I enjoy the "Linux culture" because with it are tons of high quality, completely free programs. Also, it is the philosophy of Linux being exactly how you want it to be. The amount of tweaks and alterations you can do make it very friendly to the sort of tinkerer I am. The people in the culture, I would say, are generally very friendly and like minded. Most of the people are so passionate about Linux that it creates a culture willing to assist others with problems.

If I couldn't belong, I would adapt.

One of the most valuable things I did involved remaking a Linux distribution for a specific need. The benefit was a learning experience for me. The product wasn't very worthwhile considering the time involved, but the learning experience was.

I think a misconception about Linux users is that many people generalize that we are all computer experts who can fix any computer problem, regardless if we have never heard of the latest software package they do not understand how to use.

Of those who do know about Linux, most don't understand that there are many distributions. There are generally two types of people who have heard of Linux. Those who think it is impossibly difficult and only for computer geeks, and those who assume Linux to be exactly like Microsoft Windows, but free.

I have been a Linux user for about three years. When I first installed Linux, I felt like a child building their first tree-fort. Even if it means installing for a day and removing, I still get excited waiting for new releases from various projects, just to see what new things they have done.

The people I look up to most in the culture are the people who contribute to the open source projects I enjoy using. They create quality software for all to use freely, and they are the people who make the culture a reality.