On Fri, 30 Jan 2026 20:09:49 +0000 Sue Hagley sghagley@pm.me allegedly wrote:

This is a request to find someone community minded who would like to help people escape Windows and start using Linux.

I found out that my laptop would not be suitable for Windows 11, that made me furious at the high handedness and the absolute waste. So I started to research on YouTube and other sources and decided to go with Linux Mint.

I installed it on my laptop and was really pleased with it, then I did my husband's and another small laptop we had and they all worked. We then rescued an old Mac (2015) from loft and revived that too! So I am a convert.

Hi Sue

Good for you. I wish more people had the drive to say "stuff you MS, I'm off to a system which doesn't treat me simply as a consumer". For many years MS has treated its users badly - Windows 11 seems to be the final nail in the coffin though. Making perfectly good kit redundant simply because it doesn't conform to Windows' requirements is nonsense, particularly when there are plenty of alternatives out there.

Choosing Mint was a good option. It is a solid distribution, with a range of pleasant desktop options and it gives all the functionality most Windows users need (in reality, web browing, email, instant messaging and office (largely document creation/editing) functionality). I'm glad you like it and even more glad that you now feel evangelical enough to want to help others get to where you are now. It is also good to see that you use proton email and not gmail.

This group (the Anglia Linux Users) is a farly diverse bunch. Most here will have significant expertise in one or more linux distros (you will find that people can get just as devoted to one "version" of linux over another as they are to linux over MS Windows).

Activity here on the mail list has been fairly low over the past few years- you can find out how the traffic volume has decreased over time by looking at the ALUG archives at lists.alug.org.uk I assume that you have found the alug web at www.alug.org.uk. You will see from the opening page there that some members of the group meet in Norwich or Ipswich. The next Ipswich meeting is scheduled for 16 February at the Mulberry Tree, 5 Woodbridge Rd. I would encourage you to visit there if you would like to introduce yourself and meet any other ALUGGers present. (I won't be there though).

I am involved in a community project just opening in Ipswich and I would like to set up a group which would help people do what I did. But I do not have any real expertise except following instructions and fortunately I had no real issues.

I have put feelers out locally and have found a couple of people with some experience but also not confident enough to put themselves forward as an 'expert'.

So that's the ask - is there anyone out there who might be up for this?

Probably, a once a month group where people bring their tech for assessment for suitability, trying out Linux on a USB and a bit of hand-holding as they switch over. Find out more about our project at linktr.ee/IpswichUmbrella

Your project sounds akin to the "Men's Sheds" movement (though obviously without the gender imbalance). I was involved about eight or nine years ago with a "silver surfers" computer club set up by Long Stratton PC. We held a few meetings in Wacton Village Hall because that Hall had high speed broadband installed and visitors could use the WiFi. If you have suitable premises for your project you should look at the options for providing on-premise WiFi because that will both simplify network access and encourage visitors.

You really also need to determine (and publish) your Terms of Reference in order to ensure that visitors know what you are offering and, moreover, understand that the intention is move away from MS Windows, and NOT to explain how to use MS Windows. I found in the Wacton group that the majority of people did not know (or frankly care) what they they were using other than that it was "a laptop" or a "tablet" or "a phone". All they cared about was things like "how do I move a photo from one place to another" or "how do I scan a picture and attach it to an email"? and so on. I also found that the Wacton group didn't last long (about a year) as enthusiasm waned. You may have a similar experience. OTOH, MS has managed to annoy so many people, for so long now, that there may be a renewed enthusiasm to dump the product and gain some choice.

One more point (and here I am generalising shamelessly) you may find that Linux enthusiasts can be rather single minded, a tad geeky, and overly technical when attempting to explain things. This is sometimes not helpful. This usually reflects their background since many Linux enthusiasts, particularly the ones (like me) who have been users since the early to mid 90s, have technical IT experience in Unix or mainframe systems and/or networking. You need to find people who have both technical expertise and some degree of patience and empathy.

Personally I am more than happy to offer help/advice here on the ALUG list or separately off-list later if you would find that helpful. I may also be able to join you in Ipswich to hlep you set up your project, but since I live some 40 or more miles away, I could not commit to long term regular on-site assistance. But I am sure that you will find others here who can and will help.

Best of luck

Mick

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