Whilst I admit that Vegas is indeed the business, in this person's case the cost is prohibitive. Edit Studio is between 5-10% of the cost of Vegas and an ideal starter package for the complete novice.
If you do get into the video editing bug, you can "upgrade" to one of the more expensive packages at a later date. If you're only ever going to be a casual user, I don't think it's worth paying the extra (unless you've got money to burn!)
You've also got to factor in the end user support. Take a look around the internet and you'll find more Premiere guides than any other editing app. No doubt the user base of Vegas will grow with the marketing clout of Sony, but if you're a novice and want to buy a book, grab a guide or ask a question on a forum, you'll have more luck with Premiere.
So, in summary, and although Vegas is a wonderful package worthy of anyone's purchase, it's simply too expensive to recommend to someone that wants a free application. Throw into the equation the massive user base of Adobe and you've got another reason not to go the Vegas route. Finally, Premiere can be used in conjuction with hardware such as the offerings from Matrox.
I'd recommend Vegas, and it would indeed suit this person down to a tee. But as he asked for a free application, I thought I'd suggest the free trial from Edit Studio first. If he finds this isn't what he needs, then yes, Vegas would be an option
whats a good video editing program? 
Linear Mode
