Linux distro for Mom?

leaded · #1 2004-12-25, 12:57 PM CST

I'm thinking about switching my parents' computer to Linux. My mom is completely computer illiterate though. All she ever does is read and reply to e-mail with Outlook Express, write letters with Word, and lightly use the internet (mostly online banking at Suntrust, which I can use Mozilla and Firefox for!). She's been having problems looking at pictures e-mailed to her because of IE's stupid "Are you sure you're doing something OK?" yellow bar thing and all of the security risks she hears about, I mentioned it the idea of switching.

The only Linux distro I've ever used is Fedora 2/3. I played with Yellow Dog on my Mac a year or two ago, but wasn't ready to learn Linux (I use FC3 exclusively now at home). I've got FC2 installed on their machine already (grub boots to Windows tho...) so I could modify FC2 I suppose.

But, I haven't used other distros (Knoppix for 5 minutes?) and I don't have extra computers lieing around nor time to try a bunch out. What would people here reccommend? It doesn't seem like FC2 would be too difficult, if properly configured, but what about Novell's Linux? Sun's? Xandros?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated! I'm home for 4 days next week and would like to give something a run. Thanks!!

imdeemvp · #2 2004-12-25, 01:12 PM CST

I would say fedora but your mom will want everything to be there such as music and dvd player so I would recommend mandrake 10.1 . Its very user friendly and it also kind of looks like windoz. Suse is user friendly too but I have never used it so I cant recommend it.

blammo · #3 2004-12-25, 01:14 PM CST

I don't know. If you say she's computer illiterate and you want to install an operating system that's not for the computer illiterate, I don't think that will work out too well. You might find yourself over there a lot setting up and showing her how to do things. She'll be polite and go along with it, but after awhile she'll want Windows back.

leaded · #4 2004-12-25, 01:23 PM CST

I think she could handle it if I showed it to her.

Thanks imdeemvp, I'll check out Mandrake. I'll look for a Torrent tonight.

Has anyone seen Lycroris ( http://lycoris.com/products/desktoplx/ ) before? I had a demo that came with a magazine once, but it failed to install (maybe a bad CD?). The web demo looks promising (Windoze-ish, Mom-friendly)

***bob*** · #5 2004-12-25, 01:56 PM CST

Yes, I've seen the Lycoris tour and I'd think that would be a very good option - colorful and aimed at Windows users. It does cost a few bucks apparently, but so does Mandrake and SuSE.

OHO! Can be downloaded for free?!! ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/lycoris/

imdeemvp · #6 2004-12-25, 02:28 PM CST

Mandrake 10.1 offers a free download.

FunkyRes · #7 2004-12-25, 04:32 PM CST

You want to put your mom on Linux.
What does your mom want?

leaded · #8 2004-12-25, 04:40 PM CST

She wants to know her computer is secure.

Then, like she wants to do e-mail, word processing, and occasional internet. She'll print from time-to-time. Some sort of .PDF viewer.

I just installed FC3 here and I'm going to try and set something up for her. While I've got some time home I'm gonna see if she feels comfortable using it.

The Lycoris distro looks pretty good but I don't like that it isn't free...

crackers · #9 2004-12-25, 10:01 PM CST

What you're paying for with Lycoris, or any of the other "paid" distributions, is the support of the company selling it, as well as a thoroughly tested integration of the software. In some cases, like a "remote" install like you're doing, that might give your Mom that extra security blanket when you're not available to deal with an issue.

I like the idea of introducing her to it on your laptop. One of the big things to show her is that she can't "break it" - most new users are scared to do anything that even remotely appears dangerous to them. For some very weird and nebulous definition of "dangerous." (I never have figured that one out.)

Woad_Warrior · #10 2004-12-25, 10:18 PM CST

I've used Mandrake (7.0.2 upto 10.1), Fedora Core 1,2, & 3, and played briefly with Xandros, Libranet, and Yoper. Any one of these distros recent versions would be fine for a new user (except maybe fedora Core 3. It's still needs to have a few things ironed out and stabilized)
as far as putting someone who is "computer illiterate" on linux, I don't see the problem. I've known a number of computer illiterates who are quite happy with their linux installs. especially since they haven't gotten a virus, BSOD, spyware, etc, etc, etc.....
BTW currently running Fedora Core 2 and 3 on seperate machines.

telmo · #11 2004-12-25, 11:55 PM CST

I would sugest Kurumin, but that's somekind of portuguese version

but... why not knoppix? I think it's pretty easy do deal with... And i don't think you'l have problems with security... it's linux!

Just configure it yourself (easy!) and let your mom play around...

**Finalzone** · #12 2004-12-26, 12:11 AM CST

Quote:

Then, like she wants to do e-mail, word processing, and occasional internet. She'll print from time-to-time. Some sort of .PDF viewer.

Printing is a problem for linux when using jet-ink based printer. From my observation and test, printing in Linux is slower than Windows. I don't know if there is a method to enhance the speed.

Shadow Skill · #13 2004-12-26, 12:20 AM CST

I know the page alignment seems to be off when printing in Linux, its kind of annoying I never have been able to figure out how to adjust the page alignment.

ghaefb · #14 2004-12-26, 01:58 AM CST

Ubuntu maybe.
It's a straight desktop distro.

cscheng · #15 2004-12-26, 03:05 AM CST

I would recommend Fedora Core 3. Since you already have experience with Fedora Core, you can easily setup and configure a system that is usable for your mom. If you want to try something else, you'll probably have to need some time to learn it too, so that's no good for your mom. Also, check whether all hardware on her pc works with linux, such as printers and/or scanners. If the hardware is capable of running Fedora Core 3, just install it. Do your post-install stuff, and everything should be fine. Just put some large icons on your desktop, but not with names like Mozilla Firefox, Evolution, gPDF, but choose names like Web Browser, E-mail, PDF Viewer and so on.