Donations to Linux

[Slowpoke47]

Pleased to be a Mint user, going on three or four years now. Previously had automatic monthly donations set up, but a glitch in my PayPal account required me to pause them. PayPal now good to go, but I forgot and don't readily see here how to re-establish these payments. Can someone help?

[Moem]

Remove the previous payment and set it up again from the start, just like you did the first time. There is no good way to resume an existing and paused payment, AFAIK.

[Pierre]

Hi Slowpoke47 ,
this subject will often arise, and in most cases,
there is only the PayPal option to Donate to the LinuxMint project.

which, also means that you will need an working PayPal Account, too.


you can also use an Patreon account
https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=13897391
if you have one of those accounts

[Slowpoke47]

Could have been a little clearer, sorry. Previous arrangement cancelled, ready to start over. I did use a Patreon account and PayPal previously, but don't remember just how to get the process going. Currently my Patreon account shows no payments set up.

[Moem]

Sorry, I have never used Patreon at all, so I can't help here.

[Slowpoke47]

I used Patreon previously based on advice here. Don't recall why it was suggested. Possibly at that time PayPal didn't do recurrent payments? What do others do?

[JTemple]

FYI: I just use a credit card for monthly debits to mint. PayPal processes those payments, though.

[Slowpoke47]

Thanks for posting- what title do you use for payee?

Hope to get to this on Sunday, and look at my Paypal history to see just what I had done. Not sure why I went thru Patreon, IIRC that was the advice I got here when starting monthly payments. If PayPal is now able to set up a recurring payment, I don't need Patreon and will close that account.

In these days of personal data collecting, the fewer accounts the better!

https://www.newstatesman.com/2020/02/sl ... th-privacy

[JTemple]

Thanks for posting- what title do you use for payee?

Hope to get to this on Sunday, and look at my Paypal history to see just what I had done. Not sure why I went thru Patreon, IIRC that was the advice I got here when starting monthly payments. If PayPal is now able to set up a recurring payment, I don't need Patreon and will close that account.

In these days of personal data collecting, the fewer accounts the better!

https://www.newstatesman.com/2020/02/sl ... th-privacy

I'm not sure what you mean by "what title do you use for payee?" I use my TD Bank VISA card, both bank and processing are secure and I use my own name, J Temple. I do not belong to many sites so there is not much data to get about me. I also shut my browser after visiting here or my bank or YouTube and when I do all my data, cookies and tracking is instantly scrubbed by Firefox. I am here, visit YouTube, my Bank and I have an email address, that's it. My profile info is intentionally incorrect, age location etc. I use Duck Duck Go for web searches and keep adblock plus turned on.Only my bank really knows anything about me. My donations were set up here: https://linuxmint.com/donors.php , they debit my CC once a month and PayPal sends me an e-mail receipt.

As it happens, I won't have a PayPal account because I really do not trust them! I think they collect far more data then they let on and if they do you wrong, there is no recourse. I had such an account ages ago and shut it down after they did me dirt and my Bank & CC company said "to bad, we can not help, PayPal is not regulated and it is a private contract between you and PayPay." (IE: they can do anything they want) I closed my PayPal account that very hour. PayPal may process my CC payments but if anything goes wrong I have recourse through VISA & my bank.

I keep well clear of Facebook, any "social" sites, post ZERO pictures on line, do not use cloud storage, do not carry a cell phone. Good luck to any tech companies trying to keep tabs on me! BONUS: I get zero spam and have days with zero e-mail because I only get e-mail from family and friends. I also avoid Amazon because they are the biggest data collectors on the planet. It is frightening what Amazon knows about most people. If I want to purchase online I go directly to producer's websites or order from Indy shops and still scrub after visiting any such sites.

SO, now you know what a fanatic I am about protecting myself from data collection.

[Slowpoke47]

SO, now you know what a fanatic I am about protecting myself from data collection.

I am concerned about personal data protection also, even more so once I read the extent of this phenomenon, see "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism" by Shoshana Zuboff, who has investigated and written extensively on this topic. The revelations are truly chilling, and the developers at Google, Facebook, MS, etc. are on record that their ultimate goal, now in the experimental stages, is behavior control for profit.

We used Windows7 since its inception, with the telemetry to MS disabled. We are now Mint users because W10, in addition to being a rolling train wreck, has no opt-out for telemetry. When MS threw W7 under the bus, we turned to Mint. Turns out to be a pleasant bonus that Mint is all around a better system!

I have no cell phone and there is nothing Google-related in our computers. (Note that YouTube is owned by Google and if you use it, you are in Google's database. Try Invidious as a substitute.) We use no social media and post to no chat rooms or the like. We use Fastmail for email, which is encrypted but not free. For a free encrypted email, try ProtonMail. The only sites I post to are this one and AskWoody.com, a computer help site which, AFAIK, scrapes no data. We use no "cloud" anything.

I do use Amazon when I can't avoid it, but they do have some options re privacy if you look for them. I'm sure my Amazon profile is larger than I would like.

Also, FWIW- anyone who uses any of the digital assistants, e.g. Alexa. needs to know that they amount to a 24/7 eavesdropping bug and anything they pick up is sent to the sponsor of whatever one you are using.

Also- Note that the Android system for cells is also Google and provides them with your complete history, including online activity, location, and any texts, voice calls, or anything else, no opt-outs available. How do you think Google got to be one of the highest-capitalized firms in the world? Hint- not by giving away services.

"Brave New World" is here.

What I wanted when starting this thread was how to re-establish donations to Mint. The link you posted is what I need, thanks!

[JTemple]

SO, now you know what a fanatic I am about protecting myself from data collection.

I have no cell phone and there is nothing Google-related in our computers. (Note that YouTube is owned by Google and if you use it, you are in Google's database. Try Invidious as a substitute.)

I do use Amazon when I can't avoid it, but they do have some options re privacy if you look for them. I'm sure my Amazon profile is larger than I would like.

I know I am in Google's data base! Still, all they know about me is what I watch or rent on YouTube, Let them have a party with that! I only sign in to rent and as noted prior, I promptly close my browser when I'm done and that scrubs all cookies, history and trackers. They can not follow me beyond YouTube. (I am incredulous at the number of people who take up the option of websites that say "Sign in with your Google Account" and they do!) My main e-mail is private and shared with no sites or companies.

[Slowpoke47]

Also note that, if you find any Google cookies have shown up from non-related sites, as they will on occasion, you can instruct FireFox to ban them specifically, Preferences>Privacy & Security>Manage Exceptions. Also, Privacy Badger is good for blocking cookies, trackers, etc.

[JerryF]

Try here:

https://www.linuxmint.com/donors.php

[Slowpoke47]

Try here:

https://www.linuxmint.com/donors.php

Greetings from a fellow RI-er!

Thanks for the link- used that page earlier to make a donation, but hoping to set up monthly payments again without Patreon if possible.

[JerryF]

Greetings back at you from a Rhode Islanda!

Sorry, didn't realize that the monthly thing was through Patreon.

If you're going to donate through PayPal, doesn't it have an option when making the payment to make it recur? I don't use PayPal so I don't know.

If it doesn't, make a one-time payment, check how it is processed, the set up a payee in your bank's website.

[JTemple]

Also note that, if you find any Google cookies have shown up from non-related sites, as they will on occasion, you can instruct FireFox to ban them specifically, Preferences>Privacy & Security>Manage Exceptions. Also, Privacy Badger is good for blocking cookies, trackers, etc.

I've used Privacy Badger for years, as well as the other precautions I'd mentioned. One can not be too careful. I use Firefox, exclusively, and have always taken advantage of protections they provide. Some sites demand the disabling of those protections, in that case, I can live without visiting them.

[JTemple]

Greetings back at you from a Rhode Islanda!

Sorry, didn't realize that the monthly thing was through Patreon.

If you're going to donate through PayPal, doesn't it have an option when making the payment to make it recur? I don't use PayPal so I don't know.

If it doesn't, make a one-time payment, check how it is processed, the set up a payee in your bank's website.

I forget how I set up the monthy debits but I do not use PayPal or Patreon, I just used my bank CC, PayPal processes the transactions without setting up a PayPal account. They just do the charge once a month and send me an e-mail receipt. I will not ever use an unregulated payment service, ever. If anything goes wrong with my CC, the Bank and VISA refund the money, cancel that card and change my numbers. No unregulated service gives me that kind of security and they can never freeze my accounts without just cause, PayPal can and I have no idea what Patreon's powers are but, it would again be a "private contract" between myself and Patreon. (IE: The rules are what ever they say they are when ever and however; they may change them at will.)

[JTemple]

Another nice thing is regular donors get listed on the sponsors list, kinda nice to get that recognition, plus you get a monthly thank you mail.

[Slowpoke47]

Thanks to all who posted. In setting up new payments, I plan to sidestep Patreon and PayPal as well if possible (I do understand about the receipt). I'd like to use my bank card, may have to call the bank tomorrow during business hours if I can't make it happen via their site.

The question I had above, and apparently haven't phrased successfully, may be dumb but here it is: When using your bank card, how do you identify the recipient of the payment, so the bank knows where to send it? Yes, I know, Linux Mint, but is that the actual name of the payee that receives the money?

[JerryF]

...
The question I had above, and apparently haven't phrased successfully, may be dumb but here it is: When using your bank card, how do you identify the recipient of the payment, so the bank knows where to send it? Yes, I know, Linux Mint, but is that the actual name of the payee that receives the money?

Good question, unfortunately, not sure.