[ubuntu-uk] Netbook suggestion for a 4 year old

[Andrés Muñiz Piniella]

Hi!

I have an Acer aspire one zg5. Had linpus in it crashed (something to do
with an XD card left inside). I then had ubuntu netbook remix for some time
until unity came along and it felt a bit slow: tried looking for 10.4 but it
was gone. Tried linpus again: but no support no comunity that I could find
(but the card reader was working) I now have meego (fast turn on, fast
browsing, some inkscape use) with a live USB running trisquel mini
(gnu/linux version or Lubuntu) whenever I want to do some other stuff. That
could be an option for you: the aspire ones are fun to use: have something
installed for your child and then have some live usb for you. It's an SSD so
might want to buy external HDD.

What I did for my daugher (still 9 months but looking ahead) is what was
suggested in the linux format magazine: make my own. But I did some
reasearch: It seems edubuntu has everything from low level to high level
education. And it's huge. Qimo is an option: based on xubuntu good for old
PCs and based for young ones (it even has a wbar to make it look mac like).
What I finally opted for was to use a 7 year old big screen acer aspire
laptop that my wife had abandoned. I installed Lubuntu and made big icons,
installed tux paint, gcompris and other. I then found a childern friendly
keyboard (has tgbyhn keys a little compact for her to reach).

My idea is similar to what someone said here: not worry to much with online
security. But maybe only give her internet when hardwired through ethernet
to my laptop? I'd act as a live blocker of some sort.

I would look for an old laptop through freecycle or ebay for a big screen
laptop many windows users probably get rid of it.(probably much less than
200pounds) Make sure hardware is mostly compatible with lubuntu or xbuntu
buy a childerns keyboard (less than a tenner) and you are off! When he is
older get hime something off the shelf.


Andres

PS: if any of you have an acer aspire one and have managed to make the card
reader (SD, XD, extra storage)  to work please tell me how! only linpus was
able to do it!

> Hi all,
>
> I'm currently looking for a cheap and cheerful netbook for a 4-year old.
> I want to install Edubuntu on it and set it up with all the relevant
> educational and fun software.
>
> On the hardware side, I'm happy to spend ~?200. Any suggestions welcome,
> bonus points if it comes in pink.
>
> On the software side, I've never tried Edubuntu so any suggestion in
> that area would be welcome. In particular, how to configure parental
> control, what additional software to install, etc.
>
I know a couple of people that are quite happy with their refurbished Acer
One they got from here http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/
One friend ended up getting 4 in different colours so the family each know
whos is whos.  I don?t think any of them run Edubuntu on the so don?t know
if it 'just-works'.

--
Steve Cook (Yorvyk)

http://lubuntu.net

-- 
Andrés Muñiz-Piniella
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-uk/attachments/20101214/d0f63d5b/attachment.htm