How to get Help
From TWUUG
If you are stuck on a linux or other free software problem, there are plenty of places to turn to for help. Lots of these places are free, but some companies do offer paid support for linux and related technologies.
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Consult the Application Documentation
See Linux Application Documentation for a list of the resources available on your computer.
Google It!
Chances are, if you have a problem, you're not the only one who's run into this before. Try searching for relevant terms to your problem in Google, for example, "public printer samba configuration"
Keep in mind that for certain searches, Google has a variety of Special Searches, including school/university, government, linux, BSD, Mac, etc.
Searching on other engines such as Yahoo or Lycos may help as well.
Mailing Lists
Using our very own TWUUG Mailing Lists is a great place to start!
For the most effective use of the list, make sure you try researching the problem on your own first. That way, you will have a better idea of how to phrase your question and it will show that you have invested some time trying to solve it. Then, when you are ready to post, include relevant information about what is going wrong, what you tried, what you are trying to do, and any error messages. If it is hardware related, always include the make and model.
Message Boards
For Linux related questions and answers, linuxquestions.org is a popular message board site.
IRC
IRC is a great place to go to get help, and usually can get you a quick response. A popular IRC network for free software development and support is Freenode - to get the best response, make sure you ask for help in a channel related to your particular issue, for example, don't ask for help with your Samba configuration in #cups (unix printing).
Paid support
If all else fails, or your company just wants peace-of-mind in knowing someone is ready to help with their free software problems, check out the following companies.
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