[HLUG] Installfest?

[Matt Rhys-Roberts]

It was suggested at the last meeting that we might like to consider 
having an InstallFest, where we bring along all sorts of new & old 
computers and help each other get Linux installed on them.

Regardless of the venue, such a project would require a good few mains 
distribution boards ("adapters"), monitors, keyboards and mice. At work 
we literally have a bucketload of mice which might be borrowable for an 
evening.

Oh yes, and the blessing of the venue keeper for us to a) strew a load 
of mains cables around and b) generally tinker about at our own risk 
would be useful.

I might ask the Herefordshire Green Party (who were meeting opposite us 
that night) if they know of any redundant spare machines, which with our 
help could conceivably be made useful again to them or other worthwhile 
groups. I'm also cautious not to volunteer any of us for anything 
prematurely!

Does any of the above sound like a good idea?

Best wishes,
Matt

PS.


  Installfest


       From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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An *InstallFest* is an event, generally sponsored by a local Linux User 
Group <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_User_Group> or university, at 
which people get together to do mass installations of computer 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer> operating systems 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system> or software 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software>, most often the Linux 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux> operating system and other open 
source <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source> software.

It is generally an advocacy and community-building event, where novices 
bring their computers along with their preferred operating system 
installation disks to the location of the installfest, and experienced 
users help them in getting started and troubleshooting problems. 
Sometimes a Linux distro <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distro> and 
informative flyers are given for free to the attendants. Some events ask 
for participants to bring power strips and network hubs if available.

InstallFests welcome all skill levels from complete novice to expert. An 
Installfest will range from an informal get together to festivals 
involving food, drink, alcohol, and music. The tone and scope of a 
specific event will depend on the organization sponsoring it.

The word /InstallFest/ is a portmanteau of /installation/ and 
/festival/. This term has slowly overtaken competing terms such as 
/Installathon/ and the variant /Install Fest/. The captilization, 
/installfest/ versus /InstallFest/, is still variable. /InstallFest/ 
captures the festive atmosphere of people helping each other through a 
sometimes difficult installation.