Three and something years ago we started a weekly Linux user group meeting in Andorra (now monthly). After some experience with (X)Ubuntu we turned soon to LinuxMint and since the first Linux Install Party we are more or less a complete LinuxMint user group, mainly supporting LinuxMint Mate and, on older hardware, LinuxMint Xfce.

Read our guide for starting a LinuxMint meeting in your own hometown, based on the first weekly and still ongoing LinuxMint meeting worldwide (and many other regular software meetings as well). It is not meant to be complete but to give you a confident feeling that most important issues are covered already before the launch.

1. Where to meet
   • choose a location, preferably a restaurant, in the centre of an agglomeration:
     • good WiFi and a powerplug available,
     • easy to find and to reach, by foot, by car and by bycicle,
     • close to public transport, train station, metro, busstop,
     • have enough parkings, if possible free parking,
     • quiet place, mute television, music soft or none,
     • good kitchen, rich choice of both, local and international, food; small dishes as well,
     • optional with a seperate room, in case the group grows;
   • provide a map (i prefer OpenStreetMap to bing or google maps).
2. When to meet
   • find your rythm:
     • it should be weekly, quarterly or monthly,
     • something like second thursday a month or quarter,
     • a rythm everybody can easily remind and integrate to their agenda;
   • make sure you will be always there or you can care for a substitute otherwise;
   • don't wait for everybody to agree with the time, because that will never happen;
   • set an hour when most have free time;
   • find one or two reliable participants, who promise to accompany you at the initial meeting,
   • invite all the others after the time for the initial meeting have been set definitly (otherwise discussions will postpone your start to eternity) !!!
   • take your time to build up the visitors count slowly.
3. What you need
   • bring your LapTop;
   • a multiple powerplug adapter with a cablelong enough;
   • a WiFi range extender if needed;
   • prepared install media:
     • CDs or DVDs,
     • USB Memory Stick (by "Startup USB Creator", for qt or KDE);
   • Keep the LinuxMint-forums open in your browser (askubuntu and stackexchange as well).
   • print out a Linux emblem and put it upon the desk (or a Tux plush like we do) as a good visible sign;
   • nice to have from time to time: Raspberry Pi, the newest Smartphone running Linux, a 3D printer and other gimmicks;
   • and have a task, so you have something to do in case you stay alone occasionally ;-)
4. What to do
   • small talk
     • how did you find the meeting place,
     • how did they find out about Linux,
     • what are their experiences and goals by Linux Mint,
     • did they contribute to the freeware community,
     • what meetings, workshops or congresses did they visit,
     • where there some linux news or upcoming problems since last meeting;
   • have something to good to eat
   • go into details
     • explain advantages of linux
     • show some software for examples:
       • Libreoffice
       • Firefox
       • Thunderbird
       • GNUCash
       • Stellarium
       • and so on
     • install some linux
     • answer questions
     • solve problems, for example install printer or WiFi drivers
     • mention free content:
       • Wikipedia,
       • OpenStreetMap,
       • Dmoz ...;
   • prepare a SHORT talk about special subjects, maybe supported by a presentation, like
     • LinuxMint community and forums,
     • interaction with windows on a multiboot system,
     • differences of the file system, and so on,
     • and not longer than ten minutes - except they are begging for more.
5. How to find other LinuxMint users
   • tell all your friends (if you like LinuxMint, why shouldn't thay do?);
   • use different offline channels:
     • local pinboards
     • post a bill,
     • ads,
     • clubnews and
     • newsletters;
   • add an idea at the LinuxMint-Community
   • add a topic to the Linuxmint-Forums
   • start with at least two social media platforms, and add the others step by step:
     • Facebook-Group;
     • G+ Circle;
     • Whatsup Group (expenses);
     • meetup.com group (expenses);
     • Xing or linkedin;
     • official Twitter-Account of the meeting;
   • create an official blog (wordpress, blogger or your own platform);
   • contact all the people you can find by searching: town/region + LinuxMint
   • care for some incoming links from local blogs.
6. Reasons to make current non-users interested in LinuxMint
   • WinXP and Vista will slow down older hardware extremly
     => LinuxMint will speed them up
   • WinXP runs without no support since one year
     => LinuxMint is updated regulary until 2019 and there no viruses known;
   • Older hardware with tiny harddisks would still be usable while
     LinuxMint needs less than 10GB
   • For people which use the Computer for Websurfing (Firefox) only there will be no change.
   • start special events occasionally (after a few initial meetings and finding experienced users)
     • LinuxMint Install Party;
     • Document Freedom Day;
     • World Linux Day, and more.

If you like what you read please support my idea to promote local LinuxMint user groups on:
community.LinuxMint.com: LINK to Idea (pending) ...

Examine some further links in the LinuxMint promotion forums, which suggest additional promotion:

• Bigger discussion with many ideas;
• Idea about lobbying governments;
• Forumtopic to post your local LinuxMint user group meeting

Linux/Freeware meetings using this list (partially):

• Linux meeting Salou / Reus / Tarragona
• Linux meeting Andorra
• Please send the link to your meeting, so i can complete the list ...