I’m writing this because many people who are new to linux miss out on what can be a great resource - their local LUG. I myself am a prime example of this, my first outing to a LUG was just a few months ago and I’ve been using linux for years.
LUG is an abbreviation for Linux User Group, and they can be found right around the world. They do vary a lot in terms of activity, size and the types of meetings held, but they all have one thing in common - a love of linux and a wealth of knowledge on the subject.
The meetings are also not as daunting as you might think. In my experience they are generally a very relaxed affair. My local LUG for example is held in a pub, and it feels just like a bunch of like minded geeks hanging out drinking and chatting. Before I attended my first meeting I didn’t know what to expect, especially as I knew I’d be the only woman there. I had visions of geeks reciting bash code or similar and me sat there scratching my head all the way through it. In reality it was far from that picture, I received a very warm welcome and barely stopped chatting all night (which is unusual for me as I’m usually the quiet one in the corner!).
My local LUG is a very small group so we don’t have organised talks or anything of that sort currently. However I know some of the larger ones do, so if that’s what you’re after check with the group before attending. Most, if not all, at least have a mailing list for members so asking there is a good idea. To find out where your local LUG is located, you can check the worldwide listing here. Some of the information may be out of date (it is for my local LUG), but if you at least have the name of the group you can always search Google for it.
If there isn’t a LUG near you then you might consider starting one yourself. It doesn’t have to be anything grand, an informal meet in a pub or cafe is all you really need to begin with. You don’t even necessarily have to progress from that, many local groups are quite happy with a monthly meeting in a pub/cafe to chat and catch up on news and developments, share experiences etc. Don’t think you have to have a huge amount of knowledge either, a little enthusiasm alone goes a long way!
In conclusion, if you have an interest in linux and there’s a group near you I really recommend that you go. Of course there might be the odd one or two horrible groups out there (don’t blame me if yours is like that!) but from my own experience and everything I hear from others they’re generally great and well worth attending - you won’t find out if you don’t go! Really though, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, support your local LUG this month and get yourself down to a meeting.
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For people interested in LUG work, I wrote a small article on arranging Linux events.
That’s a nice article Morten, thanks for linking. It might actually be quite helpful to my LUG as we’re looking at having some more structured meetings with a possible change of venue. It can be hard to think of all the practicalities so articles like yours are really useful, I’ll definitely be sharing that. :)