-evolution meant users of this platform who were inexperienced or new to computing couldn't use the tutorial. This is the type of thing I would like to see improved. Either working with such sites to redirect GNU/Linux libre software users to fixes for minor issues when following such tutorials when those specific tutorials are not really supporting non-MS Windows users-or writing / modifying those tutorials for libre / GNU/Linux users.
I can't believe anybody didn't mention Linux in this conversation on security. While not all distributions automatically update every program many do automatically patch security vulnerabilities. In this system security is dependent on package maintainers. Just because Microsoft and Apple don't have a system in place doesn't mean it isn't feasible. It is feasible as many Linux distributions have done a great job of it. Zonbu is even trying to take this a step further by adding remote web backup /w encryption features to its systems. I realize people here have lives and need to make a living, but I also think we technical users need to rearrange our priorities and refuse to buy or use MS Windows-only or Mac only software. Stand up, learn Linux, and start migrating to open source and cross-platform software already. Just because your business or company relies on MS Windows software today and will tomorrow doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare to migrate. Start talking to software and hardware companies about your migration plans. If you let reality decide things for you how do you think we'll get anywhere?
Fighting cyber-crime through legislation of the 'bad' guys is a stupid waste of resources when it can't be remotely effective. Adding legislation that increases the penalties or adds to the excessive number of laws already in place to prosecute these individuals does nothing to reduce crime. You simply turn immoral business criminal and end up with a few individuals who are unduly punished in comparison to their peers who get away scott free. I can't emphasize enough how this harms the Americans as they end up with a false sense of safety. The crimes against Americans don't stop just because a few American business criminals get caught and shut down. If it worked to shut down the American criminal element it would still not reduce the problem of American citizens being victims of identity theft. The only people to blame in many of these cases are the victims themselves given the nature of the Internet (negligent, no technical training), the banks (negligent, fail to limit damages due to lack of further authentication), and the credit industry (horrible systems to determine credit worthiness and horrible methods to authenticate once provided credit).