Fedora Basic End User Rollout Support Operation

[Joel Rees]

On Jan 2, 2010, at 4:33 AM, Robert E. Martin, VCM Network wrote:

> [...] Fedora has many advantages, but in its raw state it is not  
> very user friendly.
>
Actually, in its current state, it is very user friendly to those not  
steeped in the One True Microsoft Way.

Except for system upgrades, and the high churn rate.
> I am looking to talk to someone who knows has to create a user  
> friendly approach to Linux that can be effectively pitched to the  
> consumer and SMB market.
>
Would it be out of place for me to suggest that the "user friendly  
approach" may be more of an exercise in providing a Rosetta Stone, of  
sorts, to help people familiar with the Microsoft (cough) Way to  
figure out what they really wanted to do and what the tools to use  
are called?

If you're looking for a project that throws an MSWindows veneer over  
a Linux distribution, such do exist, at some times and in some  
places. I forget what any of them have been called, though. Maybe  
someone else here remembers?
> My business model will simply be to set-up, configure systems,  
> assist with package application selections and train this market  
> for competitive price.  Can someone point me to the right person or  
> people who are doing it or potentially have the know-how?
>
centos.org has been mentioned. Have you talked to the people at Red  
Hat? (You know, the ones who sponsor the Fedora Project.)

BTW, I agree with several who have suggested that Fedora is not  
appropriate. It's kind of a playground for geeks and hobbyists, as  
well as a testing ground for some of Red Hat's enterprise products.  
It can be induced to work for small businesses, but I think the word  
you want to hear about that is "customized". By which I mean you have  
people building true custom systems. (And I don't mean packages  
customized to a market niche. I do not mean packages, at all.)

And, of course, there are Ubuntu and other non-Red Hat distributions  
that have slightly different focus.

Joel Rees, free-associating a little