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All set up for the Linux Install Party!!!
(This is the first one. And it was on short notice. There will probably be more volunteers than actual folks getting Linux Installed. BUUUUUT!!!! It'll be a good way to work out any other things that we can think of)
1st lesson already... bring a power strip and extension cords....
@tinker this entire thread makes me really happy! I'm happy for you all for doing this, I'm happy for an 8 year old with an OS that isn't trying to monetize them on a machine that would have lumbered in a closet before it turned into jelly, I'm happy for how many people are happy about this, too.
@tinker if there were one in Wales I’d be there like a shot.
@helenclayton - There was not one in my town until today.
Just make one! And then you'll have one in your town!
That said, you might talk to your local Linux Users Group and see if they'd like to host monthly install parties.
IT'S GOING REALLY GREAT!!!!
We had a LOT of volunteers show up. Like 8 folks just came to chill.
We had a couple of folks come in just to chill and hang out and ask questions. They tried out the demo laptops and asked questions. This is their first exposure to Linux.
Also, this pic. It screams LAN party...
Y'ALL Y'ALL Y'ALL!!!!
Somebody from the community - NOT part of any technical group - just a family... they came in and had an old laptop they wanted Linux installed on.
They saw the post on our town's subreddit and wanted to give their 8 year old kid a new laptop. So we installed Mint on it, gave them basic instruction and a way to get ahold of us in the future
And they went on their merry way!
Y'all!!!! It worked!!! We're installing linux on folks' computers! Bringing life to old systems and moving folks off corporate surveillance OS's!!!!
@tinker
Good on ya!
With kindness and humility, with listening and helpfulness, that's how we move forward!
And...with bootable media, of course.
@tinker heck yeah! Nice work!
Ok! The Linux Install Party is done!
I am declaring it a success!
So we only had one week to prepare for this and notify folks in town about it.
Last week we:
- Reserved a room at the local library
- Created the website (just a digital flyer site)
- Printed out release forms
- Made a handful of install USB ISOs with Linux Mint on it
- Made a post on the town's subreddit, a couple local discord channels, and told people to tell others
Not a lot of advertising at all.
But!
We had:
- 7 volunteers show up
- 5 groups of people who got Linux installed on their laptops (including one family: a mom and dad who were updating an old laptop for their 8 year old to use)
- And a good handful of people who stopped by to see what it was about, ask questions, and try out our demo laptops running Linux
All installs went chill. We even popped open one laptop to try and repair it (the keyboard and touch pad were borked. It turned out to be a hardware issue. We determined that an external keyboard and mouse were the quickest and cheapest fix. the laptop itself and linux install worked great)
When we werent installing things, we were hanging out, discussing linux and various open source projects and town groups and events and getting to know each other and generally just having a great time. I met new people from town and had some wonderful conversations. No masking, just being myself.
Folks really wanted this to happen again. We even had a librarian come in and ask when we were doing it again so they could bring their laptop to get Linux installed! Some of the volunteers were from the local college and said they had a great time and want to do these events at college and in town again.
We're shooting for next February (in conjunction with a repair cafe) and will try and hold it every month thereafter. Once its a regular monthly event and word of mouth and proper advertisement and posting flyers up in cafes etc, more people will show up and it will grow!
We also think we can make it an official library event (and not just a community event using library space). Once that happens it gets into the town events notification and really attracts folks!
That was awesome.
#solarPunk #mutualAid #FOSS #Linux #LinuxInstallParty #endOf10
@tinker thank you, you've inspired me to try this in the far western burbs of Chicago. Now to get some volunteers together so I'm not a one-armed paper hanger...
@tinker Awesome! I would love to do something similar where I am. Can I use your website and ads/posts as a template? Let me know where to find them if so :)
@turkukaupunki would such activity be supported by #Turku city? I'm sure we caan get enough volunteers from UTU and #Åbo Akademi. It's just the matter of knowing if there is enough support for such initiative, and if Turku would like to promote OpenSource and in this context Linux which was initially designed and released by a Finn In Helsinki.
@tinker What is a release form?
Nice!
My partner has suggested that I start doing this for people as a service, but I've only done it at all maybe twice, and I'm a total noob in Linux. I mean, I CAN do it so I guess I'm better than nothing for somebody who is totally non-techy and doesn't have much of a shot at figuring it out on their own at all, but I still feel like I should study up a lot more on this before I just start running around town offering...
@tinker That's just super! Big congrats to you all!
@tinker love this!
Out of curiosity were there limitations for the installs like only full disk installs?
@themipper - So we only did full disk installs on this one. But we explained the concept of LiveUSBs and Dual Boots to some folks that asked
Congrats!
Any lessons learned? I'm looking at doing one January-ish.
@johntimaeus - Biggest thing is to not worry about perfection at first. Do an initial go and then learn as you go.
That said, for an initial go you want:
- A solid waiver and release form. Something like this (though other templates exist): https://www.angelfire.com/linux/linuxitna/InstallFest_Waiver.html
- USBs loaded with the ISO you are installing
- Some USBs that dont have anything installed but are ready to load with another distro (eg a 32bit ISO for a 32bit system)
- Some cheap low storage USBs to let people make backups who forgot to
- Some laptops (with extension cables or surge protectors to plug them in) to load fresh ISOs on or look up manuals for neighbor's laptops
- Some demo laptops loaded with the ISO that you're installing for people to play with
Explain to folks that you all will do your best to install Linux but it might not work. Explain that the attempt will wipe all the software and files and photos that were on it originally.
Last thing is gear this experience towards non technical people. To folks that just want their machine to work. They can know the limitations (it wont run some programs that are native to Windows or Macs for example). But dont approach them as if they have to bend to the tool. Do everything to make the tool bend to them.
@johntimaeus - Biggest thing is to not worry about perfection at first. Do an initial go and then learn as you go.
That said, for an initial go you want:
- A solid waiver and release form. Something like this (though other templates exist): (Edit to fix dead link and add new example:
Example 1: https://tldp.org/HOWTO/Installfest-HOWTO/legalprotection.html
Example 2: https://web.archive.org/web/20190725063027/https://www.angelfire.com/linux/linuxitna/InstallFest_Waiver.html )
- USBs loaded with the ISO you are installing
- Some USBs that dont have anything installed but are ready to load with another distro (eg a 32bit ISO for a 32bit system)
- Some cheap low storage USBs to let people make backups who forgot to
- Some laptops (with extension cables or surge protectors to plug them in) to load fresh ISOs on or look up manuals for neighbor's laptops
- Some demo laptops loaded with the ISO that you're installing for people to play with
Explain to folks that you all will do your best to install Linux but it might not work. Explain that the attempt will wipe all the software and files and photos that were on it originally.
Last thing is gear this experience towards non technical people. To folks that just want their machine to work. They can know the limitations (it wont run some programs that are native to Windows or Macs for example). But dont approach them as if they have to bend to the tool. Do everything to make the tool bend to them.
@michaelkegler great tips for linux install parties @tinker
@tinker Awesome! Glad it went well.
@tinker this sounds so cool!
congrats!
I hope you have future events, and additionally make them opportunities for new users to get support.
@RussSharek - Hey Russ!!!! And yeah! We're going to make it both a install party and a tech support party. Really it should be part of a repair cafe sort of thing. Either way, folks can bring the laptop back each month and get continued help and resources.
@tinker Thanks for posting. Tagging for #SolarPunkSunday.
That builds both resilient people and community. Love it!
@tinker this is so awesome!! Do you happen to have resources on how to source or build a PC that is friendly to Linux OS as well?
I've been planning to build my own linux PC and finding it a bit overwhelming.
Beyond that, have you looked into mesh networks and phones/devices built for that? I'm thinking it may be a great addition to these types of initiatives if people can totally divorce from big tech via p2p networks (or however mesh networks work).
@eruditelijah - There are some mesh network groups in town!
For beginning in linux, I'd go with Linux Mint. And I'd install it on a used Dell or Lenovo Thinkpad from the past five-ish years or so. Go for around 8gigs of RAM or more and you're fine. (there are many ways to do this and hopefully you'll get lots of good advice from others. But the above will work well)
@tinker You're a saint and you're doing $deity's work! 😀👍 Keep up the amazing work!
@tinker freaking awesome!!!!
@tinker A cheap 8-24-port Ethernet switch, some cables, and a cell modem or WiFi bridge would also be a good idea.
@cpm - There are lots of LUGs still around. That said, my local town's LUG stopped holding meetings about six months ago i think. Folks were talking about spinning it up again.
That said, the LUGs seem to me to be an enthusiasts meeting. Whereas an Install Party is specifically aimed at inexperienced folks or folks that dont want to be enthusiasts they just want it to work and get out of the way.
Both approaches are needed though. So run with the Linux Users Group model and have a great time!
@tinker I love this idea
@tinker
Install parties are great fun. And a great way to learn about local communities. I've not been to one in years though.
@zak @tinker
Some of those old netbooks (pre-2007? or so) are 32-bit systems so that's the first thing you have to check.
If it's 32 bit then I'm not sure if it's worth saving, unless you have some specific small use for it like a current weather or photo slideshow display. You may have to use an outdated distro version since a lot of them have dropped support for 32 bit hardware--even Debian! :(
Otherwise, lightweight distros like AntiX or BunsenLabs that use window managers instead of full Desktop Environments should work on pretty much anything.
@zak - Not sure about older MacBooks, but for 32bit netbooks running Atom processors, a very lightweight 32bit distro.
I'd try Lubuntu 32bit. Or something similar.
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