Tommy Eaton wrote: > I was chatting with my dad the other night about his adventures with > Windows XP. He starts out with "Man, I hate Microsoft!"
> Ok, so now what? I mentioned Mandrake to him and he seems > interested... However, I don't know where to point him. What > applications should I suggest? And for support, should I just point > him to this list? He knows just enough to be dangerous (would > "Interactive Bastille" help with that? - you know, something to > protect yourself from yourself)... Unfortunately he doesn't live > local so I couldn't set it up for him (unless somehow over the net?). > I'm very much a newbie to this operating system, and Linux and > general. But if you have any ideas how to help the process of a 50 > year old Dad interested in a Microsoft alternative, please let me > know. Thanks! I just have some ideas of what not to do and some questions: Don't tell him that Linux is (better | easier | more robust | requires fewer resources (mem and CPU)) than Microsoft without giving some qualifiers. (It is certainly not all four at the same time, it can use less resources if you use the command line only -- to get performance similar to equivalent applications under Win95, I had to add a lot of memory. I have crashed Linux, usually from the GUI, and sometimes was able to simply restart X (i.e., not a "real" crash.) What does he do with the computer -- email and surf the net, use it for work, as a hobby, or to support some hobby? Does he need some specific applications? Word processing, spreadsheet, drawing, CAD, paint, flow chart, presentation, geneology, stock tracking, database ...? Which? Did he learn Windows on his own? Would he expect to learn Linux on his own? Is he willing to do the extensive reading that may be necessary to do this? Is there anybody available to coach him? Are you "ahead" of him enough that you might coach him while you scramble to keep one step ahead of him? Do you use the same applications he will use? Is there a local LUG in his area? Does he (need | expect) sound? Video? Printing? I don't use sound or video (my son does, but still uses Windows), and I still do all my printing from a Windows box. Linux is getting better, but there is still a fairly steep learning curve. Hopefully, a few years from now, the learning curve will be less steep. For some people (and for the good of Linux, I think), it would be better for people who might forever after be discouraged from trying Linux if they would wait a few years. Or, let him read this, and recognize the pitfalls (I haven't gone into detail, but it gives some general idea). If he has some other reason to "drive" him on his Linux oddyssey (like a thorough dislike of Microsoft and its approaches or business practices), that might be enough to let him make the transition. The transition might be easier if he can start by using only Linux GUI applications, and if Linux is preinstalled by someone else, or if he has a lucky install that works the first time for him. (When I first installed Linux, I acquired a stack of CDs with Linux distros, mostly from my local LUG (no cost) (I had bought a few distros, also, including Caldera 2.2). Went through the stack -- if the installation didn't work, I set the CD aside. If installation worked I spent a few hours trying out the system. Then I went back and reinstalled Caldera 2.2 (it (with KDE 1.?) seemed easiest to use at that time). Spent a few months with that, then went to Mandrake 6.2, then 7.0, 7.2, and now one machine with a partial installation of 8.1 (a few things don't work). Can (you | someone) (explain | lead him through) setting up a dual boot system? What is his hardware? (Processor and speed, memory, hard disk size, modem (internal, external -- is it a WinModem?). (Does he plan to connect to the Internet? Dial up? Does he have more than one computer in the house that he would want to network together (and | or) share the Internet connection? For my daughter, I have set up computers (with Windows at the time) and mailed (UPS) them cross country with everything pre-setup. Is this an option? Sorry for so many questions. I am a 50 year old dad, computer enthusiast, and was usually considered a dos/Windows "guru" at work. I have had a lot of trouble using / learning Linux. (I have started the WikiLearn site (http://twiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Wikilearn/AboutThesePages) to help people (myself and others) learn Linux and open source software -- maybe you or he will find that site usefule, and be interested in correcting any errors that you find, suggesting additional pages, or adding content to new or existing pages.) Randy Kramer
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