Re: [PLUG] moms and linux

[LeRoy Cressy <leroy@lrcressy.com>]

Hi All,

I would like to put in my 2 cents here and tell you that my mother has 
been using Linux for a couple of years on one computer and windows on a 
second.  What my mother likes about windows is that a M$ word document 
will pop up M$ word automatically.  When I told her how dangerous that 
was her attitude was that since it is easier it is worth the risk to the 
system since she doesn't keep anything important on the windows system.

Concerning a desktop enviroment, it is mu personal opinion that kde and 
gnome hog too much resources for my liking.  Also, one in this thread 
stated that the icewm is nice.  For the novice either icewm or fvwm95 
are nice light weight window managers.

Another suggested that an auto login with no password is nice which 
destroys the security of Linux.  As with the isp, even your mother needs 
a login and password with no cancel button.  It doesn't have to be a 
secure password for dialup, but if the system is connected to a 24/7 
connection, then it better be secure.

Those of us who are happy with an xterm, our mother's will not be as 
comfortable.  A good menu system works wonders.

On your mother's box I would install xdm so that she doesn't have to 
type startx at the console.  I would put in her .xsession file the 
following:

  netscape | mozilla
  abiword | openoffice | wordperfect

These will take care of surfing the web, email, and document processing. 
 I would also have mime automatically execute acroread or xpdf for pdf 
files.  A lot of people like the noise (music) that a number of web 
pages have so I would have the mpeg and all of the other items required 
for automatic streaming audio.


Sean Finney wrote:
> so i've decided to make it a personal mission to convert my mom over to
> path of the enlightened.  she doesn't know a whole lot about computers,
> but she doesn't use them for much either (email, word processing, web,
> et c.).
>
> my plan is to grab, possibly modify, and then burn one of those
> system-on-a-ramdisk cd's, and show her how it would work the same for
> her needs, and then convince her to let me back her stuff up and then
> go to work on her computer.
>
> unfortunately, i don't know too much about (nor would i consider myself
> a good judge of) user-friendliness of the various desktop environments.
> i'm guessing that i'd be wanting to use something involving either gnome
> or kde, but my experience with both has been more or less "give me
> the xterm".
>
> so now i'd like to field any opinions that anyone would like to share
> about user-friendliness for this little endeavor of mine.  distributions?
> desktop environments? window managers? applications?  also if anyone has
> personal experience with any of those system-on-a-ramdisk CD's (I know
> of a few for linux, and one for netbsd), I'd really like to hear what
> you have to say.
>
> thanks,
> --sean
>
> ps: i'm cross-posting this to SLUG (swarthmore (college) LUG) and
> PLUG (philadelphia (area) LUG) in the hopes that i get more responses.
> sorry to those who get two messages :)
>
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