Pointing to IT's maturity as a key driver in the recent upswing, Sandra Potter, executive director of Hewlett-Packard user group, OpenView Forum International (OVFI), said there has been a real turn-around in user group support.

Potter said users are seeking out forums and opportunities for more face-to-face networking.

She said it is a far cry from a few years ago when interest in user groups was lagging after the dotcom crash.

"Today, it is a much better climate for user groups. There's a credibility in users delivering service rather than the vendor," she said.

"Of course users still want to know what vendors have to offer, but customers know that they tend to lean towards marketing."