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Is the LUG a thing of the past?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the where-else-do-you-get-cds dept.

tinahdee writes "Linux User Groups dying out? LUG leaders report that attendance is down — but mailing list traffic is still good. Do we still need LUGs, given the ease of installation and ubiquitousness of online information about Linux? Lots of people say, yes, we still need LUGs (and some disagree)."

11 of 162 comments (clear)

  1. local forms yes, by tomstdenis · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It isn't 1997 anymore. We don't need to meet up in shopping malls to trade 1.44M discs. LUG over the net makes sense as having a community to rely on for troubleshooting is what makes or breaks a distro.

    --
    Someday, I'll have a real sig.
  2. No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    No, as stated by Netcraft, only BSD User Groups are dying.

  3. LUGs not just for information by auroran · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Installing Linux is easier and there's lots of online help. LUGs also have the use for a social community and can let people meet face to face and discuss things. I find that real life is a much higher data rate and can save me hours of time online.

    It also never hurts to brush up on inter-personal skills at the same time.

    1. Re:LUGs not just for information by doombringerltx · · Score: 4, Funny

      Learning interpersonal skills from linux users is like having Bill from sales help you with an computer problem

  4. Instead of LUGS we need... by HangingChad · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...consultants. Time for Ubuntu to move into the enterprise.

    --
    That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
  5. I left when I got married. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    My wife didn't want me going anymore because of all the babes that were there.

  6. Yes. by bjornnlc · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Yes. The majority of LUGs I know disappeared in 2004, only leaving the larger ones behind. The quality on the remaining LUGs are top notch, so I guess this is a natural phenomenon that occurs after every hype.

  7. It depends on what you get from LUG meetings by erroneus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Some people use it as a reason to get out on the weekend. They do barbecues and cookouts, they play network games and otherwise just hang out... and occasionally address a Linux issue or two.

    If you go there to pick up chicks... uh no.

    Some people, I have seen, take their LUGs very seriously... they attend them as if they were attending church! For those people, it's a traditionally religious experience... in the most literal sense possible. (inside joke)

    I find most of these LUGs to be rather annoying. The ones that are little more than an excuse to get out of the house on a Saturday are pretty good though... burgers 'n beer are always good and a LUG is as good a reason as any.

  8. LUG... by holmedog · · Score: 5, Funny

    I always thought LUG was an acronym for Lesbians Until Graduation, one of the best forms of birth control in high school/college I've ever seen.

    1. Re:LUG... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think they just told you that because they didn't want to sleep with you.

  9. Lugs are good by jshriverWVU · · Score: 4, Informative

    I am in a nice sized LUG. Would guess over 200 people if not a lot more. Yet I admit I never go to meetings. The mailing lists is really where all of the action is. Need an answer quick? Email the list, rather than wait till the once a month meeting. Also a lot of us tech types are stereotypically introverted, so we dont need to attend a meeting and are more likely to participate via an online method (mailing list, irc, etc).