Re: [Trisquel-users] PDF problems: Any way to evade installation of Adobe Reader? Urgent.

[onpon4]

> So the proper response to the question above is to immediately ask why the  
person didn't "just" use free software and/or a non-DRM'd file, instead of  
imposing unjust restrictions and hassles on other people.


This is a confrontational response, not particularly likely to be productive,  
and there might actually be an answer even if it's not a good one. Besides,  
you can't change the past. Your goal should be to convince whoever is  
responsible to not do it again in the future, not to tell them that they  
should feel guilty.


In fact, I would argue that you should make sure that you don't accuse anyone  
specific of responsibility. If there is reasonable doubt that you know who is  
responsible for something bad, then that person may reflect on that and  
decide to change their behavior in the future so that they don't get caught  
out next time. But if you specifically say something about them, like "you  
were wrong to do X", then they are more likely to be defensive, come up with  
justifications, and resist change. Basically, it hardens their heart.


So, to clarify, I think you should criticize the action very harshly, but  
never accuse a specific person of performing that action. You should speak as  
if the person you are talking to would never do such a thing, and you have no  
idea who did it. Heck, maybe even accusing Adobe Reader of doing that by  
default, or suggesting that some unnamed person must have lied to them.  
Pretty much anything to avoid making them, or any other specific named  
individual, into an enemy.

Re: [Trisquel-users] PDF problems: Any way to evade installation of Adobe Reader? Urgent.

[lddimov]

I'm in the US and routinely apply for grants through grants.gov, since almost  
all federal funding agencies (except the NSF, as far as I know) use it. In my  
experience there is no other way but to use adobe reader. So i boot into  
windows and do it there. If enough of us complain, especially if we  
coordinate, we may have some luck, some day (probably under a different  
administration). Cooperative agreements (a type of smaller research grant)  
from the US Dept of Agriculture also require the use of as adobe reader, btw.  

Re: [Trisquel-users] The hijacking flaw that lurked in Intel chips is worse than anyone thought

[J.B. Nicholson]

infinityfal...@openmailbox.org wrote:

Like Legimet said, it's highly doubtful. This is rather minor compared to
the Vault 7 dump, and even that didn't get much more than news reports and
some software patches (although making it into the mainstream is an
achievement in itself).


I am not keen to evaluate the importance of the Vault 7 leaks or any other 
leaks by mainstream so-called journalism. I think this is a metric that 
fails both on its own merit (important articles could come much later, even 
years later, and be very few in number) and in a more important sense of: 
evaluations based in how computers work, and understanding the allowable 
limits of corporate media. In the IT field, these stories come from writers 
who show unfettered deference to the proprietors that distribute unsafe 
software. Elsewhere the writers know relatively little about how computers 
and software works, and they are not skilled at conveying the importance of 
the leaks to the public despite that most of the public relies on the 
software to be secure.


The patches proprietors release is as unvettable as the unpatched software 
was when it was released. With non-free software IT admins simply can't 
inspect what they're assigned to operate (no matter how skilled the IT 
admin is); the admins apply these changes ignorant to what they're 
patching, ignorant to what the patch changes, and ignorant what the end 
result will be. The only information they have to go on are the (apparently 
inadequate) textual descriptions that sometimes accompany the patch.



It's a pity the EOMA68-A20 release had to be pushed back; this would be the
perfect opportunity to say "We told you so"!


It still is; whether we have something to recommend to substitute doesn't 
change the fact that non-free software is an unjust menace more people now 
depend upon in their everyday lives.

Re: [Trisquel-users] The hijacking flaw that lurked in Intel chips is worse than anyone thought

[infinityfallen]

Like Legimet said, it's highly doubtful. This is rather minor compared to the  
Vault 7 dump, and even that didn't get much more than news reports and some  
software patches (although making it into the mainstream is an achievement in  
itself).


In fact, hypothetically speaking, it could actually introduce more  
difficulty. If the result is some people choosing AMD instead, that's going  
to reduce the chance of us getting ANYWHERE with freeing the PSP. The best we  
can do is hope that anybody phased by the Intel leak realizes AMD isn't  
necessarily any better, and opts for something libre.


It's a pity the EOMA68-A20 release had to be pushed back; this would be the  
perfect opportunity to say "We told you so"!

Re: [Trisquel-users] The hijacking flaw that lurked in Intel chips is worse than anyone thought

[infinityfallen]

Thank you for clarifying that- it makes it much clearer why nobody picked it  
up for so long (although what convinced them to use the said comparison  
function is still beyond comprehension...).


As for your point in regards to caring, you're unfortunately probably right.  
The most mainstream news source I've seen carry this was Slashdot, and even  
then I suspect many readers probably aren't greatly moved by this revelation  
(disclaimer: I do have a ME-enabled device presently, so perhaps that's  
hypocritical to say). Perhaps it's a little too much to propose there were  
malicious motives behind it, but it can't be ruled out...

[Trisquel-users] Re : Richard Stallman no Brasil e na Argentina

[lcerf]

E, como escrito acima, haverá tradução simultânea para 300 pessoas na  
palestra "Uma Sociedade Digital Livre" que Stallman proferirá em Belo  
Horizonte daqui duas semanas.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Can you vote to me as a speaker

[greatgnu]

Many congrats, amigo! :)

Re: [Trisquel-users] microsoft against surveillance, they say

[greatgnu]

>How many believes microsoft?

It's not much a question of 'believing' or trusting. The game is lost merely  
because of indifference. Unfortunately it takes an apparently rare  
combination of "caring enough to read and understanding what you read".  
Anyone, I am convinced, who cares even remotely, having read their privacy  
policy, can not use their software/services without feeling lost.
The real problem is getting people to care about their fundamental rights  
enough to read and check. Again, unfortunately, when it comes to computers  
and Internet the proverbial Joe is vaguely turned into thinking in weak and  
somehow distant ideas of a far google or micro$lut that is miles away or  
those silly big ads monsters, but hey it's just stupid ads and I'm immune to  
them!..
   

Re: [Trisquel-users] PDF problems: Any way to evade installation of Adobe Reader? Urgent.

[leoo]

"If they ask why you didn't "just" use this other person's computer to fill  
out the forms, tell them that you refuse to send DRM-encumbered files out of  
principle, and secondarily (if this is true) that this would hardly have made  
the job easier anyway."


I really think the burden should be on the developers, sellers, bundlers, and  
users of proprietary software, formats, and DRM to justify their imposition  
of encumbrances on others, NOT on everyone else to justify ourselves.  So the  
proper response to the question above is to immediately ask why the person  
didn't "just" use free software and/or a non-DRM'd file, instead of imposing  
unjust restrictions and hassles on other people.

Re: [Trisquel-users] PDF problems: Any way to evade installation of Adobe Reader? Urgent.

[Adonay Felipe Nogueira]

Onpon4's suggestion works too, and I also second the suggestion to
describe in every detail complaining to the sender of that PDF file and
showing how much burden they made you go through --- provided you are
indeed going to use such burdensome way. :)

Re: [Trisquel-users] PDF problems: Any way to evade installation of Adobe Reader? Urgent.

[onpon4]

That's DRM. It's not possible to open it with libre software.

You should complain to whoever sent that to you. In the complaint, explain  
that you had to do the following (and this is what I'd suggest you do):


1. Find someone else who uses a computer with Adobe Reader on it. Ask them to  
borrow their computer for a short while.
2. On this other person's computer, open the DRM-encumbered PDF in Adobe  
Reader, then "print" the document to a file. Put that file onto your USB  
drive (or SD card, or whatever) and transport it to your own computer.

3. Open the "printed" file from your computer and print it for real.
4. Fill out the forms by hand.
5. Use a scanner to re-convert your filled-out forms to images.
6. Paste the images into LibreOffice Draw. Export a new PDF. Send this PDF  
in.


Also, be sure to include details of any difficulties you had at any one of  
these steps. This will illustrate just how much of a burden they are causing  
by putting handcuffs onto PDFs.


If they ask why you didn't "just" use this other person's computer to fill  
out the forms, tell them that you refuse to send DRM-encumbered files out of  
principle, and secondarily (if this is true) that this would hardly have made  
the job easier anyway.


If they tell you that they won't accept a PDF with an image of a hand-filled  
page, tell them that you will gladly fill out the PDF normally if they send a  
version that can be viewed on your computer.


If they offer to help you install Adobe Reader, explain that you refuse to  
put avoidable proprietary software on your computer.

Re: [Trisquel-users] PDF problems: Any way to evade installation of Adobe Reader? Urgent.

[Adonay Felipe Nogueira]

That's indeed a difficult case to solve. I hope some free/libre software
can support XFA forms (either by volunteer work, or by development made
by people hired to implement such feature). If someone knows a reader
that supports these forms, please reply to this topic.

I don't know much about PDF (and all variants, because there is no "one
PDF standard"), but perhaps you can make use of the `drop_xfa` option of
the pdftk software. I don't know how to use it though, because I don't
have any experience or knowledge about it.

For me, the best "PDF standard" is the PDF/A-1, because it provides less
problems to free/libre software activists. Evince (the default document
viewer) can probably tell which standard that document is using.

With this in mind, there are also less demanding approaches at your
side, the idea of these approaches is to tell the provider of the PDF
document to fix the issue himself, otherwise forget the application:

- Demand the provider of the document to fix the issues, and/or provide
  a PDF/A-1 document.

- Drop the application if he fails to respect that demand.

-- 
- [[https://libreplanet.org/wiki/User:Adfeno]]
- Palestrante e consultor sobre /software/ livre (não confundir com
  gratis).
- "WhatsApp"? Ele não é livre, por isso não uso. Iguais a ele prefiro
  GNU Ring, ou Tox. Quer outras formas de contato? Adicione o vCard
  que está no endereço acima aos teus contatos.
- Pretende me enviar arquivos .doc, .ppt, .cdr, ou .mp3? OK, eu
  aceito, mas não repasso. Entrego apenas em formatos favoráveis ao
  /software/ livre. Favor entrar em contato em caso de dúvida.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Richard Stallman no Brasil e na Argentina

[Adonay Felipe Nogueira]

That case about watchers/listeners not understanding the language he was
using to present the speech was, as far as I know, fault of coordinators
for not doing one of the following:

- Requiring filling a registration form that ask which language is
  understood by the public.

- Getting people to make simultaneous interpretation of what he speaks.

It's not fault of the watchers/listeners if they don't understand the
language being used.

At least in the event in Curitiba, this June 2nd, I know that the event
coordinators are asking for donations in order to provide a
translator/interpreter that will translate from English to Brazilian
Portuguese. For those who want to donate, please visit
[[http://rms.curitibalivre.org.br/financiamento-coletivo.shtml]].

[Trisquel-users] PDF problems: Any way to evade installation of Adobe Reader? Urgent.

[anatom]

Hello everybody!

For my application for scientific funding I need to view and edit a PDF  
document that apparently is designed for Adobe Reader only. I have saved a  
local copy and opened the document with the following readers:

- Evince
- xpdf
- qpdfview
- gv
- MuPDF
- Okular
With all of them, there is only an empty page with a note that Adobe Reader  
is necessary in order to view the document. Okular gives the following error  
message: "This document has XFA forms, which are currently unsupported."


Which are my options? Using software provided with Trisquel, is there any way  
to view this document, fill in the forms, save the changes, and upload it on  
the application website in such a way that the people at the institution can  
read and process the document? (They probably use the Adobe software.) If  
not, I would need to use the Adobe Reader, but how could I install it in  
Trisquel?


This is an urgent call because the application deadline is approaching in  
about four weeks' time, and I'd like to be way ahead of deadlines.


Thanks in advance.

Florian

Re: [Trisquel-users] Can you vote to me as a speaker

[mappack]

Congratulations!

Re: [Trisquel-users] Trisquel linux on Raspberry Pi 3

[davidpgil]

I just found out about the Hi-Five1 an apparently Open Source
Hardware Arduino compatible microprocessor!

https://www.crowdsupply.com/sifive/hifive1

- Original Message -
From: lorenz-haberze...@startmail.com
To: "trisquel-users" 
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2017 9:07:59 AM
Subject: Re: [Trisquel-users] Trisquel linux on Raspberry Pi 3

according to https://wiki.debian.org/RaspberryPi :
"A binary blob used by the GPU must be present on the SD card for the system  
to boot."
"Debian armhf will work (with a custom kernel)."

My understanding of this is the fully free armhf version does not work out of  
the box. You have to include proprietary software to be able to boot the Pi.  
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Raspbian provided by the Raspberry Pi Foundation is basically Debain + 2MB  
huge binary bloob necessary to start + additional non-free software including  
Oracle Java and Wolfram Mathematica.

The Raspberry Pi is invitingly cheap but in terms of freedom it sadly comes  
off badly.

Here https://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/single-board-computers you can find a  
rating of some single-board computers concerning freedom.

I'd recommend you the Beaglebone Black. As far as I know you can run this  
device with only free software. The only downside of this board is the "low"  
computing power compared to a new Rasperry Pi.

Re: [Trisquel-users] Richard Stallman no Brasil e na Argentina

[mkl80]

Bem vamos esperar que os zucas ja sejam mais versados em Ingles desta vez,  
caso contrario o homem vai partir o microfone de novo com raiva, se lhe  
pedirem para mudar a palestra (a ultima da hora!) para castelhano! Ai zucas  
zucas...

Re: [Trisquel-users] Richard Stallman no Brasil e na Argentina

[mkl80]

Bem o banana ja vai poder beijar a mao ao padrinho e quem sabe pedir uma  
bencao.

Ah... esqueci o link:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Richard+Stallman+Freaks+Out+and+Has+a+Meltdown+-+YouTube=trisquel=v59-4_a=A=videos=1=jskq3-lpQnE

Re: [Trisquel-users] How do you get your books?

[mkl80]

Very very good that one! Thanks 

Re: [Trisquel-users] The hijacking flaw that lurked in Intel chips is worse than anyone thought

[thedanish]

"except for checking that two 32-bit hashes were the same length"
Not quite. It only checks the entered password against the stored password  
but checking length is what it didn't do. The result is, if I enter a  
password of one character it checks that character against the first  
character of the stored password, essentially. This means, without any  
altering of the login at all you can just type through the alphabet until it  
grants access. People have been talking about how the ME system is a terrible  
security concept for years but they didn't care, and they won't start now. I  
read one guy said they likely leaked this as an excuse to disable the new ME  
remover technique with an "update."

Re: [Trisquel-users] How do you get your books?

[vitacell]

Can someone recommend me the most powerful books search engine (pdf and  
epub)?

[Trisquel-users] Re : Can you vote to me as a speaker

[pinmaritim]

Great !
Please let us know when you speak & on the Uruk mailing list