This week, Microsoft is hosting a gathering of enthusiasts who publish Web sites supporting the Windows community.

You can see a list of Windows XP Related Communities on the Expert Zone.

At the kickoff dinner last night, I spoke with folks from Neowin.net, Activewin.com, and Tweakxp.com, among others. These are some of the most popular Windows XP sites on the Web. I asked each of them how and why they started publishing their Web sites. Nobody said "venture capital."

The common thread in all of their answers: They thought they could do some good.

It's an amazing and unique aspect of the Windows community that so many people are dedicated to helping other users. If you're a Windows enthusiast, looking for information to help you solve issues or have more fun with your PC, these related community sites are the place to go.

-Chris Norred, tech editor,

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