Getting Involved

[Benson Muite]

On Wed, Jun 4, 2025, at 9:09 AM, Bridger Reed-Lewis wrote:
> Thank you, I wasn't aware of those barriers. While I am aware that the
> university has strict rules around applications. I believe there could be a
> way to get around it, if it's used in an educational and
> collaborative environment. The person I need to check with about this, I am
> going to send them an email tomorrow since it's pretty late. Oh, and I
> tried accessing the IRC and Matrix but the channel isn't accepting anyone
> else, is there a way for me to get around that? I think it'd be a lot
> easier then email



For Matrix, accounts on other servers will allow you to access rooms on the
kde matrix server. In addition to 
https://matrix.org/docs/chat_basics/matrix-for-im/#creating-a-matrix-account,
you could also make an account on one of the servers listed at:
https://servers.joinmatrix.org/

https://apps.kde.org/neochat/
maybe helpful, in addition to other Matrix clients.

For irc make an account at http://libera.chat
https://apps.kde.org/konversation/
maybe helpful, though there are many other choices for IRC clients.

>
> On Tue, Jun 3, 2025 at 10:03 PM Benson Muite <benson_muite at emailplus.org>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Jun 4, 2025, at 8:49 AM, Bridger Reed-Lewis wrote:
>> > Well I don’t think it would be useful particularly for UAA, it’s just I
>> > feel a collaboration could be set up depending on the person. And with
>> > everything going on federally, a lot of folks at my work are pretty mad,
>> > it’s the reason why I got my article. What I’m going to do is reach out
>> to
>> > the engineers/tech departments, to see if anyone is interested in working
>> > on this project. Along with connecting with student clubs, I am also
>> going
>> > to install and test what I can with the applications you sent.
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> >
>> > Oh, about the mentoring program you mentioned. I don't think it's a good
>> > fit for me since I have dyscalculia. I've tried with no luck to learn
>> > coding. It's just not my thing, what it would be testing along with
>> setting
>> > up times to chat around ideas, along with networking which i am scary
>> good
>> > at.
>>
>> We do use mailing lists, apps also have chat channels, typically on Matrix
>> or IRC.
>> For Season of KDE, making students and people new to open source aware of
>> it
>> would be helpful.  It provides a structured way for people to contribute
>> improvements
>> to software that they use, these need not be limited to coding
>> contributions.
>>
>> In the US, many applications require accessibility testing reports before
>> they can be
>> used in an institution.  This can be a barrier to adopting open source
>> software since
>> the administrative burden of procuring software which has accessibility
>> testing done
>> is low compared to getting open source software and improving it to meet
>> accessibility
>> standards for which the financial cost would likely be ultimately lower,
>> thereby allowing
>> institutions to make more effective use of their limited funds.
>>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On Tue, Jun 3, 2025 at 21:37 Benson Muite <benson_muite at emailplus.org>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Wed, Jun 4, 2025, at 7:58 AM, Bridger Reed-Lewis wrote:
>> >> > I have heard of him, and it’s one of the reasons why I want to get
>> >> > involved, at the moment I don’t think the university allows Linux to
>> be
>> >> > used, but I could be wrong. At the moment, I am running KDE on my
>> Steam
>> >> > Deck. But I’m planning on purchasing a think-pad x1 carbon Gen 10
>> soon.
>> >> One
>> >> > area I’d like to see get added is dictation. There's an abandoned
>> project
>> >> > here --> https://github.com/abb128/LiveCaptions that could be forked
>> >> into a
>> >> > simple dictation tool, it's surprisingly, very accurate.
>> >>
>> >> This seems to build on another library which maybe worth incorporating
>> into
>> >> KDE applications:
>> >> https://github.com/abb128/april-asr
>> >>
>> >> There are ongoing discussions withing KDE about using tools trained on
>> >> data of unknown origin.
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> > Outside of that, I would need to look because right now there's not a
>> >> lot,
>> >> > and disability itself is a spectrum. without seeing what you are
>> already
>> >> > working on, giving feedback might be hard. But I am more than willing
>> to
>> >> > test anything you can give me, as long as you make the install process
>> >> easy
>> >> > or give me command props.
>> >>
>> >> KDE applications are listed at:
>> >> http://apps.kde.org
>> >> Some will work on Windows and Mac. Applications that might be useful in
>> a
>> >> university
>> >> setting include:
>> >> - https://apps.kde.org/labplot/
>> >> - https://apps.kde.org/ktechlab/
>> >> - https://apps.kde.org/accessibilityinspector/
>> >> - https://apps.kde.org/krita/
>> >> - https://apps.kde.org/okular/
>> >> - https://apps.kde.org/kdenlive/
>> >> - https://apps.kde.org/digikam/
>> >> - https://apps.kde.org/glaxnimate/
>> >>
>> >> It seems there are faculty members familiar with open source software:
>> >> https://pradeeban.github.io/
>> >>
>> >> Maybe you could contact them to see if there are ways to also involve
>> >> students in
>> >> improving software accessibility?  Season of KDE (
>> >> https://mentorship.kde.org/sok/)
>> >> would be one structured way to do this for KDE software that is useful
>> at
>> >> UAA.
>> >>
>> >> Krita, Kdenlive and Glaxnimate may also be useful to people in your art
>> >> department:
>> >>
>> >>
>> https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/art
>> >> and to the student clubs in the art department:
>> >>
>> >>
>> https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/art/clubs/
>> >>
>> >> Finally, in terms of testing, is there a KDE application you use and
>> would
>> >> be willing to help
>> >> test? One-off contributions are welcome, but sustained involvement is
>> most
>> >> helpful.
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> > On Tue, Jun 3, 2025 at 20:28 Benson Muite <benson_muite at emailplus.org
>> >
>> >> > wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On Tue, Jun 3, 2025, at 11:15 AM, Bridger Reed-Lewis wrote:
>> >> >> > Good evening, I am interested in becoming a tester, and help
>> >> collaborate
>> >> >> > together on ideas to ensure accessibility in future kde iterations.
>> >> Nate,
>> >> >> > one of the board members, let me know about your sub-group, and I
>> >> >> emailed a
>> >> >> > few folks listed as contacts. Just didn't hear back, figuring
>> reaching
>> >> >> out
>> >> >> > directly to this email would be more effective.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Before getting involved though, I should introduce myself. I am the
>> >> >> > disability advisor for The University of Anchorage Alaska, and
>> while
>> >> I am
>> >> >> > doing this on my own time. I do hope to get the university involved
>> >> since
>> >> >> > we have a very active disability, and accessibility work groups at
>> >> UAA.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Recently, the university wrote a article about me which goes in
>> detail
>> >> >> > about myself you can read about it here...
>> >> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >>
>> https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/news/archive/2025/05/chd-disability-advisor-bridger-r-reed-lewis.cshtml
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > I'm very passionate about what I do, and I believe Steam OS as a
>> whole
>> >> >> > could be a massive benefit to ensure a better market share, this
>> comes
>> >> >> with
>> >> >> > some challenges though because while steam os is great for gaming,
>> >> once
>> >> >> > it's released to the masses later this year.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > The OS as a whole will have some disadvantages mainly the lack of
>> >> >> > accessibility tools, which as someone with a disability has been
>> the
>> >> >> > largest reason they haven't moved fully to linux. Ended up on Macs
>> >> >> because
>> >> >> > of how much i hate windows, but once thing apple has about them is
>> >> there
>> >> >> > gold star for supporting disabilities in there OS.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Thanks for your interest. Are there any KDE applications that you use
>> >> where
>> >> >> support could be better?  Do you have any computer labs where linux
>> is
>> >> used
>> >> >> or KDE applications are used?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> KDE e.V. recently appointed Ritchie Frodomar as accessibility
>> engineer:
>> >> >> https://mail.kde.org/pipermail/kde-community/2025q2/008193.html
>> >> >>
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > I also want this in Linux, and I'm here to help along
>> >> >> > with assisting with networking with professionals to ensure
>> >> >> communications
>> >> >> > and collaboration with developers/companies alike. Let me know if
>> you
>> >> >> have
>> >> >> > any questions, and I hope to chat with you soon.
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Sincerely,
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Bridger R. Reed-Lewis
>> >> >> > Disability Advisor | Advocate | Speaker
>> >> >> > He/Them
>> >> >>
>> >>
>>