Linux for parents

D

darkpark

Gawd
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
696
I'm thinking about installing linux on my parent's computer, but i'm not sure which distribution to use. At the moment, i'm considering either ubuntu or linux mint.
the main thing(s) that i'm looking for is either the ability to have blank passwords for multiple accounts (one for mom and 2nd for dad) or if it could automatically remember password(s). (i'm aware that this isn't a good security practice)
as for user-friendliness, it's probably a moot point with most of the popular distros and my parents will be using MOSTLY a web browsing, email, music and/or video playing. I can install all the necessary codecs and desktop shortcuts onto their desktops.
 
After my Dad's laptop with Windows 7 got infected with spyware, I installed Linux Mint on it. He's never asked me for help since I installed it. It does everything he needs it to.
 
+1 for Mint. Blank password is most likely a no go though, just make it something easy, such as their names.
 
Ubuntu, Mint, and PCLinuxOS are all fairly easy to use from my experience.
 
I put pinguyOS on my dad's computer. It comes with a lot of the stuff built in that your parents would use. Check it out
 
Dosobye said:
I put pinguyOS on my dad's computer. It comes with a lot of the stuff built in that your parents would use. Check it out
Click to expand...

Yes, what he ^ said.

EDIT: I've since switched to Mint 10 and loving it, super stable, and super easy. I began having issues with Pinguy and their display drivers so I looked into alternatives.
 
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Ion Silverbolt said:
After my Dad's laptop with Windows 7 got infected with spyware, I installed Linux Mint on it. He's never asked me for help since I installed it. It does everything he needs it to.
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First suggestion here. +1

Chrome
Rythmbox
VLC
And whatever the email client for it is? (I don't remember.. )
 
I've tried to convert my parents to linux but always fail because inevitably they need to use some windows programs and the linux equivalents (if they exist at all) are too clunky or unreliable. My general opinion on Linux is that it makes for a great server or secondary machine, but not quite so good as a main machine.
 
illuminate said:
First suggestion here. +1

Chrome
Rythmbox
VLC
And whatever the email client for it is? (I don't remember.. )
Click to expand...

Evolution is generally the default installed client (for Ubuntu at least), and Thunderbird is available as well.

Tudz said:
I've tried to convert my parents to linux but always fail because inevitably they need to use some windows programs and the linux equivalents (if they exist at all) are too clunky or unreliable. My general opinion on Linux is that it makes for a great server or secondary machine, but not quite so good as a main machine.
Click to expand...

I've been running linux on my main for years. Which pieces of software are you referring to?
 
Jesse B said:
I've been running linux on my main for years. Which pieces of software are you referring to?
Click to expand...

Dad uses trading software that is either not available on linux or is shit on linux. I dont remember what Mum used that made me go back to windows, it was a while ago now, I just remember installing linux on her PC then a month later she asked why she couldn't install X program and after playing around with alternatives I gave up and reinstalled XP.

For my own PC, well there's a few things. Open office sucks balls compared to MS office, Linux has no good CAD software (it has some, but none are good and the commercial package linux versions are always several revisions behind the windows versions). There's also FEA/CFD software, while I COULD use OpenFOAM, most people I work with use Ansys/CFX so I'd be making life much harder for myself for no reason. I also watch TV on my PC and Windows Media Center in windows 7 works really good.

On my work PC I mainly use Linux because its easier to do batch processing of files and I can use Octave without having to deal with licensing on Matlab. But I still dual boot for the times I need to use CAD/FEA/CFD software.
 
Tudz said:
Dad uses trading software that is either not available on linux or is shit on linux. I dont remember what Mum used that made me go back to windows, it was a while ago now, I just remember installing linux on her PC then a month later she asked why she couldn't install X program and after playing around with alternatives I gave up and reinstalled XP.

For my own PC, well there's a few things. Open office sucks balls compared to MS office, Linux has no good CAD software (it has some, but none are good and the commercial package linux versions are always several revisions behind the windows versions). There's also FEA/CFD software, while I COULD use OpenFOAM, most people I work with use Ansys/CFX so I'd be making life much harder for myself for no reason. I also watch TV on my PC and Windows Media Center in windows 7 works really good.

On my work PC I mainly use Linux because its easier to do batch processing of files and I can use Octave without having to deal with licensing on Matlab. But I still dual boot for the times I need to use CAD/FEA/CFD software.
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honestly, your dad really isnt the kind of parent that the OP and others that usually ask these questions are talking about when they make these threads

take for example my parents and grandparents: all they do is web browse, use web apps like gmail and facebook, and dump digital camera pics of children and grandchildren to their computer....

thats seriously what 95% of older people use their computers for, and for them, Ubuntu or other linux distro is just perfect
 
Exactly! My parents don't use anything sophisticated. I just want them to have a safer computer/web-browsing experiencing without me constantly cleaning up viruses and/or malware.
how does ubuntu compare to mint? i know that mint is based on ubuntu, but what are the main differences?
i think i might try ubunut wubi style to see how they like it and/or if they're able to do everything they want without stumbling into any trouble.
by the way, can the ubuntu updater be made to run w/o any input/authorizations?
 
darkpark said:
how does ubuntu compare to mint? i know that mint is based on ubuntu, but what are the main differences?
Click to expand...

There's only really a few major differences. The first most noticeable being the theme/menu. The menu on Mint is quite different (not a fan of it personally), but you can change it to an Ubuntu style menu quite easily.

The other major difference is that all of the non-free codecs and whatnot are pre-installed on Mint. These are all available on Ubuntu as well, but require installation.

darkpark said:
i think i might try ubunut wubi style to see how they like it and/or if they're able to do everything they want without stumbling into any trouble.
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Just install VirtualBox. That way you can try out as many distributions as you wish, without having to install anything to Windows (besides VirtualBox). I'd recommend this over Wubi.

darkpark said:
by the way, can the ubuntu updater be made to run w/o any input/authorizations?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure this is possible, as you need root access to run updates. There may be a work-around however. If there isn't the GUI is pretty self-explanatory for update. Click install updates, and then enter the password.
 
brucedeluxe169 said:
honestly, your dad really isnt the kind of parent that the OP and others that usually ask these questions are talking about when they make these threads

take for example my parents and grandparents: all they do is web browse, use web apps like gmail and facebook, and dump digital camera pics of children and grandchildren to their computer....

thats seriously what 95% of older people use their computers for, and for them, Ubuntu or other linux distro is just perfect
Click to expand...

Yeah perhaps, I didn't really try to get Dad into Linux because I knew even before researching it that it wouldn't be appropriate for him. But even my Mum eventually wanted a program that would only work in windows and she doesn't do anything terribly advanced (it might have been some music thing, I dont remember). Every non-computer-nerd person I've tried to get into Linux have eventually gone back to windows because they wanted program X to work and the linux equivalent was either shit or non existant. Even the computer-nerd people I know dont use Linux exclusively, they dual boot.

But if you find your parents are happy enough living with linux alone, go for it ;) For what its worth I got my Mum to try both Ubuntu and Mint but I dont think she had a strong opinion on either being better than the other.
 
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Jesse B said:
darkpark said:
by the way, can the ubuntu updater be made to run w/o any input/authorizations?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure this is possible, as you need root access to run updates. There may be a work-around however. If there isn't the GUI is pretty self-explanatory for update. Click install updates, and then enter the password.
Click to expand...

I bet that can be automated with cron.
ex. /etc/crontab
Code: 
0 12 * * 1   root  [url=http://linux.die.net/man/8/apt-get]apt-get[/url] -y update >/home/user/sysupdate.log
runs at noon on mondays... Something like that should do it. (do correct me if I'm wrong as I don't play with apt-get often.)
 
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I'm sure it could be automated, I just wasn't sure whether or not you'd be prompted for the root password, as I've never tried to automate a root process.
 
If you go with Mint, consider the Debian Mint version. It gets a system out of Ubuntu's 6 month cycle.
 
Another vote for Linux Mint.

Mint 10 is very stable.

Good for mothers who think the internet is yahoo mail.

Good for teenagers who are malware magnets.

I always add firefox plugins NoScript and AdBlockPlus.
 
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