On 12 June, Repair Café fans and Linux enthusiasts from all over the world joined us for our sixth international webinar. We shared tips and tricks on why a Linux Repair Café is important and how you can start your own. The webinar presentation is now available!
Repair enthusiasts from Canada, Ireland, Belgium, Australia and Germany came together online from all corners of the world to strengthen the growing Linux Repair Café movement. Organisers Joanna van der Zanden (Repair Café International, Amsterdam) and Martin Charter (Centre for Sustainable Design, UK) were pleasantly surprised by the huge turnout of over three hundred participants.
Watch it again!
Did you miss the webinar? No problem – we’ve put together a short compilation highlighting the key points. You can now watch the presentation on YouTube (with subtitles in German, French, Spanish and Dutch). For a glimpse of the atmosphere, read the report below.
This is how we really make a difference
Joanna van der Zanden, chair of the Repair Café International Foundation, once again emphasises the importance of Linux Repair Cafés. Over 240 million computers will be at risk of being discarded when Microsoft stops supporting Windows 10 on 13 October 2026. This is precisely why Martine Postma established the Linux Repair Café last year, where individuals can familiarise themselves with Linux as an open-source alternative and have it installed. This movement is therefore really making a difference!
Presentation of the Linux Repair Café starter pack
Johan Zwaan, the project coordinator for the Linux Repair Café, demonstrates what is included in the comprehensive starter pack. This makes it easy for you to set up your own Linux Repair Café. This includes a step-by-step guide, a PowerPoint presentation for visitors, and a press release. The pack also contains a special installation version of Linux Mint. This user-friendly version resembles Windows and can be installed in just 10–15 minutes. The starter pack is available to both existing Repair Cafés and new, independent initiatives.
Success stories from the Netherlands and France
Success stories from the Netherlands and FranceVolunteers Mari Vogels and Harry Leever from Linux Repair Café Uden in the Netherlands say that they have already managed to install Linux on 80 laptops. They were only unable to do so on one laptop, which is a great result! However, the spotlight is stolen by Rebecca Pelletey (from Linux Repair Café de Biot on the French Riviera), who is the youngest Linux ambassador. “Linux fits perfectly with the values of the Repair Café movement,” she says. “You can use it for free, it’s community-driven, and it empowers users.”
Tips from an unexpected source
Tips from an unexpected sourceMartien Remijn and Theo Band, volunteers from Linux Repair Cafés, answered the many questions in the chat. Why was Linux Mint chosen? How do you help visitors with questions after installation? In response to the question of how Repair Cafés can find volunteers with Linux knowledge, there was also a tip from an unexpected source: via a hackerspace! Some questions sparked a lively discussion. Joanna therefore concluded the webinar with the words: ‘We can learn a lot from one another, and that is one of the key values of the Repair Café movement. Let’s continue to share experiences and tips about Linux Repair Cafés.”
More information
- Watch the highlights of the presentation on YouTube. It also includes the key Q&As.
- Both our step-by-step guide for new Linux users and our special installation version of Linux Mint are available free of charge to everyone.
- Read more about Linux Repair Café
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