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

[Lance Duivenbode]

Another potential solution is to use Kubuntu. I've had my Dad running on a KDE 
interface (first Sarge+KDE and now Kubuntu Feisty) for the last 3 years since 
I got sick of constantly cleaning the malware from his machine. 

After a standard Kubuntu install, I also installed Thunderbird and Firefox and 
set the alternatives links to point to these instead of Konqueror and KMail. 
Aside from this, the only changes I made was to the keyboard shortcuts (set 
to Windows with Win key - under Regional & Accessibility->Keyboard Shortcuts) 
and to the icon click mode (set to double click - under 
Peripherals->Mouse->General). Both of these are found under the KDE Control 
Center which can be accessed by running 'kcontrol' from a shell/run dialog.

Whilst he's certainly not an experienced user (he only had limited experience 
on XP), he reckons that the only changes he noticed was that it doesn't crash 
as much and he doesn't need to call me as often!

- Lance

On Monday 06 August 2007 17:05:54 Steve Baker wrote:
> 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...
> >
> > Paul Antoine
>
> The grandkids probably won't care - they'll notice it's a different
> system, click buttons, play with it, figure out what (if anything) is
> different from what they are used to, then explain it to grandad.
>
> His kids will likely bitch and complain that 'this is crap' because it
> LOOKS different to what they are used to.  If you are lucky and they see
> that Thunderbird and Firefox work pretty much the same as Outlook
> Express and IE, and just get on with it.  If you are unlucky, they won't
> touch it because it looks wrong.
>
> If you are REALLY lucky, the kids won't see it and his grandkids will do
> it all for him.
>
> I'd suggest go with Ubuntu, stick a couple of icons on the desktop
> labeled 'Internet' and 'E-mail', and leave it with him.  If his
> kids/grandkids can't figure it out, they'll probably tell him to get
> windows.  At that point you tell him it's another $xxx, and $yyy each
> time you need to re-install it.
>
> Regards,
> Steve
>
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