Get a group together
Got a LUG going on? Tell us about it.
Are LUGS still a thing? Just recently I was talking on The Mintcast podcast and the question came up about the situation of LUGS in the UK. Dan Lynch, former co-host of Linux Outlaws, said that there had been some discussion about the decline of LUGS in the UK. Are there fewer LUGS in 2019 than there were in 2018? A quick look at https://lug.org.uk shows that there are 60 active LUGS in the UK, but I could not find any data for previous years. Should we be taking stock each year?
There are more Maker/hack spaces in the UK and some of these spaces are born from LUGS, because we are typically early adopters who love to tinker with new technology. These spaces also need machines to run the laser cutters and 3D printers, and this is where Linux really shines as a stable platform.
So are LUGS merging with Maker/hack spaces? It would seem to be a trend but there is no data to support this other than my observations, which are rather narrow. Are LUGS moving online? Could the humble LUG be reduced to an IRC channel or Discord group? Do we still receive the same benefits from the comfort of our sofa?
I would say not. Going to a LUG, be it in a Maker/hack space or a cafe/ pub/library is a way to expand your knowledge of Linux, learn new skills in many different areas, and make friends face to face! Write to Linux
Format (lxf.letters@futurenet.com) and let me know about your LUG, what you do and how you help others discover Linux.