Alternative tech – what are your interests?

This is a temporary web page to gather initial thoughts about the alternative tech group we’re forming. The discussion on the Fort T list mentioned a wide variety of possible topics for the group, and it makes sense to get a sense of how much interest there is in different topics before our first meeting. Any responses you make here may be shared with the group of course, and may spark further discussion. There is an option to respond anonymously (you don’t have to give a name or email), but if you include your name and/or email, it might make further discussion smoother.

1. Would you like to learn how to do any of the following?

Try alternative-tech platforms for social media
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Try alternative-tech apps that aren’t social media
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Install Linux
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Improve Linux skills
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Install a new operating system on your phone
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Slight change to your car’s hardware so it doesn’t send info about you
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Move away from app phones
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

(You can optionally add more here on things you’d like to learn)

2. Can you teach any of those things?

YesNo

(Can optionally add more on teaching here)

3. Here are some categories of alternative tech. They may overlap. Mark which categories you are interested in learning more about, or say “No interest”.

Non-corporate tech.
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

“Open source” tech. This kind of tech doesn’t hide its own internal workings, enabling more trust because the online community can check what it’s doing. When tech is released under open-source standards, others are always free to make their own variants by reworking it.
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Tech that doesn’t spy on you or exploit your data.
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Tech that doesn’t make problematic use of artificial intelligence (AI).
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Tech designed to work for collaborative organizations such as nonprofits, online co-op businesses, etc.
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

(Can optionally add more comments here)

4. Is using these kinds of alternative tech something you’ve been learning a lot about in recent years? (Don’t worry if it isn’t.)
Not reallyLearning a bit here and thereYes, a modest amountYes, a fair amountYes, definitely

(Can optionally add more comments here)

5. Which of these additional goals would you like our group to pursue?

Offering some support to national/international digital rights groups.

No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Advocacy (a possible example might be passing net neutrality as a state law, which was recently knocked down at the national level).

No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Being recognized as RI’s open-source and Linux user group, to make connections with open-source/Linux groups elsewhere and with developers.
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

Looking as a group for ways to fund internet media so it’s available for free
No interestSlight interestModerate interestHigh interestVery high interest

(Can optionally add more on these institutional goals here)

6. The group could meet and communicate in different ways. What ways make sense for you?

Having our own email list
Not currently interested in usingMight possibly use, but not enthusiasticOpen to usingFine with usingDefinitely would want to use

Online video meetings (using Zoom or a Zoom alternative like Jitsi Meet)
Not currently interested in usingMight possibly use, but not enthusiasticOpen to usingFine with usingDefinitely would want to use

Matrix communication system
Not currently interested in usingMight possibly use, but not enthusiasticOpen to usingFine with usingDefinitely would want to use

In-person meetings
Not currently interested in doingMight possibly do, but not enthusiasticOpen to doingFine with doingDefinitely would want to do

In-person events to help people install stuff, help learn
Not currently interested in taking partMight possibly take part, but not enthusiasticSome interest in taking partSubstantial interest in taking partStrong interest in taking part

In-person hackerspace
Not currently interested in taking partMight possibly take part, but not enthusiasticSome interest in taking partSubstantial interest in taking partStrong interest in taking part

(Can optionally add more on communication/meeting here)

7. What do you think are some obstacles to people really being comfortable with alternative tech? (It’s okay to mention things that are obstacles for people like you.)

What could our group do to make these things less of an obstacle?

8. What things could our group do to mutually help each other, as members, get closer to where we want to be with alternative tech?

And which of those things would you possibly be up for doing, particularly maybe in the near term? (Okay to leave this blank.)

9. How about other Rhode Islanders who might be ready or almost ready to use some alternative tech options — what can our group do to facilitate things so that the alternative tech really becomes workable for them in a practical and lasting way?

And do you see a way you could personally help with that, particularly maybe in the near term? (Okay to leave this blank.)

10. Should we look for extra ways to make things comfortable for those in the group who don’t have specific tech skills?

YesNo

(Can optionally add more on that here)

11. If you have a web domain or a server, are you specifically interested now in hosting things there for the group or for the larger community?

YesNo

(Can optionally add more on that here)

12. If our group decides to have a presence on corporate social media, are you interested in maintaining some of that?

YesNo

(Can optionally add more on that here)

13. Any thoughts about our group’s name (optional)

14. Any other comments? (optional)

15. Your name (optional)

Your email (optional)