Do LUGs Still Matter?

Joe Barr, writing for NewsForge asks, "Do LUGs still matter? Back in the day, LUGs were rowdy, popular, and highly contagious centers for aficionados of Linux. Install fests were a big deal. Members came from all walks of life, united only by a penchant for something new and cool, and a chance to place a bet on the impossible notion of world domination by an operating system hacked together by a ragtag bunch of students on the Internet. It's different today. Linux is now mainstream, it's being spread by slick corporate marketing, and with most distros, installation is a snap. So the question arises, do LUGs still matter?"

Oslo PILS and Linux User Group

[Anonymous Coward]

Of course it matters - OPLUG [oplug.org]! :)

Here's the answer from TFA

[putko]

From TFA:

"I guess my answer is that yes, LUGs do still matter, but not as much as they did in the early days. They are not the primary drivers of Linux adoption that they once were. Improvements in the ease of installation of modern distributions, Linux's widespread adoption, and its acceptance as an enterprise tool have all combined to lessen the need for what LUGs offer. Today's LUG is less a vibrant beacon of a community of users and more of a professional/social club for admins."

Yeah, sounds pretty reasonable to me.

Re:Meeting Chicks

[Brento]

I heard that Linux User Groups were a good place to meet chicks? Is this true?

Yes, in the sense that you'll meet the "chicks" you've been having virtual sex with.

Lug Radio

[shish]

Without LUGs, there would be no LUG Radio [lugradio.org]!

Re:Meeting Chicks

[Hymer]

"Women don't use Linux, they use Windows." Bullshit !
Just look at our cousins @ BSD, there are lot of girls... and women do also like Mac...
--
I dream of a united Linux, xBSD, Mac OS X, UNIX world... and with no room for M$ !

Re:Yes!

[SilverspurG]

Where else can I go to drink beer and talk geek?

Victoria Linux Enthusiasts LUG

[totallygeek]

Our LUG [vle.org] found it difficult to keep meetings going, but the forums [vle.org] have become a great place for question and answer.

Mainstream??

[theraccoon]

"Linux is now mainstream, it's being spread by slick corporate marketing, and with most distros, installation is a snap."

Mainstream? You guys really need to get out of the Slashdot Universe and look around. Linux is far from mainstream.

And which distros make installation a "snap?" When installing Linux, I still have to TELL it what kind of Keyboard and Mouse I'm using. Go ahead, ask your mom or sister or girlfriend or the star athlete at your school/college what kind of mouse they use. Wait for the blank stare followed by the look of confusion. After counting my mouse buttons (does the scroll wheel count as a button?) I have to exit the installer and enter some arcane partition program that makes me cry each and every time. And even after all that, I still don't have all the software I need to install my programs. I "get" to go online and download 18 "dependancy" packages, all which require their own, separate dependancy packages.

At the rate things are moving with Linux, I doubt I'll see it becoming mainstream in my lifetime, if ever. Yes, it's incredibly stable and powerful, but can your average computer user just sit down and start using it to do their taxes? No. Seriously, everyone jokes about it, but until your parents can easily install and navigate the system, it won't ever be mainstream.

Dude

[ylikone]

That LUG sucks!