Who's the Fedora user?

[Patrick Barnes]

Rather than spout off about what we should tell her, I'll take the
approach of writing a draft letter:
----

Dear Judy,

I am sorry that you have not fully enjoyed your experience with Linux so
far. Linux and Windows are drastically different operating systems, and
it can be a frustrating change when you are just starting.

One of the complaints we hear the most is about games that do not work.
Because Windows and Linux are different operating systems, Linux cannot
run programs that were built for Windows. Many programs, such as
Firefox, are built for both. The games that you have on CDs are most
likely not built to run on Linux. You can contact the manufacturers to
see if they have produced Linux versions. As an alternative, there are
many games available for Linux. A lot of these are available as packages
for Red Hat's distribution. There is a big advantage here: they're free!

<insert installation instructions here>

If there are games for Windows that you really want to get running, you
can look into Transgaming's Cedega. This is a commercial program that
may be able to get some of your Windows games running under Linux.

As for your anti-virus software, there really isn't much need for
anti-virus software on a Linux desktop. That's one security advantage of
Linux. If you would feel more comfortable having anti-virus software,
ClamAV is readily available and completely free.

<insert installation instructions here>

We understand that you probably don't want to spend a great deal of
money to learn Linux. Most Linux users are tech-savvy folks who read
information online and use Google a lot. There may, however, be less
expensive and easier options for you. You might be able to find basic
classes in your area, or you might be able to connect with a local Linux
User Group (LUG) that can help you get started or point you to useful
resources. We have looked it up, and found the following information for
groups in your area:

<insert information here>

We are always working hard to make Linux systems easier and more
intuitive to use. We don't want you to be stuck with Windows because our
systems aren't easy enough. There are very large community teams
constantly working to make Linux work for you.

One of the best ways to really get moving with Linux is to get in touch
with the community. You'll find that while there are many people who
speek what sounds like Greek to you, there are also many average folks
out there who are ready to answer your questions and work with you to
help you get things done. Forums, IRC chat, and mailing lists are all
popular options. We have put together a short list of links to put you
in touch with the community.

<insert information here>

We do understand your frustration, and are working hard to ease the
transition. We hope that you will not give up on Linux, and will stick
with us as Linux grows. We value feedback like yours to tell us where we
need to focus. We look forward to hearing from you again in the future,
hopefully with better news.

----
Okay, there's my draft. Do with it as you will.

-- 
Patrick "The N-Man" Barnes
nman64 at n-man.com

www.n-man.com
-- 

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