For a number of years now Tectonic has hosted a list of open source and Linux usergroups based in Africa. Usergroups are, after all, the lifeblood of free and open source software and the fact that the number of groups was always growing was good news for free software in Africa. But lately the list of active groups appears to be dwindling. So where have all the usergroups gone?

Before I get flamed for missing the obvious let me say this: I know that many usergroups are limited to email and not having a website does not necessarily mean the group is dead. But, having said that, there is also the reality that many, if not all, the usergroups we knew of had a web presence at some point, even if it was basic, which served to expose the usergroup to new members. Now many of them don’t even have a page to sign up, which is no good for

Below is the list of usergroups Tectonic built up over the years, with the apparently non-active ones deleted:

Egypt
Egyptian GNU/Linux User Group ( http://www.eglug.org/)
EGLUG exists to serve the Egyptian Free/Open Source Community.

Kenya
KLUG ( http://www.linuxkenya.net/) (Appears to have been taken over by squatters)
Kenya Linux User Group

Nakuru LUG ( http://linux.nakuru.co.ke) (Simply not available)
Nakuru Linux User Group

Namibia
LUGN ( http://www.lug.namibia.na/) (No response)
Linux User Group of Namibia

The Informal Linux Group ( http://www.linux.org.na) (A bulletin board-based site)
Linux, and any related services.

Nigeria
Nigerian Linux Users Group ( http://www.nglug.org/) (Domain is active but database has been down for weeks)
Nigerian Linux Users Group

Rwanda
Rwanda Linux User group ( http://www.rwandalinux.org/) (Directs to questionable commercial venture)
Rwanda Linux User group

RWLUG ( http://rwlug.linuxorbit.com/) (Directs to questionable commercial venture) Rwanda Linux User Group

South Africa
CLUG ( http://www.clug.org.za)
Cape Linux Users Group

ELUG ( http://www.elug.co.za)
East Rand Linux User Group

GLUG ( http://www.glug.org.za)
Gauteng Linux Users group

LEAD ( http://www.lead.org.za)
Linux Enthusiasts Association of Durban
LEG ( http://www.leg.uct.ac.za/)
UCT Linux Enthusiasts Group

LPA ( http://www.lpa.org.za) Appears to have disappeared fairly recently
Linux Professionals Association

MLUG ( http://wvzyl.freeyellow.com/index.html)
Mpumalanga Linux User Group

OpenCafe LUG ( http://www.opencafe.co.za/lug/) (The OpenCafe site is still working but the usergroup appears defunct)

PLUG ( http://www.plug.za.org) (Not found)
Pretoria Linux Users Group

PSLUG ( http://pslug.qvtech.cc) (Not found)
Port Shepstone Linux User Group

SLUG ( http://www.slug.org.za/) (Redirects to HBD venture capital’s website)
Schools Linux User Group

SULUG ( http://www.sulug.sun.ac.za)
Stellenbosch Linux Users Group

TLUG ( http://tlug.up.ac.za)
Tuks Linux Users Group

ZA.PM.ORG ( http://za.pm.org/) (No actual usergroup information)
Perl Mongers - South African Perl users group

Uganda
Uganda Linux User group ( http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/lug)

Zambia
ZLUG ( http://www.dgroups.org/groups/zlug) (Error page only)
Zambia Linux User Group

Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Open Source Society (ZOSS) ( http://www.zoss.org.zw)
ZOSS is a group geared towards promoting the use of open source in Zimbabwe.

ZWLUG ( http://zwlug.sourceforge.net)
Zimbabwe Linux User Group

ZWLUG ( http://www.linux.org.zw/) (No response from server)
Zimbabwe Linux User Group

Which is not very encouraging. 11 out of an original 27 usergroups now have no online presence and can’t attracting too many new users.

If you’re responsible for one of these, now defunct groups, let us know what has happened to the group. Or if you’re part of a usergroup which is not listed on this page then let us know and we’ll add you to our list.

Original link: http://www.tectonic.co.za/?p=220...