Build a Linux community
Make links and get together with other users.
My makerspace in Blackpool started out as a LUG, and in 2009 I went along to my first meeting in its first home. PC Recycler was set up by Mike Hewitt as a way to offer low-cost computers to the citizens of Blackpool. Blackpool LUG started to do more with Arduino and Raspberry Pi, and so it became Blackpool Makerspace and LUG.
From this space, and others just like it around the world, children have learnt to code alongside their parents and projects have been made – some of which then led to much larger projects. But most of all a community was made. Linux is a community of communities, and each community is served by a user group that provides the support and knowledge needed for the community to grow.
But what happens if there is no user group near to you? The first step should be to travel to a group and make links with it. Could there be others in your local area who could find a group useful? Arrange a meeting in a public space. Try to avoid pubs or bars, as that may not be conducive to your meeting. Coffee shops and libraries are ideal places, offering plenty of space, Wi-fi and drinks.
The second step is to get on social media and ask if anyone else is interested in your meeting. The social aspect of a community is the most important skill to grow.
The last step is to run a meeting and take constructive feedback from the attendees. What was good? What was bad? All feedback should be taken positively, as it helps us to grow as a person and as a community.