Mastodawn

Seeing loads of 'you should try Linux! It's easy! All you need to do is (bunch of scary jargon)' and not much 'I'll be in (cafe/workshop/community space) in (town/city) on (date/time), bring your laptop and a USB stick and I'll help you get started on Linux'.

For a place that has such a HUGE Linux and FOSS culture, the Fedi would be a great place to organise a movement like this. I propose #GetLinuxed if someone wants to set up and organise this :P

Calligrafae Oct 16

Also, make yourself available (in a limited capacity that works to your spoons and availability) for ongoing tech support. One of the scariest things with switching to Linux is 'what if I need help?' - folks will need to be guided gently towards knowing where to look online for answers specific to their distro etc.; there are *so many* forums, places like Reddit are notoriously shit and gate-keepy, it's not always an easy process finding out 'I'm seeing X error, what do I do'.

Calligrafae Oct 16

I was incredibly lucky when I switched to Linux that I was living with @jaco at the time who is more knowledgeable than I am; he's no expert, but he had a few years more experience of Linux than me, and also is a coder so is kinda generally more accustomed to things like command lines (not that you need command line stuff as much these days). He still helps me remotely with Linux issues, just things like 'open the console and enter this command then see if that works'.

Calligrafae Oct 16

If you're going to run something like this, maybe also source a few other local people who can help with different distros and desktop environments, who are also willing to lend tech support, so you've got people for all the common ones like Gnome, KDE, Manjaro, Mint, Debian, whatever.

the esoteric programmer Oct 16

@welshpixie do you know about the end of 10 campaign? from what I heard, there are communities which help people after the installation faze, and they're part of that campaign too

Calligrafae Oct 16

@esoteric_programmer yeah some folks linked them in the replies ^.^

JWcph, Radicalized By Decency Oct 16

@welshpixie in case anyone just needs that final nudge of inspiration and/or validation, several groups of this kind already exist in Copenhagen, inviting to open "install Linux" cafés every month 😊

notsoloud Oct 16

@jwcph
Here's a post with links to Danish Linux install cafés. They're all over the country.

https://semaphor.social/@semaphor/115372971833523208
@welshpixie

Semaphor (@[email protected])

Attached: 1 image 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝟏𝟎 𝐨𝐩𝐡ø𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐣 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐱 𝐬𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯 - 𝐟å 𝐡𝐣æ𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐱 𝐩å 𝐝𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 Den 14. oktober 2025 udfaser Microsoft styresystemet til Windows 10. Det opfordrer indirekte til køb af en ny computer. I stedet kan du vælge at opdatere din nuværende computer med open source alternativet Linux, der med stor sandsynlighed gør den hurtig og sikker igen! Hvis du har købt din computer efter 2010, er der formentlig ingen grund til at skifte den ud bare fordi supporten til Windows 10 ophører. Ved at installere et opdateret Linux-operativsystem, kan du nemlig fortsætte med at bruge computeren i mange år fremover. Installation af et operativsystem lyder måske svært, men du kan få hjælp. Enten gennem vejledning til at gøre det selv - eller ved at få aktiv hjælp til installationen af folk, der har forstand på det. Her følger en oversigt over danske aktører, der stiller gratis op og hjælper dig med at installere open source alternativet Linux på din computer. ✅ Repair Cafe Nordvest, Smedetoften 12, 2400 Kbh. N (første tirsdag i måneden kl. 17-20) ✅ Cryptohagen, Cafe Mellemrummet, Ravnsborggade 11, 2200 Kbh. N (sidste søndag i måneden kl. 13-17) ✅ Linux Roskilde, Bygning 27.1., 4000 Roskilde (hver mandag kl. 17-21) ✅ Repair Cafe Furesø, Galaksen, Bymidten 48, 3500 Værløse (en gang månedligt) ✅ Ringsted Repair Cafe, Ringsted Kulturhus, Søgade 3, 4100 Ringsted (sidste lørdag i måneden kl. 10-13) ✅ Linux Support, Egmont Højskolen, Villavej 25, 8300 Odder ✅ Ubuntu Randers, Andreaskirken, 8900 Randers (hver torsdag i ulige uger) ✅ Morsø Linux User Group, Holgersgade 7, 7900 Nykøbing Mors (hver tredje tirsdag) ✅ Repair Cafe Ågerup, Biblioteket, Gundsølillevej 2, 4000 Ågerup (sidste mandag i måneden kl. 15-18) ✅ AlsLUG, AlsSund Linux User Group, Bakkensbro 6, 1. sal mf, 6400 Sønderborg Find evt. flere aktører her: https://endof10.org/places/ (Bemærk venligst, at oplysningerne her er indsendt af aktørerne selv og ikke evalueret af os.) Semaphor kan også hjælpe dig med Linux installation på Dansk IT’s OffDig Next konference den 4.11.25 i København. Her afholder vi nemlig et Linux Install Party med overskriften “Giv din halvgamle bærbare nyt liv med Linux”. Du kan tilmelde dig her: https://dit.dk/offdignext/om-konferencen #endof10 #linux #opensource

Semaphor Social

Bit_form Oct 16

@welshpixie I organized a "petting zoo" a while back where we had several flavours running on different computers to try out to get a feel with a scavenger hunt list of things to do which was really fun. We also kept extra thumbdrives for anyone wanting to do an install.

I agree, there should be a community and shared aspect to adoption. We could get creative and fun with it!

Calligrafae Oct 16

@Bit_form That's awesome!

I'm seeing people talking about VMs and WSL2 and I'm like, you can just stick it on a thumb drive, why are you telling people about stuff like WSL2

And it's been a while since I needed this so I haven't checked, but you used to be able to get free boot disks sent to you from some of the bigger sites like Mint

Bit_form Oct 16

@welshpixie they made it easy as hell yo make boot disks. Most distros allow you to make one from the OS.

ideogram Oct 16

@Bit_form
Someone who has more knowledge than me (badly duel installing Ubuntu on several laptops over the years) should do the same in melbs!
@welshpixie

Bit_form Oct 16

@ideogram @welshpixie if you know how to install the OS, update, upgrade, and understand installing apps (flathub or snaps) I think you're more than likely qualified to st least introduce people introductory OSs

Audrey Winter has moved!Oct 16

@Bit_form @welshpixie I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing the Linux community aggressively evangelizing switching for Windows users, but falling down on offering support post-switch. It's just *not* as easy for the Average Windows User as they want to think it is. Installation is just the first hurdle. Being ready to offer a friendly, guiding hand *after* the switch is key.

LovesTha🥧Oct 16

@welshpixie love it.

@welshpixie Reminds me of this oldie-but-goldie. "You had to do *what* with the seats?" https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=420815

cybervegan Oct 16

@welshpixie We already are. Lots of #RepairCafes and #MakerSpaces are offering services just like this, including me, via Telford Repair Cafe where I volunteer. I'm also offering a pilot service via Freegle (a UK-only Freecycle platform) and have someone dropping a laptop off in an hour or so to #GetLinuxed!

For the Repair Cafe, we have to work out policies, procedures and how the service will work formally - planning to have a meeting with TRC chair next week to run through things. I'm currently in the middle of putting together how-tos on saving files to USB and migrating browser favourites and passwords. If all goes well, we will go live with the RC service in November.

I love the #GetLinuxed hashtag idea, however, I fear we are largely preaching to the choir on Mastodon at least. Definitely need people on *other* social media to promote this tag. Will definitely mention it at the meeting next week.

Calligrafae Oct 16

@cybervegan nice!!

Bloognoo Oct 16

@cybervegan @welshpixie
Telford, Shropshire? I'm up for helping. DM me

cybervegan Oct 16

@bloognoo Yep that's the one. We have a website at https://www.telfordrepaircafe.co.uk and it will tell you where and when the next meeting will be (we move around venues in Telford) but it's usually the last Saturday off the month.

This Saturday, however, is the Big Fix event, where we will be teaming up with other local RCs in Shropshire - Shrewsbury, Broseley and maybe Oswestry - to meet in Shrewsbury, at Prestfelde school from 10am and I will be there, with some demo machines.

Telford Repair Cafe, Telford

The official site for Telford Repair Cafe this page contains information {PageTitle}

@cybervegan @welshpixie Ooh now there's a thing to talk to our local Repair Cafes about...

chapulin Oct 16

@welshpixie I've been thinking about offering this at a Repair Cafe I organize. @cybervegan How are you handling publicizing/promoting of the Linux services?

cybervegan Oct 16

@chapulin @welshpixie That's yet to be decided, because the board of trustees of our RC (which is a registered charity) already advertise the monthly sessions on their own website, multiple socials and newsletters etc. They've been honing their technique for about 6 years - I was one of the founding members, but we had a member who was already good at PR and I'm not, so she picked up the job.

chapulin 3d ago

@cybervegan @welshpixie how is it going with Linux at the repair cafe? I think I will make the jump and offer it our next one but wanted to check in first and see how it's going.

cybervegan 3d ago

@chapulin @welshpixie Slow like treacle unfortunately. I've not been very well so far this year, and there are admin things that need to be approved by the RC committee (like the disclaimer) that haven't yet been finalised. The most recent RC event was last Saturday, but I wasn't up to going, so I might have approval on the admin things, but I'm not sure as yet.

DoomsdaysCW Oct 19

Tagging this thread for #SolarPunkSunday! @cybervegan @welshpixie

#RepairCafes #MakerSpaces #Telford

@welshpixie great idea

Sindarina, Edge Case Detective Oct 16

@welshpixie This is already happening, though? The #EndOf10 hashtag has been in use for quite a while, along with the website;

https://endof10.org

Calligrafae Oct 16

@sindarina Yeah someone else in the thread mentioned it ^.^ The hashtag isn't very explanatory though XD (like just looking at 'end of 10' doesn't make you think 'these people help you get on Linux')

Sindarina, Edge Case Detective Oct 16

@welshpixie The website is, though?

FLOX Advocate Oct 16

@welshpixie @sindarina yeah, promotion tag should be something proactive and positive

endof10 is good as a campaign for now, but long-term we want something that is recognizable as Linux or FLOSS in general

Locally we've used InstallFest for decades, but you have to know what it is before you know what it is

In addition to #GetLinuxed we could use #GetFLOSSed and see if we can get endorsement from dental associations :)

Silmathoron ⁂Oct 18

@welshpixie
In addition to the resources from #EndOf10, in France someone set up a GoGoCarto instance where people can list themselves to provide help for people who want to install Linux, this could be done for other countries.
https://aidelinux.gogocarto.fr/

Parrains et Marraines Linux

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Calligrafae Oct 18

@silmathoron Oooh nice