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Re: [LUG] Helping newbies

 

james kilty wrote:
> On Fri, 2008-02-15 at 08:35 +0000, John Hansen wrote:
> 
>> I concur with your comments re LXF and shall shortly stop my subscription.
> Will you tell them why. I agree with Viv to the extent that there are
> potentially interesting and valuable articles that jump from a
> comprehensible beginning to technical detail, when the gap needs only a
> couple of sentences. They did refute the need for such help in one
> article recently which was defensive to say the least, certainly
> insensitive to the needs of readers, whose numbers must be increasing.
> 

James,

I have had the following reply from the editor of LXF:


I'm sorry you'd like to cancel your subscription, but I'm afraid this 
isn't something I can do for you - the subscriptions team needs to do 
this, because I don't have access to your account. You can call 0844 848 
2852, email linuxformatdvd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or go to your account on 
www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk - all of those places can cancel your 
subscription for you, but I'm afraid I cannot!

 > The magazine offers little of interest to a Linux user without desire 
to try numerous distros as well as obscure applications. I had hoped to 
learn about using Linux in place of Windows but there is little to help 
a "newbie".

I've only recently taken over as the editor of Linux Format, but I would
definitely agree that we're not doing enough to support newbies. From 
LXF104 onwards we're launching a regular "New to Linux" section in the 
magazine covering the core skills for Linux. We're also just finishing a 
series on using your digital camera with Linux, as well as making music, 
  getting off Windows (LXF102), streaming net music (LXF101), as well as 
our regular "What on Earth?" features and First Steps tutorials.

However, I would still say that's not enough, which is why - from today 
- we're launching an all-new subscriber-only section of the website that 
gives subscribers access to 30 issues of tutorials and features so they 
can get all the advice they need right now rather than waiting for the 
next issue to come out.

So, I absolutely agree with you that we need to work harder to encourage 
and support newcomers to Linux, and I hope you'll maybe take another 
subscription out in the future if you feel I've managed to get the 
magazine on the right track. If I've slipped up somewhere and the 
magazine still isn't quite easy enough for you, you're quite welcome to 
send any suggestions my way and I'll try to take them onboard!

If you have problems getting in touch with the subscriptions team to 
cancel, please let me know and I'll do what I can to help.

Take care,


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