Lecturer: Jochen Sprickerhof, Stefan Riegl
Fields: Computer Science
Content
Every day we use various kinds of software: Apps on the phone, programs on the computer or laptop, but also various kinds of online services like email, file exchange, or social media. In many cases it is opaque how such software works and we have to trust that it aligns with our values and does what it promises to do (and not more). However, often we hear news reports about leaked personal data, manipulative algorithms, and power abuse by companies that develop and control the software. We rely on software and are forced to trust what\’s outside our control. Is there anything we can do about that? It turns out, there are software alternatives to virtually all mainstream programs and apps, from Microsoft Office to Adobe Photoshop, Google Maps to Meta’s WhatsApp.
In this Practical Course, the two instructors Jochen Sprickerhof and Stefan Riegl will provide a kickstart into trustworthy and ethical software alternatives. Each of the four session has a different main theme, starts with a brief theoretical introduction, and reserves most of the available time for hands-on supporting you in switching to software alternatives of your choice today. Each session can be visited independently. No prerequisite knowledge is required.
Session overview:
Session 1: How to liberate your computer + hands-on time. Software, trust, and control. Ethical software. Free, libre, and open source software. Personal data and privacy. How to install e.g. LibreOffice, Firefox, Linux.
Session 2: How to liberate your smart phone + hands-on time. Closed software ecosystems. Alternative phone operating systems. How to de-Google your Google phone, how to install and use F-Droid.
Session 3: How to liberate your online presence + hands-on time. Cloud-based services. How to find, judge, and setup alternative online services, e.g. email, chat. Federated social media (Fediverse: Mastodon etc.).
Session 4: Outlook + hands-on time + ask-me-anything. Possible topics of discussion (not hands-on during session) include e.g. self-hosting, Raspberry Pi; and local LLMs (by special guest lecturer Benjamin Paassen).
Literature
- Digital Independence Day, https://di.day/
Lecturer
Jochen Sprickerhof is a long-time IK participant. After studying applied system science at the Osnabrück University, he worked as a research assistant and different robotics startups. Currently he works as a freelancer for open source projects like Debian and F-Droid.
Affiliation: Debian
Homepage: https://jochen.sprickerhof.de/
Stefan Riegl holds a BSc in Cognitive Science from Osnabrück University and a MSc in Artificial Intelligence from Radboud University in Nijmegen. Before studying they completed a formal training as computer specialist and has worked at tiny and large companies. Currently they work on an NLnet-funded open source project for the commons and looking for a PhD position.
Affiliation: Augsburg
Homepage: https://stefanriegl.com/