[Preston] A LUG needs a purpose

[markwalton1967 at aol.com]

Hi there,

I've spent some of the recent rainy weekends putting together an LTSP 
server based on Linux Mint with XFCE.
I got there by starting with Edubuntu 14.04, then my own build on 
Ubuntu 16.04 and finally working through the forums to get Mint 17.3 to 
build.

Now it's up and running it's ridiculously easy to host thin clients 
(old Gigabyte Brix) from my equally old netbook. loaded with all the 
common educational applications this would run any Primary school 
classroom for KS2 and KS3.

Since it was an educational distro that got me going on this I began to 
wonder why the LUGs do not reach out to the local schools and offer 
their help in establishing Linux as a viable classroom alternative; 
given that distros like Mint are now so new-user friendly. It can only 
be lack of exposure to Linux and fear of the unknown that holds back 
Linux in the Edtech sector.

This thought itself was a reflection on the time I spent briefly 
keeping in touch with the Blackpool LUG last year, until they moved to 
their new premises; they found a purpose in "makerspace" and all things 
kinetic connected to Raspberry Pi's along with 3D Printers etc. This 
has not only held their LUG together, but extended their appeal by 
giving the group a puropse, rather than all sitting around with old 
laptops and playing with the latest distro release's which was becoming 
a little stale.

Which gets me to the real point of my note...would anyone on this 
mailing list like to refresh the Preston LUG, have a get-together, and 
maybe discuss such options as working with the schools, or any other 
ideas that would give us a "raison d'etre" to overcome this dormant 
state?

Come on, I know you're out there...you keep buying all the Linux 
Voice/User mags before I can get to them in Morrisons or Sainsbury's :)

Mark Walton



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