I just got back from a fortnightly meeting with Abertay Linux Society. It’s a pretty casual event – some weeks people give talks on Linux related (and unrelated) topics or we discuss the promotion of Linux to other users, this week we sat in the bar to talk about Software Freedom Day. There are are wide variety of members too, from experienced developers and veteran users to students wanting help with their first install.

I consider myself pretty lucky to be in an area with an active group where I can talk to other Linux users face to face. However, even before I came to Dundee I was far from alone – I contacted people through forums, IRC and mailing lists. Not only can I get technical help but it’s good just to chat about new technologies, share resources and links and continue to learn about the OS. When I have a problem or need advice, I’m never alone. There is always a range of people willing to offer suggestions and advice.

If you’ve been a part of the Open Source community for a while this probably all seems obvious, a natural part of your every day life. But for an average Windows user, an operating system is simply something you run. It’s not something worth talking to your friends about. It’s not a topic you would join a forum to discuss. Of course there are groups of evangelists and developers but for someone who simply uses the Windows operating system for day-to-day tasks becoming part of community about it seems unlikely.

So perhaps when we introduce people to Linux, it’s something we need to actually point out. Encourage our neighbour who now has Fedora on their laptop to join LinuxChix. Point out forums and message boards to our newly converted parents. Not only will it mean less tech-support calls for us, but becoming part of a community will help inexperienced users stick with Linux, and share it with others. It’s one of the most talked about benefits of Open Source – let’s not leave anyone out.