From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Dan Anderson Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.help Subject: OT: Re: How to set up a computers with GNU/Linux for grandparents Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 22:50:21 -0500 Sender: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Message-ID: <1068954621.916.206.camel@hades.syr-24-59-76-83.twcny.rr.com> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: deer.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: sea.gmane.org 1068954889 14266 80.91.224.253 (16 Nov 2003 03:54:49 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@sea.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 03:54:49 +0000 (UTC) Cc: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org Original-X-From: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sun Nov 16 04:54:45 2003 Return-path: Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by deer.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 1ALDzp-0001sH-00 for ; Sun, 16 Nov 2003 04:54:45 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.24) id 1ALEuv-0007KG-KY for geh-help-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Sat, 15 Nov 2003 23:53:45 -0500 Original-Received: from list by monty-python.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.24) id 1ALEtx-0007G0-Ck for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sat, 15 Nov 2003 23:52:45 -0500 Original-Received: from mail by monty-python.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.24) id 1ALEtK-0006t0-45 for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sat, 15 Nov 2003 23:52:37 -0500 Original-Received: from [64.246.36.112] (helo=torre.pghoster.com) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (TLSv1:DES-CBC3-SHA:168) (Exim 4.24) id 1ALEtJ-0006sw-BA for help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sat, 15 Nov 2003 23:52:05 -0500 Original-Received: from 192.0.0.253 (syr-24-59-76-83.twcny.rr.com [24.59.76.83]) (authenticated (0 bits)) by torre.pghoster.com (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id hAG3oPv31465; Sat, 15 Nov 2003 21:50:25 -0600 Original-To: Don Saklad In-Reply-To: X-Mailer: Ximian Evolution 1.4.4-8mdk X-BeenThere: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.2 Precedence: list List-Id: Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: help-gnu-emacs-bounces+geh-help-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.emacs.help:14280 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.help:14280 This should really be labeled as OT. However... > a. How do you set up a computer with GNU/Linux for grandparents?... > b. How do you set up computers with GNU/Linux for elderly seniors?... 95% of the ease of use of any operating system is familiarity. If you set up a computer with KDE and an auto-login feature, provide each senior with their own account, and teach them how to use Mozilla for web browsing and Yahoo Mail for mail they'll learn it just as easily as any other operating system. However, it has been my experience that when you put people on a non-windows based operating system they run into problems because they are going to go to /you/ for help. This is important to remember. How much is your time worth? I tried getting my dad an iMac and teaching him to use it -- based on BSD and easy to use. Problem was every time he had a problem, his coworkers and office mates and friends couldn't help him. So he went to me -- every time. Long story short I needed to buy him a book because I'm a busy guy and can't take 2 hours out of my day to trouble shoot his computer problems every day. So I gave my mom windows. She has reformatted it three times since my dad started using his mac. But she gets help from her friends and doesn't need my help -- and knows to back up her data. So the worst system turns out the best because it's common. Go figure. Other then that, just set them up with it. Many GNU/Linux is not hard to learn once the computers are set up properly. (Note I said *once set up*). Distros like Mandrake and Suse are particularly user friendly. -Dan