Granny Friendly Operating System

bdt said:
Windoze is the default choice for those of us that are so accustomed to it it FEELS the easiest - which is not to say that it actually is ..and let's not even get into how safe it is (think security breaches, etc. here) to leave unattended in the hands of someone who has no idea of how to defend it against the depredations of those that would fUxx0r her PC (and leave you to fix it) ('scusi, I'm on a bit of a Big Word buzz) :p SO: granny-friendly is not only easy to get to grips with, but also safe and manageable ..and when you factor in $$$, ol' 'doze starts to look not so good.

My 2c worth: (not a fanboi, being pragmatic here) the latest Ubuntu - yes, the Gnome one, not that XP interface knock-off that is Kubuntu. :D

Think about it:
- it has the basics of a desktop to use
- the UI is hugely simplistic - IOW not daunting to said granny
- the UI behaves consistently, a huge plus
- viruses, spam/phishing that comes in by email that granny mindlessly clicks on? *pfft*
- the ability to add apps as she gets to grips with it
- cheaper ..and notably on the hardware too
- bragging rights: having a granny that does Linux!
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+1
 
hawker said:
AH, the old Linux is hard to use stereotype. Ubuntu is so easy to use anyone could do it. And it has a million useful programs ready installed.
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really - is it as bloated as Windowz? :eek:
 
No, its not bloated at all. Its fast. You will realize how fast your PC actually is when you install linux on it.

By useful some of the default programs installed.
-Firefox
-Evolution Mail(Mail, Calendars,Notes - supports M$ Exchange Server)
-Open Office
-Everything Just works! - no need to hunt for motherboard drivers to get your sound,LAN etc working.
-GIMP
-etc etc
 
I have to agree that since she will only be doing basic things, Ubuntu will be the best choice. The chances of her having to reconfigure, etc, are quite slim. Assuming the hardware's a little older, you shouldn't have any trouble setting it up (pretty much everything should work without any configuration), unless you have some strange addon cards or some completely weird network card, etc.

But I definitely see what others are saying as true: if you aren't up to troubleshooting Ubuntu, you should probably stick with Windows, because ultimately, you will be the one she calls in the event of a problem (although, using such a limited system, you're more likely to encounter these problems with Windows than with Ubuntu).

How far does she stay from you? If you go the Windows route, maybe think about some or other freezing software? That way you can freeze the partition that holds the operating system, so that she CAN'T mess things up. Then in the event she needs to install something (buys a digicam and needs to install software, etc), you can assist her by unfreezing, installing, refreezing, etc, since she probably won't want to install it on her own!
 
what bwana said really. it's not your grandma that's going to be doing any maintainence or installing/removing stuff on the computer. it will be you. IF your grandma can't use a gnome/kde interface, she'll have as tough a time with the Windows GUI.
 
My main argument for Ubuntu is that once it's working, it's a lot more effort to break. Double-clicking an icon on the desktop will be the same regardless of whether it's Windows or Ubuntu. And I would assume that is how you would set it up for her to access the programs she uses?
 
*Pray* God forgive me for saying this, but extreme times call for extreme measures */pray*

Why not get her an apple PC? :)
 
Zulash said:
*Pray* God forgive me for saying this, but extreme times call for extreme measures */pray*

Why not get her an apple PC? :)
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bit of an overkill for someone who just checks mail mainly isn't it?
 
I agree with all the others on xp..ubuntu is just a tad higher on the user friendly list.
Plus she can use the magnifier and all the easy access things,yes i know ubuntu also has it..i think.
 
Pooky said:
My gran is pretty hopeless when it comes to technology. She wants to learn though so she writes everything down in a little book, but she is rather slow...

So which operating system would be the easiest to use... I think it's probably Windows.
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Just wondering...
1. What did your gran do 4 u anyway?
2. Given that you're pooky, your gran can't be much older than 45.
She can sort it out herself.
3. Is your gran hawt?
 
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bdt said:
*shrug* you asked for a solution. All modern Linuxen come with an excellent email client built-in - and ALL are immune to letting the nasties that come in with spam/phishing a la that Paypal/Citibank/whatever account you mysteriously have that turn your machine into a droid on someone's botnet.

But, seeing as you say you WANT "I need something that loads up and works well, no random errors and stuff like that" and yet choose Windoze, I'm finding I have a hard time with your grip on reality ..seriously, have you even tried Ubuntu or, for that matter, ANY current desktop Linux?

Still, I've always maintained that those that are hell-bent on bashing their heads on yonder wall are best served by clearing their path to it ..enjoy, sport.
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I tend to agree with BDT here.... you asked for a solution but it appears you may already have had your mind set on Windows :)

As far as I am aware there are really only two regularly used operating systems "makers" out there, windows and linux. The first person that suggested Linux got knocked so the assumption is that you already are set on her using Windows, so not sure what you hoped to achieve?

I personally will stick with Windows for my mom... the reason being is my aunt has it, my uncle has it, my brother has it... so if ever she needs to know how to start a program, or some other simple task, for instance all of them would have a basic understanding of Windows. Linux problems would always be sent my way to solve as the others are unfamiliar with Linux....
 
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