Most here may not agree with my response but I would suggest, for someone who
is new to the GNU Linux environment, to get them a distro that will give them
the least problems when it comes to compatibility with hardware. I did this
with my friends and family as I gave them Ubuntu distributions first so that
they could get used to using a different OS period. As time has gone on I
have slowly weaned them off of Ubuntu to Trisquel.
The Ubuntu community and resources is huge, and I wanted them to have a
positive experience as they transition from Windows to GNU Linux. I am not
always available for support so this would allow them to get answers to
problems on their own. While WiFi may be the only problem currently, there is
the potential your friend could have existing or new hard he may try to use
with his laptop that might be incompatible later. This can be a headache for
new users who are not as patient as myself or many of the users here.
As your friend begins to get comfortable with the new OS environment, you can
also educate him on the software ideals of Free Software. Which is the most
important part. Education of what Free Software is. If the overall experience
is positive, then he may be more willing to move to a completely free system
like Trisquel.
You DO NOT have to cut your friend off of non-free software cold turkey. Help
him to make a graceful and smoother transition into a more ethical software
environment.
While my solution is not ideal, I use it as a compromise. As I watch the
Trisquel project mature and gain support through the donation and hardware
support through thinkpenguin, I feel it is close to getting to the point
where I can have friends and family make the transition cold turkey.
For now I chose to compromise in favour of delivering an overall positive
experience for their first time using GNU Linux.
