Getting Involved

[Benson Muite]

Most of KDE uses Matrix, so the onboarding experience will probably
be easier.

Due to your location, you might also consider making an account at:
https://element.seattlematrix.org/#/welcome

IRC has lighter hardware utilization requirements but takes a little more
time to learn.

Developers do also respond to mail about their applications on their
mailing lists - these are publicly searchable and archived.
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo

Would suggest creating an account on a Matrix server first, then
adjusting depending on who you need to contact.

Finally, you might also reach out to people who have used Linux
in Alaska. For example:
- https://aklug.org/
- Jef Spaleta https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/introducing-fedora-project-leader-jef-spaleta

On Wed, Jun 4, 2025, at 9:32 AM, Bridger Reed-Lewis wrote:
> K I’m going to get those setup, should I only do one or all?
>
> On Tue, Jun 3, 2025 at 22:23 Benson Muite <benson_muite at emailplus.org>
> wrote:
>
>> 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
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >>
>>