[Wlug] Getting your mom on Linux?

[Jamie Guinan]

On Thu, 5 Jul 2007, Klein, Richard wrote:

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Mike Perry
> > 
> > Hi all,
> > 
> > I visited my parents yesterday and yet again my mother's 
> > computer is filled with spyware. Everytime I go there it is 
> > slower and slower and odd things keep happening (like icons 
> > disappearing ... I've witnessed this myself). 
> > 
> > I've been considering trying to get her onto Kubuntu, but I 
> > have a few valid concerns. I'm curious if anyone has any 
> > experience with the following under Linux (any flavor):
> > 
> >  * Citrix connectivity -- She currently, and very seldom, 
> > uses an ActiveX control in IE to connect to her work. Are 
> > there alternatives besides using IE and Wine or running a VM?
> > 
> >  * iPod which is currently registered with her Windows box. 
> > I'm not too familiar with this, because my mp3 is not an iPod.
> > 
> >  * Printing - She currently has a very nice Canon i960 which 
> > can print photos. 
> > I less concerned about drivers and more about functionality. 
> > Her current Windows based software can print wallets, 8x10s, 
> > etc very easily. I wouldn't want her to lose that ability.
> > 
> > I know some of these answers might be a Google away, but I'm 
> > curious on your experiences with this and possibility any 
> > other gothcya's that I am not thinking about.
> > 
> > If I could overcome these hurdles I think she would actually 
> > have a much pleasant experience with her home pc. I've slowly 
> > been getting her to adopt open source software, but this 
> > would be a big jump. I also think it would be much easier for 
> > me help remotely too.
> 
> This sounds like a good time to upgrade her hard drive.  Put a new,
> larger drive in her computer and install Kubuntu onto that.  Try
> everything out, and if something doesn't work, put the old drive back in
> until you can figure out a solution.

Or put in the 2nd hard drive and leave the 1st one in there, and set
it up to dual-boot.  She can still boot Windows to do her Citrix
stuff, and she can use Linux for web surfing (no spyware), and you can
try migrating iPod/printing/etc. over time.

-Jamie

> I'd answer your specific questions if I knew the answers.
> 
> -- 
> Rich
> 
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