Interesting note, Anne. Thanks. Two comments, both I suppose related to Linux Format magazine..
First, of the linux serial publications (although there are a number of 'Linux for Dummies' type books around), Linux Format is pretty accessible to the new user. Second, this month's issue (November) has a review of a new distro, Homebase, which fits nearly exactly your ideal system. It's a linux distro for newbies, apparently installs seamlessly, and uses a consistent browser interface (Mozilla-based). It's a free download (www.oeone.com). You can also, for $19.95 US/yr, have a subscription service that allows you to backup your files on their servers, store configuration files, and more generally synchronize your machine with your space on the server. You can also access your 'desktop' from anywhere simply by logging in to your server Homebase. Check out the review. I have three boxes at home, all dual boots with Windows and various flavors of linux (Mandrake, RedHat, Gentoo). One box is for the kids who basically spend some time playing games on the internet or doing research for school. They care not a whit about operating systems but just want to sit down and browse around. I believe Homebase will be ideal for them and will try it shortly (soon as I get my firewall box setup properly!). Terry Smith Cape Cod USA On Sun, 2002-11-03 at 14:07, Anne Wilson wrote: > On Sunday 03 Nov 2002 6:16 pm, you wrote: > > On Sunday 03 November 2002 06:59 am, Anne Wilson wrote: > > > On Sunday 03 Nov 2002 1:39 pm, you wrote: > > > > ahhhh Charlie, you are ever the optomist..... > > > > > > > > it is my bet that the only thing not to change is entropy. > > > > > > > > > > > > ET > > > > > > You're such a ray of sunshine :-) > > > > > > Anne > > > > Anne; > > He is that, isn't he? <g> > > > > Miark and ET; > > Pessimists may be correct more often but we optimists usually have more > > fun. > > > > :-) > > > > All; > > > <snip> > > > > I've always been aware of that. However; I'm also aware that those of us > > that are called "advocates for Open Source" still have a chance to win many > > of the small battles for the mind space that is the consumer market, and > > that any 'revolution' has to begin somewhere. > > > Considering the amount of time I spend trying to sort out the problems with > windows computers for friends and family, I've been considering what is > really needed for an introduction to Linux. > > For many people, a clean install plus Open Office and any good web browser > would be adequate (sometimes too many choices are counterproductive at > first). I would think that there needs to be a web page set up similar to > the one Mandrake gave us with their links, but linking to lists of hardware > compatibility and documentation. Certainly no app should be on a beginner's > machine if it doesn't have documentation available from Help. > > There is a need for a magazine (or part of one) that trully tackles beginners > needs. Currently the series that run in our magazines need geeks to > understand them. Something on the level of Computer Active, that introduces > new topics slowly, giving the user time to get to grips with a new concept, > and introducing choice when they are ready for it. > > Then of course there is a need for a simple installer, as fool-proof as > Install Shield. I think Mandrake are working well towards that, but there is > a need for all distros to use the same method (at the user level, whatever > the programmers feel is needed under the bonnet). A distro like Mandrake has > everything most users will ever need - but they have to be able to find it > and install it. > > The truth is that Linux is scarey if you don't have someone to hold your hand > - and you are much more likely to find a windows user to hand-hold than a > linux one - so startup must be simpler. A certain level of computer literacy > is required to use a list like this, valuable as it is. > > A salutory lesson, though, whilst on holiday - I met a couple who had bought > a Dell computer with WinXP and Office XP installed. They say they have no > manuals. I presume they are on a disk somewhere, but they simply don't know > how to get them. They got a warning from Norton AV that their signature > files were out of date, and thought that it meant they were infected. They > had reached the point where they would happily pack it up and send it back, > if they could. It seems that Windows can be just as scarey! > > As for me - my 14 year old grandson wanders in from time to time, and says > things like 'Is Linux difficult, then?'. He is intelligent and will get > there if I don't push. I'm thinking of putting OO for windows on his > machine, on the pretext that it will make it easier for him to communicate > with the M$O users as school (all my family were brought up on Lotus > SmartSuite, but it is really long in the tooth now). Next step then would be > The Gimp, because he is seriously interested in graphic work. By the time he > is using them he should be ready to change :-) > > The front door isn't always the quickest way in > > Anne > > ---- > > Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? > Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
