IRC Linux Support, through burnout and beyond.

I've been doing support on IRC for more than three years now. Overall, it's been a rewarding experience, and, an important learning experience for me as well. With 20+ years of dealing with and supporting controls on industrial machinery over the phone and in the field, I was hardly a novice in the support. About six months after I started using Linux full time I felt I knew enough to help some of the new folks trying to transition into Linux.

At first I applied that in the forums of the Distro that I'd started with, and, with manuals and how-tos, which proved to required constant updates to keep them current. I soon I discovered that IRC was a much more immediate, personal, and successful way of interaction. While the constant influx of new users can be challenging, and the worst of them annoying beyond belief, the majority really wanted to make Linux work for them. It's rewarding to be a part of making that happen. I suppose that what I've really found is that I enjoy teaching.

There's been talk about about how support work burns people out, and that certainly can be true. Early on, I found that it was really necessary to pace and limit how you approach support. If you try to do it all yourself, you 'will' burn out. The trick is to promise yourself that if you see yourself caring less, you'll just back off. If a user is too clinging, take a break. While that really isn't really possible in the Corporate world, the great thing about a good IRC channel is that you have others who can and will take up the slack.

Speaking of those other support peers, I've actually made more real friends doing this than in anything else I can remember. I've talked with them for years now and the friendship extends far beyond just Linux support.

Doing Linux support on IRC will also change you in some very positive but unexpected ways. I don't think I realized how much doing Linux support and working with Linux users changes you until I was configuring and explaining email for my Mother. She said to me"Jim, I don't understand how you can be so patient, I would have thrown up my hands long ago.". I was taken totally aback. How cool was that? My Mother is the first one I think of when patience is even mentioned.

Most of my current support is done on the freenode #mepis channel. Strange, since I really have reservations about how that Distribution is handled... So why? Well, all of the guys and gals I started with have returned there to do support and keep in touch. Most of them have actually moved on to Debian, or Arch or whatever. Truth is that people have been known to send new users from other Distros to us cause they know we'll treat them well. I think only one or two support people actually still run Mepis, but, we all know it's still a good pathway to something better, and, want to help others to get there. For people who want to give back to the Linux community, It may not be for everyone, but, IRC support is a good way to contribute. Challenging and even annoying at times, it can still be ultimately fun and 'very' rewarding.

For new users needing support, a couple of tips though:

Don't come into a support channel with 'I have a (quick) question' or 'can I ask a question'. Better to just say 'Hi guys :)', and then ask the question. We know why you're there... The second is, don't name yourself 'im_a_newuser' and expect a hot reception. That get's really old. And finally, don't 'demand'. Remember, all of this support is volunteer, we ain't getting paid to do it, so, let's be courteous.

Otherwise, just be ready and willing to listen and learn. We'll get along fine.

Nick: R0nin
Server: irc.oftc.net
Channel: #debcentral

Nick: R0nin
Server: irc.freenode.net
Channel: #mepis