I remember organizing Linux install parties at my university (University of Lille (1), in France), each year for like 3 to 4 consecutive years.
It was always a pleasure to meet new people and explain how basically "their computer is working" and how they can free from Windows.
The most interested person at that time was a 55 years old woman who knew nothing in computer. I installed Ubuntu on its computer and she came the next year with strong system knowledge for a linux-newbie, and the same laptop... with Debian in it!
It's so nice to see installfests still happening in the Linux community - I have fond memories of running many of them 25 years ago.
As for the distributions mentioned, the points are definitely sage, but I would argue that the Flatpak-centered Fedora Silverblue is the best distribution for beginners, and that the sentence "...but the system can be potentially more unstable than Debian" is no longer true nowadays.
There was a talk from someone from Yahoo back in 2013 on the Fedora Flock conference in Prague about how they can re-provision baremetal machines in less than one minute.
They used the regular Anaconda installer (used for Feodra, RHEL and related distros) to install the rootfs from a tarball, even doing a live demo - tha machine was doingn something - the reybooted it into the installer, which wiped the storage, unpacked the tarball and configured the system. After reboot the new system was up, ready to do something else - all in less than 60 seconds, including 2 reboots, back in 2013.
Really good to see. We have been popping up at some events so repair peoples installs with bootable Linux sticks here in Shanghai and Nanjing. It is super satisfying to revive peoples machines with a few simple actions.
I've been thinking a lot about organizing an installfest sometime in the next year or so, which would be my first time in over 20 years. To anyone with current experience running one, do you have any advice?
I'm also interested in smartphone operating systems like Ubuntu Touch and postmarketOS etc.
So .. if you want to keep it simple and reduce the chance of scaring away interested people for good because of failure, don't offer dual boot, unless you know all the tricks. Too many ways this can go wrong in my experience and if it goes right, it likely means they just continue using what they know - windows.
For a risk free just trying out, have linux live usb sticks prepared.
I have never been to one of these "fests" but wouldn't be easier to just bring a small PXE server with an SSD and 10G NIC with an 8-port switch for net booting/install? Are the machines so old they can't boot off the network? The PXE server could easily handle 5-6 install clients via the 10G NIC.
A 10G NIC is unnecessary. I've used iVentoy with a dozen laptops installing Linux simultaneously with no obvious slowdowns hosted from a Dell Optiplex Micro 7050 (7th gen i5, 1G NIC, SSD).
Yes, I have used iVentoy very much in the past as well. However, running a dozen (+12) simultaneous installs of Linux seems a stretch for 1G NICs. Using a small PC with a 2.5G NIC could probably do just as well as the 10G one - just slightly less expensive. The 2.5G NIC hardware has really come down in price; you can get an 8-port 2.5G switch for $45, and many mini-PCs have 2.5G built-in.
Yeah the USB stick enables the participants to replicate it more easily at home or with friends etc.
Encouraging that the participants are in the driver seat also helps with this.
I remember organizing Linux install parties at my university (University of Lille (1), in France), each year for like 3 to 4 consecutive years.
It was always a pleasure to meet new people and explain how basically "their computer is working" and how they can free from Windows.
The most interested person at that time was a 55 years old woman who knew nothing in computer. I installed Ubuntu on its computer and she came the next year with strong system knowledge for a linux-newbie, and the same laptop... with Debian in it!
It's so nice to see installfests still happening in the Linux community - I have fond memories of running many of them 25 years ago.
As for the distributions mentioned, the points are definitely sage, but I would argue that the Flatpak-centered Fedora Silverblue is the best distribution for beginners, and that the sentence "...but the system can be potentially more unstable than Debian" is no longer true nowadays.
You know what? I removed that part. You are probably right, and there is no need to scare beginners :)
I thought this would be a speedrun event like Games Done Quick
1:14 Arch record https://youtu.be/8utpbbdj0LQ (jokes aside the tmux trick is insane didn’t even know you could do that before I saw this video)
There was a talk from someone from Yahoo back in 2013 on the Fedora Flock conference in Prague about how they can re-provision baremetal machines in less than one minute.
They used the regular Anaconda installer (used for Feodra, RHEL and related distros) to install the rootfs from a tarball, even doing a live demo - tha machine was doingn something - the reybooted it into the installer, which wiped the storage, unpacked the tarball and configured the system. After reboot the new system was up, ready to do something else - all in less than 60 seconds, including 2 reboots, back in 2013.
Really good to see. We have been popping up at some events so repair peoples installs with bootable Linux sticks here in Shanghai and Nanjing. It is super satisfying to revive peoples machines with a few simple actions.
There is a nice overview of this sort of events on the End Of 10 website: https://endof10.org/places/
Nice. I know a few people who'd need this in Ljubljana
There was one. https://radar.squat.net/sl/event/ljubljana/kompot/2025-11-26...
Check podcast https://radiostudent.si/druzba/tehno-klistir They talk about open source, linux, etc...
Typo in title: "Install" is missing an "l"
I've been thinking a lot about organizing an installfest sometime in the next year or so, which would be my first time in over 20 years. To anyone with current experience running one, do you have any advice?
I'm also interested in smartphone operating systems like Ubuntu Touch and postmarketOS etc.
This is my third install fest and I planned to write some check list that I compiled in these years. I can share this:
- make sure bring extension chords, and make sure you have enough fast wifi for all participants
- bring enough USB-s. Installation on older laptops can take time
- ventoy is useful
- for beginners stick to Fedora/Debian. Popular distros come and go, but these two are constant and will be supported for a long time
- don't give options to beginners if they don't ask for it. You will induce paralysis of choice
- automatic dual boot setup by Debian installer works very well. Partition shrinking on Windows isn't scary as I thought before
- sometimes you can't install BIOS/UEFI drivers without windows (on older devices). You maybe want to do that before installing Linux
- i think it is good to have a windows installation ready. At least for windows boot loader recovery if anything goes bad
- bitLocker can be PITA. Don't lock users device
- after installation update system
- write some material, what-to-do-after-installation guide, and give to participants. Maybe create group on some social network or messaging app
So .. if you want to keep it simple and reduce the chance of scaring away interested people for good because of failure, don't offer dual boot, unless you know all the tricks. Too many ways this can go wrong in my experience and if it goes right, it likely means they just continue using what they know - windows.
For a risk free just trying out, have linux live usb sticks prepared.
I have never been to one of these "fests" but wouldn't be easier to just bring a small PXE server with an SSD and 10G NIC with an 8-port switch for net booting/install? Are the machines so old they can't boot off the network? The PXE server could easily handle 5-6 install clients via the 10G NIC.
A 10G NIC is unnecessary. I've used iVentoy with a dozen laptops installing Linux simultaneously with no obvious slowdowns hosted from a Dell Optiplex Micro 7050 (7th gen i5, 1G NIC, SSD).
https://www.iventoy.com/en/index.html
Yes, I have used iVentoy very much in the past as well. However, running a dozen (+12) simultaneous installs of Linux seems a stretch for 1G NICs. Using a small PC with a 2.5G NIC could probably do just as well as the 10G one - just slightly less expensive. The 2.5G NIC hardware has really come down in price; you can get an 8-port 2.5G switch for $45, and many mini-PCs have 2.5G built-in.
Depends on what the main goals are.
First time users might appreciate seeing the USB drive method since that's probably what they'd attempt next time at home.
Yeah the USB stick enables the participants to replicate it more easily at home or with friends etc. Encouraging that the participants are in the driver seat also helps with this.
On that same note,of reducing the barriers for Linux usage.
Would it be possible to create a Zorin OS USB drive that after inserting it into the USB drive of a laptop:
The user would get a running Linux, with the UX they know(win 10/11), with full speed and full capabilities - without installation ?
System from USB will feel sluggish. Users could get a feel for UI, but I think it would be inadequate for a long term usage.
That just sounds like a live USB?
windows subsystem for linux, it's builtin to windows (after download from microsoft) and no USB needed
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At least it wasn't Comic Sans