I came across this great article today entitled Linux is Not Windows. This is a fantastic post that breaks down why people should stop comparing Linux to Windows and what newbies can do to make their Linux experience more enjoyable as well as not piss off existing Linux users. =) It’s a little long, but definitely worth reading (and saving, to point to those people who seem to think Linux should be a FOSS Windows clone).
He breaks it down into the following problems:
1 Linux isn’t exactly the same as Windows
2 Linux is too different from Windows
3 Culture shock
3a There is a culture
3b New vs Old
4 Designed for the designer
5 The myth of “user-friendly”
5a Familiar is friendly
5b Inefficient is friendly
6 Imitation vs Convergence
7 That FOSS thing
It’s very well articulated and quite intelligent. Most of all, it makes sense… good sense. It would even make sense to the guy whining that Linux isn’t exactly the same as Windows, and gives good reasons as to why it a) never will be and b) never should be.