GNU does not listings "Linux user groups" in their web page, however is uncoerced to names "GNU/Linux user groups" whenever it vary their title to lawsuit FSF policies. For further info on this issue, view GNU/Linux naming controversy.

Local LUGs

Local Linux User Groups meet (generally weekly to monthly) to provide trend lines &/or arrange and carrier presentations for Linux users, particularly for inexperienced users. Given that Linux is non dominated by any specific corporate or even institutional breathe, LUGs come additional crucial for Linux users than more kinda users' groups. Linux is preponderantly user supported & occasionally trend lines is immensely more easygoing via phone or even even personally than all over e-electronic mail or USENET. LUGs come however primarily center hobbyist users & agents world health organization come engaged inside self-self-reliant learn.

SVLUG is among the oldest & big LUGs. It was originally formed as a Favorite Interest Class action for the Silicon Valley Computer Society (currently disbanded?), based by Daniel Kionka to trend lines Xenix and "low cost PC UNIX systems" (which late became focused in Linux when a dominant loose implementation of Unix).

Based on data from a [http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/User-Group-HOWTO.html Linux User Group HOWTO],

Typical Activities

LUGs generally meet when by the year inside facilities freely provided by universities, colleges, civic center, close corporation, or even banquet rooms in the backs of eating house. E.g., a [http://www.svlug.org/ SVLUG] of the Silicon Valley met for astir Ten years in the back of the Carl's Jr. eating house, & has met for the survive many years within meeting rooms at Cisco Systems, while a [http://www.balug.org/ BALUG] (SF Bay Locality LUG) has universally meet around a banquet room above the 4 Seas Eating house within San Francisco's chinatown.

Virtually all LUGs come loose, requiring there are no monthly or even annual dues. Inside numerous instances a participants come encouraged to patronize a hosts (esp. inside eating house meetings, by buying dinner).

A few LUGs come informal conferences or even spherical table discussions; members just sit in & chat all about Linux related topics. A bit of provide formal presentations. E.g. Linus Torvalds has occasionally talked to SVLUG or even BALUG (which are then local to his adoptive range in the Silicon Valley), & Hans Reiser (creator of ReiserFS) presented his early design plans at an SVLUG meeting. Presenters can exist as anyone in the community by using something interesting to say. At times, corporations might sponsor even or encourage their employees to speak at users' groups to promote their products. LUGs usually take that these presentations provide technically interesting content like than open sales pitches. Typically, LUG meetings provide an chance for even even members & guests to produce announcements, especially for jobs offered &/or wanted, pleas for assistance (loose or agent consulting), and devices purchasable or to exist as given away "to a good home".

Several LUGs besides organize installfests (FreeBSD groups tend to refer to them when installathons) which are chance for experient Linux users to help others, especially "newbies" (novices) with installation & configuration of Linux systems. Installfests can likewise develop break out sessions for teaching newly tips & tricks—performance tuning, security hardening, etc.

LUGs periodically come gifted using surplusage books, back issues of Linux magazines, copies of Videos & more promotional things to give away to their members.

More than these "official" LUG activities a meetings provide chance for users to socialize. Members typically exchange e-e-mail addresses, Web sites, & telephone number & provide technical indicator even even trend lines or collaborate in survey or development projects together. A select few local LUGs part characteristics of in the internet LUGs, meeting on IRC or hosting support mailing lists in addition to the physical meetings.

LUGs can likewise become the natural place for local organizations to call for Linux expertness. Prof for Unix classes at San Jose State University came to SVLUG in the early days of Linux to call for guest lecturers for their classes; occasionally LUGs provide computer facilitate to schools & non-nonprofit, & perform more community outreach services.

Online LUGs

Non completely low Linux trend lines groups refer to themselves as "a LUG", & a utilize of the word is every now and again (when in the [http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/User-Group-HOWTO.html Linux User Group HOWTO]) designed to specifically refer to groups of Linux users which organise regular meetings. Yet, a LUG indexes names groups sustaining members across a big geopgraphical metropolitan area, & above period, organisations rather the EU LUG, for Linux users throughout a European Union (as of 2005, apparently defunct) use a term LUG to refer to themselves.

Low LUGs apply mailing lists, bulletin boards and IRC as their primary method of communication, by owning members meeting physically rarely or even non in the least. When using local LUGs, a few groups come limited to technical indicator discussions & others search to form social bonds between Linux users by getting "chat" or even "off topic" forums.

Reasons for even forming or joining an on the internet LUG deviate. the select few members of on the net LUGs can be comparatively isolated forgoing a local LUG accessible or even by having lone two or three more Linux users in their front yard. A select few Linux users come dissatisfied by using their local LUG for even reasons that can include its size, insulation or atmosphere: a low class action LinuxChix, which is a worldwide LUG & sociable class action for women Linux users, was founded due to the perceived aggression & rudeness prevailing around more Linux forums. A expected member base of an low LUG, when by using supplementary on the internet trend lines groups, produce the two suitable for even humans shopping for support sustaining more obscure or hard problems. the select few Linux users come a share of two a local LUG & an on the net LUG.