Old Aged People, and Handicapped People?

[Don and/or Mila Trombley]

Alfred wrote:
> Hi: I've seen from time to time information on meetings having to do
> with Ubuntu, to the effect of "Share the Love! Share Ubuntu!". Since the
> 21st of December 2006, the postings from the Canadian Ubuntu Users
> Community, have not arrived in my mail box. Well that could be because
> the server got shut down for Christmas, or that Alfred broke some sort
> of rule again? 
>
> There is this thing that you need to take a look at! Linux is based in
> the good will of Volunteers, that form a Community, that makes things
> happen. I've heard that you are having Demo Days, and Install Days, and
> the like, to get the word out about Ubuntu. Do you not realize that all
> this Positive Stuff, that you are doing, is Negated by the Negative
> Stuff that you are doing!
>
> Who has time to play with Ubuntu? People that have time, are some of the
> people that play with Ubuntu. So Kids have free time, and Handicapped
> people have free time, and Senior citizens have free time. That it is
> distributed for free, is wonderful. Most kids don't have tons of money.
> Handicapped people are as a rule not that rich either. Senior Citizens
> often are not that rich. So getting a Free Ubuntu CD, or DVD, is sure a
> Stroke of Luck! Did you know that Handicapped people and Senior Citizens
> often are on Sodium Restricted Diets. Salt is something that helps
> Nerves work very well, but when you are on a Sodium restricted diet, for
> a few years, then the Nerves and the brain does not work, as if you are
> 20 or thirty. So Having a Web Site like this which has all kinds of
> Rules actually Discriminates against the very people that do have the
> time to learn about Ubuntu. A Handicapped person, might spend most of
> their time just trying to formulate a question to ask the Ubuntu
> Community, with regard to some Linux Problem, that they are having, that
> perhaps a few people in the Community might know the answer to. If you
> ask them what the Rules are they wouldn't be able to tell you. They are
> having a very hard time, just posing the question. Yet a person called
> Patrick, told me I'd broken some rule, but then didn't deliberate. Some
> Rule, that a person his age might remember well, but then. No rule came
> to my mind. You might have better luck with this, when you condense all
> these rules into one simple rule. Handicapped people might be able to
> hang on to, just one rule. Senior Citizens might just be able to
> remember one rule. That makes your Web Site Senior Citizen Friendly, and
> Handicapped Friendly.
>
> Ubuntu did a great service with including some Accessibility Software,
> which helped out some people with Handicaps. Why not make your Web Site,
> E-mail Site just as Friendly. <ubuntu-ca at lists.ubuntu.com>.  
>
> See after a few years of being on a Low Sodium Diet, Short Term Memory -
> It's gone! A Complicated set of Rules, that's gone too! We were not
> trying to be Nasty, we just don't remember that well. All the Goodwill,
> and effort to create that Goodwill, with Ubuntu parties, and Demo's.
> It's all lost, when you have some person that Boots a Handicapped
> Person, or a Senior Citizen off this Web Site / E-mail address for
> breaking a rule, that they can't remember. How I felt on the 22'nd was
> much like some very Nasty Ubuntu Person had slapped me around. 
>
> This has a very NASTY IMPACT on your OUTREACH PROGRAMS! On Birthdays
> Ubuntu does not get given out to the Kids, by Senior Citizens. Seniors
> hearing from School Boards how Ubuntu is going to be taught in Schools,
> still feeling hurt from your NASTY WAY, of Enforcing the Rules. Will now
> become your Main Opposition! You hurt them, and they are going to hurt
> you! I've given out easily 35 Ubuntu's of various flavours, over the
> years that I've been playing with Ubuntu. You get on peoples nerves
> enough, well even if you are the Best Linux Distro out there, in no time
> at all, that will change!
>
> If you are going to have some Theme, of "Share the Love", well it needs
> to be all pervasive, to exude from everything UBUNTU. Then you might
> have some luck in getting the message out, unobstructed.
>
> Go Visit Sick Children's Hospital there in Toronto. Go Visit some Old
> Age Homes,Talk to some of the Nurses, some of the people, and get a feel
> for people that have a whole bunch of time to learn something new, and
> what their requirements are, and that may give you some guidance on
> making some improvements to your: The Canadian Ubuntu Users Community
> <ubuntu-ca at lists.ubuntu.com>  Perhaps even some guidelines in your
> making Web Sites, for other areas.
>
> I visited your Web site that you spoke about a few weeks ago in posts,
> and you did a very nice job on that! So there is still some Hope that
> you just might get it right, on the List too!
>
> Alfred!
>
>
>
>
>   
I too, agree with what you have just written, being that I am just 
beginning to be one of those 60+ generation! My problem with the 
"attitude of rules"? my ability to think as the younger folks do, just 
is not as quick or as insightful. I just love the help, challenge, 
patience, and encouragement, which, you, the Ubuntu Community have shown 
me, a Newbie, and continue to do so!

Maybe sometime down the road I might in some small way help with the 
effort of this community in spreading Ubuntu.