Where and when

Linux Install Fest will be held on December 9, 2025 in the JAG3 classroom of the Faculty of Mathematics, at Jagićeva 5, Belgrade. Entry to the classroom is possible from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Jagićeva street is located between the Pijaca Đeram station where trams 5, 6, 7L and 14 stop, and the Crveni krst station where buses 21 and 83 stop, as well as trolleybuses 19, 22 and 29.

Program schedule

The goal of the gathering is to help interested install the Linux operating system on laptops. Several people with working Linux experience will be present at the event. In addition, depending on the interest of those present, short trainings related to the command line, git, web services, C programming, etc. can be held.

After 9 p.m., we can continue socializing in one of the nearby bars.

Linux distributions

Linux is the core of the operating system, on which other programs are installed. All of these together make up a particular Linux distribution. There are many distributions, but we recommend the ones with a long tradition like the following:

• The Debian distribution is probably the most suitable for Linux beginners. Known derivatives of Debian are Ubuntu, Mint and Zorin.
• Fedora is also suitable for Linux beginners. It differs from the Debian distribution by the faster release of new versions, which in practice means that users have newer versions of the program, but the system can be potentially more unstable than Debian.
• Arch is a Linux distribution that allows the user to easily configure all parts of the system. This distribution is intended for people with significant Linux experience.

If you are a beginner and haven’t decided which distribution you want to install, we recommend Fedora or Debian. Regardless of which distribution you have, you will be able to run all programs intended for Linux.

End of 10

This year’s Linux Install Fest is organized as part of the global End of 10 campaign, which promotes the Linux operating system as a replacement for Windows 10.

For a long time now, the Windows operating system has become increasingly unfriendly to users. On the contrary, many Linux distributions have improved the user experience to the maximum, and today we can claim that Linux enables significantly more pleasant work, regardless of the user’s technical knowledge.

Windows imposes on users functionalities that users do not want to use, such as: cloud integrations, AI, advertisements, mandatory accounts, and the like. These functionalities serve above all to increase Microsoft’s profits, and have no benefit for most end users. Also, basic programs such as calendars, calculators or text editors have become slow and full of bugs. With useless functionalities, Windows becomes more demanding every year and requires the purchase of better hardware, leading to an increase in electronic waste. Unlike Windows, the latest Linux distributions work very well on computers that are more than a decade old.

The choice of an operating system is no longer just a technical decision, but also an environmental attitude.

Installation methods

We can install Linux in three ways:

1. Inside a virtual machine on Windows. In this way, the user retains his existing operating system and the data on it. Linux in a virtual machine will be significantly slower than an installation without virtualization.
2. In addition to the existing operating system. If it is possible to shrink one of your partitions and free up at least 10GB of space, you can install a Linux operating system in addition to Windows. When booting the computer, the user will be able to choose whether to boot Windows or Linux. With such an installation, there is a certain risk that one of the subsequent Windows updates will reset the bootloader settings, after which a small intervention is required to make the Linux system accessible again.
3. By completely removing the Windows system. In place of the Windows partition, a new partition with the Linux distribution will be placed. Additional partitions that exist may or may not be removed.

Before arrival

In order for the installation to be effective, before coming to the Linux Instal Fest, it is necessary to make a backup of the data from the system partition if you decide on the second or third installation option. If you have two partitions (for example, C and D), move the data from the system partition (C:) that you want to keep to the non-system partition (D:). If you don’t have an additional partition, you can use a USB flash drive. Pay attention to the files inside the user directory (Desktop, Downloads, Documents,... ), and export bookmarks and passwords from the browser.

Also, before your arrival, you can familiarize yourself with the appearance and way of functioning of various Linux distributions. You can try some Linux distributions through the browser, without any installation, on the DistroSea website (sometimes it is necessary to wait a short time to free up resources on the site). Please note that the operating system on this site is many times slower than the system installed on your computer.

Organizer

The organizer of the event is Decentrala - a group of enthusiasts gathered around the ideas of decentralization and free dissemination of knowledge. So far, we have organized more than 300 events, and we regularly announce the next events on the Events page.

In the following period, two more events for Linux beginners will be held at the same location (classroom JAG3):

• Tuesday December 16 - Introduction to the Linux command line
• Tuesday, December 23 - Introduction to Git

Events start at 6pm.

Ponovo

You can bring defective devices to the Linux install fest: laptops, phones, desktop computers, monitors... We will deliver them to the organization Ponovo in Kikinda during January. This organization will repair these devices and thereby prevent the increase of electronic waste.