About Us
Edinburgh Linux Café is run by a group of volunteers, in partnership with Edinburgh Tool Library. Our aim is to help people save money and reduce electronic waste at the same time. We decided to act after Microsoft announced an end to support for Windows 10, forcing people in many cases to replace perfectly functional hardware with an expensive new device, or continuing to use a device which is unsafe and susceptible to malware. We don't think it is fair that these two options are being foisted on you, with our help an alternative is possible!
Upcoming Events
If you bought your machine after 2010 (and possibly even for older devices), then chances are we can help you keep using it for many years to come by installing Linux Mint. This is free software that safely runs your computer instead of Windows, and it is very easy for existing Windows users to use. Unlike Windows, it will receive security updates indefinitely.
UPDATE: Microsoft have now launched an extended security programme that will run until October 2026. This means that, if you enroll in the ESU, it is safe to use the computer for one more year. However, many people are choosing to take control of their digital lives and leave Windows anyway.
We can help you:
- Try out Linux Mint for the first time without installing anything on your computer
- Install Linux Mint if you decide you want it
- Install your favourite software and show you how to keep it updated
We are running our Linux Install Parties as drop-in events, but have informal time slots to encourage participants to spread out over the course of our events. Some things to bear in mind to get the most out of your visit:
- Do backup your personal files onto external storage beforehand - THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!
- Do bring along your laptop charger
- If you aren't able to bring your device for any reason, please bring a USB stick with you so we can put Linux Mint on it for you
- Any questions either before or after can be sent to edinburghlinuxcafe@proton.me
Past Events
Supporting Us
If you like what we do and would like to get involved, we always welcome volunteers of all ages, genders and backgrounds. No technical expertise or special IT wizardry is required, there are a variety of roles available to help us organise and run events successfully. If this appeals to you, you can find out more information and sign up as a volunteer on the volunteer page of the Edinburgh Tool Library website.
Alternatively, if have limited time but would like to support us another way, you can make one-off or recurring donations to Edinburgh Tool Library here. The Edinburgh Tool Library help us by allowing us to focus on organising and running events without much of the background admin or costs associated with running a completely independent organisation. It would be remiss not to also mention the Turing Trust, who kindly donated surplus devices to use for demonstration purposes. You can find out more about them on their website.