[plug] How to convert without having to support??

[Kev]

G'day Paul

Paul Antoine wrote:
> Folks,
>
> In deference to everyone's desire for on-topic content, I proffer the 
> following conundrum:
>
> I have been approached by an acquaintance who wishes to connect to the 
> Internet for the first time.  He's 60+ year old pensioner and 
> computer-illiterate, though his kids/grandkids are not of course.  
> He's also cheap... and wants a computer for $300.
>
> No problem I thought.  I have lots of old PIII bits lying around which 
> will happily run Ubuntu, and another friend of his has donated a 
> screen, keyboard and mouse.
>
> I want him to run Ubuntu so he doesn't have to buy an M$ license for 
> XP (Win98 is now no longer supported with fixes) and to help him avoid 
> the worries of malware, spyware and viruses.
>
> Now here's the rub: I don't want to have to teach/support him as I 
> simply don't have the time.  I'd like his kids/grandkids to be able to 
> do that for him, but am afraid that their unfamiliarity with Ubuntu 
> will make them ineffective in that regards.
>
> Ideas? Suggestions?  I await your collective wisdom...

Excuse the typos, as I'm typing whilst running and ducking for cover.  
The only distro out there which really is pretty much ready for the 
user/s you describe is Xandros (Linspire doesn't compare imo).  The only 
problem, from my point of view, with Xandros, is that they're one of the 
companies which have done a deal with the dark side.  If none of that 
bothers you, I have a copy of the latest free version DVD, which you are 
welcome to copy.  Xandros have aimed their product squarely at the 
Windoze refugee market.  It's /designed/ to feel familiar to Windoze 
users.  So much so that the main criticism I've heard is that it looks 
and feels too much like Windoze.  Yet under the bonnet is a fairly 
ordinary Debian distro, which, within a couple of constraints, he can 
eventually tweak almost to his heart's content. 

Feel free to contact me off-list if you'd like to have a look.

Cheers
Kev

-- 
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Kev Downes
kdownes at tpg.com.au  ph 0404 7 0808 2
We used to use and recommend Xandros but they went to the dark side
So we'll soon be using and recommending Debian Etch
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