Back then a few friends and I wanted to change the world with a Linux lab. The council gave us a backroom and word of mouth did the rest: people came from nearby towns, we gave classes and ran stands at FOSS days.
Just when we thought we’d made it, the council gave the room to another group. Back then we were puzzled, but now it makes sense: we spent the pitch explaining why Linux mattered to us, and never asked what would make it a success for them.
I wrote the story and the lessons learned here: https://www.theundostack.org/lost-in-translation/
Did anyone else run a LUG or install parties in those years? How did you keep your sponsor on your side?
Back then, my ex partner got me into it, which set me on my phone tech support path and got me where I am today.
I slid back to Windows for a long time; it’s only been in the last couple of years, with M$ & Google shenanigans, that I remembered Linux and wondered how it was doing these days.
I installed Mint (dual booted with Win10) on an old HP Pavilion Beats Edition laptop, Now I run Linux Repair Cafés with it… and have a fledgling F(L)OSS consultation business (idea). My FT remote phone tech support position, & PT internet brand ambassador side hustle keep me pretty busy, so my business idea is slow going.
