ubuntu for a neophyte?

[ac]

Colin Brace wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I neighbor of mine recently acquired her first PC, an Acer laptop. She
> is vaguely aware of the malware issues, and  has asked me to help her
> get online.
> 
> Since my experience with Windows is mostly limited to running v3.1 in
> a window under OS/2 back in the receding haze of the previous
> millenium, my first impulse is to wipe clean the HD and install
> Dapper.
> 
> However, this would make me de facto technical support. However, if I
> help her get online via Windows, I would probably end up getting calls
> from her anyway, and I have zero interest in dealing with XP issues.
> 
> Has anyone had any experience installing Ubuntu for people without any
> PC experience, ie, your grandmother? And I mean absolutely zippo.
> 
> I can think of various reasons pro; just wondering what the cons are,
> what potential problems I should try to anticipate.

Case A: I have experience of installing Kubuntu onto a daily used 
desktop machine for an elderly (85?) but sprightly friend who had 
impulsively bought a desktop his friend was discarding.
He has a dell laptop wiht XP only which is not used much. The desktop 
is now dual boot xp Kubuntu, defaults to kubuntu. He has always been 
sesitive to worry about security an dwith kubuntu knows he can relax. 
His internet comnnection is adsl ethernet. He suses webmail and 
firefox is no problem, it is also on the windows partition too, as is 
Open Office etc.

He now knows how to get into windows if he needs to, but I think uses 
kubuntu most.
He is not an avid user of the PC, but there has been no problem 
whatsoever, except the anxiety of lack of security if windows is used.

I think Kubuntu is a better choice if possible for a beginner.

Case B: I also installed linux (suse) some time ago onto an ancient PC 
for an even less able elderly friend (still on dialup).
the then existing win98 was problematic and since I was the only 
support it was inconvenient to visit just to sort out some small thing.

I used suse at the time (not now) and it replaced win98 easily, I 
chose kde. I set up kmail and the dialer (external serial modem) and 
after a number of short q&a sessions about initiating dialling and 
initiating calling for mail, the situation was quite stable, and 
successful. Not least from me because I could be sure that the system 
had not changed if an apparent problem appeared. None did.

I have no hesitation in recommending kubuntu for absolute beginners. 
(As long as they dont think they will be using windows - their 
informed knowledge is important I think).

I say quite truthfully that I do not use windows and cannot really fix 
many (if any) problems, however, I can fix linux, although few 
problems anyway, and I use linux *because* linux is much more secure 
than windows.

Good luck

-- 
ac