less_retarded_wiki/how_to.md

How To

WELCOME TRAVELER

{ Don't hesitate to contact me. ~drummyfish }

Are you tired of bloat and can't stand shitty software like Windows anymore? Do you want to kill yourself? Do you hate capitalism? Do you also hate the fascist alternatives you're being offered? Do you just want to create a genuinely good bullshitless technology that would help all people? Do you just want to share knowledge freely without censorship? You have come to the right place.

Firstly let us welcome you, no matter who you are, no matter your political opinions, your past and your skills, color or shape of your genitalia, we are glad to have you here. Remember, you don't have to be a programmer to help and enjoy LRS. LRS is a lifestyle, a philosophy. Whether you are a programmer, artist, educator or just someone passing by, you are welcome, you may enjoy our culture and its fruit and if you want, you can help enrich it.

Tech

Here are some extremely basic steps to take regarding technology and the technological aspect of LRS:

• Learn about the most essential topics and concepts, mainly free software, "open-source", bloat, kiss, capitalism, capitalist_software, suckless, LRS, less retarded society, anacho pacifism and type A/B fail. You will also need to open up your mind and re-learn some toxic concepts you've been taught by the system, e.g. we do NOT fight anything, we do NOT create any heroes or "leaders" (we follow ideas, not people), work is bad, older is better than "modern" etc.
• Install GNU/Linux operating system to free yourself from shit like Windows and Mac (you can also consider BSD but you're probably too noob for that). Do NOT try to switch to "Linux" right away if it's your first time, it's almost impossible, you want to just install "Linux" as dual boot (alongside your main OS) or on another computer (easier). This way you'll be using both operating systems, slowly getting more comfortable with "Linux" and eventually you'll find yourself uninstalling Windows altogether. You can also just try "Linux" in a virtual machine, from a live CD/flash drive or you can buy something with "Linux" preinstalled like Raspberry Pi. Which "Linux" to install? There are many options and as a noob you don't have to go hardcore right away, just install any distro that just werks (don't listen to people who tell you to install Gentoo tho). You can try these:
  • Devuan: Nice, LRS approved distro that respects your freedom that just works, is easy to install and is actually nice. Good for any skill level.
  • Debian: Like Devuan but uses the evil systemd which doesn't have to bother you at this point. Try Debian if Devuan doesn't work for any reason.
  • Mint: More noob, bloated and mainstream distro that only mildly cares about freedom, but is extremely easy and works almost everywhere. Try this if Debian didn't work for you.
  • Ubuntu: Kind of like Mint, try it if Mint didn't work.
• Learn a bit of command line (Unix utils, bash etc.). No need to become a hacker right away, just get familiar with this essential Unix tool.
• Free yourself technologically, i.e. make yourself depend as little as possible on capitalist technology; this step if crucial, you can't really live well or achieve anything while being a slave. This includes firstly leaving proprietary platforms such as Facebook, Google's platforms such as YouTube, reddit etc. Also stop being dependent on proprietary programs (MS office, photoshop etc.), and proprietary consumer devices such as a smartphone. Again, it's impossible to free yourself 100% immediately, go slowly and try to get more freedom even if you can't achieve 100% freedom. This means either stop using harmful software/services/devices and engaging in bad habits (social media etc.) or at least minimize their use, and/or use more freedom-friendly alternatives such as different search engines (e.g. searx, ...), a dumbphone or at least free OS smartphone rather than capitalist smartphone, freedom friendly laptop (e.g. an old thinkpad) rather than iShit or consumerist gayming PC, start using FOSS programs, e.g. GIMP instead of Photoshop, LibreOffice instead of MS Office etc, invidious or Peertube instead of YouTube etc. Remember, it is best if you can stop using something altogether, the second best thing is to stop being dependent on a single entity, try to use a decentralized and/or suckless FOSS alternative but do not try to just mimic your old habits in the FOSS world, you have to learn new ways of computing (for example start using multiple search engines instead of relying on one, it's not good to just drop-in replace one search engine for another). Avoid falling to traps of shit like distrohopping, this just enslaves you in a different way.
• If you want to program LRS, learn C (see the tutorial). Also learn a bit of POSIX shell and maybe some mainstream scripting language (can be even a bloated one like Python). Learn about licensing and version control (git). As you advance, start studying deeper topics such as history or hacker culture etc.
• Optionally make your own minimal website (or even a gopherhole) to help reshare ideas you like (static HTML site without JavaScript). This is very easy, and the site can be hosted for free e.g. on git hosting sites like Codeberg or GitLab. Get in touch with us.
• Start creating something: either programs or other stuff like free art, educational materials etc.
• profit???

Would you like to create LRS but don't have enough spare time/money to make this possible? You can check out making living with LRS.

How to Live, Dos and Don'ts

This is a summary of some main guidelines on how an LRS supporter should behave in general so as to stay consistent with LRS philosophy, however it is important that this is shouldn't be taken as rules to be blindly followed -- the last thing we want is a religion of brainwashed NPCs who blindly follow orders. One has to understand why these principles are in place and even potentially modify them.

• Do NOT fight, do NOT say you fight something. Fighting and rhetoric centered around "fighting something" is part of harmful fight culture, most people don't even realize they take part in it. It is important to unlearn this. We do not want to defeat anyone, we want to convince by means of rationality, nonviolence and love. However note that what is unacceptable to do to a living being may be completely acceptable to do to non living object (for example destroying a corporation is OK, in fact it is very desirable). We often take actions that common people would call a "fight" (for example we may organize a strike), however it is important that we don't call it a fight -- a point of view is sometimes as important as the action itself as it will determine our future direction. Remember that naming is important.
• Do NOT worship or create heroes, don't become one. It is another common mistake to for example call Richard Stallman a "hero of free software" and to even worship him as a celebrity. The concept of a hero is harmful, rightist concept that is connected to war mentality, it goes against anarchist principles, it creates social hierarchy and given some people a power to deceive. People are imperfect and make mistake -- only ideas can be perfect. Respect people but don't make anyone your moral compass, you should rather subscribe to specific ideas, i.e. rather than worshipping Stallman subscribe to and promote his idea of free software.
• Lead an example, this is the best way to spread our values, however be also extremely careful not to become a worshipped authority. Know the difference between a humble intellectual authority and an authoritative self-centered celebrity who uses his fame for deception. The more famous you are, the more humble you should become.
• Be loving, even towards opposition -- remember: hate and revenge towards people perpetuates the endless circle. Love leads to more love, understanding, good deeds, friendship, happiness, collaboration and all the other positive things. Do not confuse love with political correctness.
• Protest in non-violent ways -- this doesn't mean you should be passive; you should be exposing the truth, propaganda, corruption, boycotting corporations and state, promoting your values and expressing disagreement with certain ideas, but do not aim for destruction of those who stand in opposition -- if you're attacked, it is best if you do not fight back; not only is this the morally ideal thing to do, it also sends a very powerful message and makes the aggressor himself think.
• Do NOT support pseudoleft (LGBT, feminism, Antifa, soyence ...), don't become type A fail. Of course you should equally reject rightism, but that goes without saying.
• Do NOT engage in political correctness. Remember that staying silent often means supporting status quo, so the more deceit you see in society, the more you should try to not stay silent and the more you should try to tell the truth.
• Free yourself from the system -- similarly to how you free yourself technologically, free yourself also socially, live frugally and minimize your expenses. Stop consuming, stop living in luxury, stop spending money for shit (gyms, sports, clothes, car, streaming services, games, cigarettes, ...), use free things that people throw away and enjoy hobbies that are cheap (programming, reading books, going for walks, playing chess, ...). You need very little to live, you don't even need internet connection; with good computing you can hack offline and only connect to the internet once in a while on some public wifi to download emails and upload your programs. Make yourself self sufficient, prepare for the collapse. If you can live somewhere in the woods, go for it.
• Search for truth. You won't find it easily, real truth is always censored and hidden (though often in plain sight), but you can train yourself to spot propaganda and see the red flags. You won't find truth through Google, use different sources, read old books and different points of view (e.g. contrast articles on Wikipedia with those on Infogalactic). Question EVERYTHING (absolutely everything, even this). Do not fall into traps such as pseudoskepticism. Train your mind to think critically, avoid shortcut thinking, question your own biased beliefs and wishes.
• Reject harmful things like proprietary software, capitalism, copyright, bloat, work etc. Use and promote the ethical equivalents, i.e. free software, free culture, frugality, anarchism etc.

How To Live

TODO