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05.07.08 A Guide To Linux Communities  By
Derrick Devine
Are you a new Linux user? Fantastic! Welcome to the world of freedom. Freedom of choice, freedom of expression, freedom from vendor lockin. You've made an excellent choice. Now that you've chosen, installed, and are using Linux there are a few things you should keep in mind as you learn the ropes of your new system. 1. Not all Communities are the Same Each Linux distribution has its own distinct community with their own ideas. Think of owning a vehicle or a certain brand of appliance...along with the ownership of this comes the lifestyle that is reflected by users/owners of the product. The same is true with Linux. Each community will have a different idea on what is important. What is important to you may not be even on the radar of those users and developers of that community. Find one that suits you. Keeping this in mind, be patient. Ask questions the smart way. Be explicit and tactful. Be precise and direct. Provide more information than you think is necessary...no one will become upset if you provide too much information but they may not answer your question if you have too little. 2. Many Linux "Guru's" are actually master Google searchers That's right! Many of the guru's in Linux are actually average Linux users savvy at searching Google or another search engine. You can be to...use http://google.com/linux for searching Linux only content and use the advanced search help to get an idea how you can pinpoint exactly what you're looking for. Pay specific attention to the search operators linked on that advanced page.
When someone does help you, ask them exactly what they searched for and how they searched for it to find a solution. Learn from these users. Often, they may have searched for a specific word order or searched within results from a query. Not asking the user who helped you find this will only inhibit your ability to find answers in the future. When asking, please remember the proper way to ask a question :-D 3. Just Like members of Social Networks (MySpace, Facebook, etc), Linux Community Members Can be Rude Linux communities are sometimes politically charged. They're also socially interactive. Communities often ascribe to different philosophies and standards. The best way to navigate through becoming part of a community or finding one that fits you is to respect others. You may not get that same respect in return because there are always those few that choose to be intolerant of opinions other than their own. Be cognizant of this fact. Understand that by not reciprocating the bad behavior you may find, you're actually improving the community you are participating in :-) When someone answers a question for you or helps you out...don't forget to thank and all those who helped you. A small thank you often help those few attitudes to adjust. Continue reading this article. About the Author: Derrick Devine started Yet Another Linux Blog in 2004-5 to chronicle his desktop Linux learning experience and to provide tips and tricks to the community. Currently, he is the webmaster for 4 major websites in the open source world and has recently joined the developer ranks for PCLinuxOS. Derrick also helps develop Foresight Linux on the KDE team there. Yet Another Linux Blog |
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