Linux for Grandma

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Frobozz

[H]ard|Gawd
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Feb 15, 2002
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So, my grandma's computer may have bit the dust. She's remote, and I haven't seen the machine yet so it may be a simple fix. However, if it is dead, it'll be time to look at a new one.
Since it's a disruption, I figured I'd explore some options with the rest of the family before just getting her another Win10 box off the shelf at bestbuy/walmart and having to deal with all the preconfigured/value added "stuff" that comes along with it. Her use case is really so simple that an iPad would be a good contender, and I'm also going to check out a Chromebox.

Use Case:
* E-mail
* Web browsing
* Photo printing (I don't have the exact model at this moment, but it's an HP deskjet of some sort. Up to 5 years old)
* She's also pretty healthy overall, so I don't think I need to consider accessibility helpers.

I know some of you have converted non-techie parents and grandparents successfully. So, I'm curious - What did that look like and how has it gone?

In display environment - I'm wondering if I should make a special effort to replicate the Windows XP/7 layout, or if we should just start with a fresh concept/set of instructions and see how it goes. She's still very sharp, but has always been very procedural. I have my own ideas, but would love to hear if you had any DE + extension experience that you found worked or didn't work for grandparent types?
 
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If I were in your shoes, I would look at peppermint. I would say it is a chrome os clone but it actually came out first lol. Throw it in a virtualbox/vm and see what you think.
 
I've got a screenshot of my 64yo mother's desktop somewhere and for the life of me can't find it.

However I've got a screenshot of my old laptop desktop and this is what I recommend. It's Ubuntu MATE with Plank dock, it works well because people associate icons and a dock makes those icons easily accessible (ie: Chrome, Firefox, Thunderbird, Libreoffice, etc). The other thing that works well is the Home folder on the desktop, everything they need: Pictures, documents, music, video's are all available within one simple folder on the desktop.

Don't use the workspace switcher, too confusing for oldies, and I'd recommend the Advanced MATE menu as opposed to the usual 'Applications, Places, System' - The Advanced menu is more of a global menu and more along the lines of what most are used to. Easy to add to panel, just right click > Add to Panel. Likewise, to remove old menu right click > remove from panel.

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Thank you both for the replies. I'll check out Peppermint this upcoming week, but have spent the evening fielding Ubuntu Mate. I really like the Plank dock. I think it'll be great for the "here is web browsing and email" launching tasks.
I also think Thunderbird will have greater acceptance. Windows 10's Mail app has been lacking in usability with her and in hind sight, I should have pushed Thunderbird there too. I think it's mostly the aggressive white space and lack of task separating borders on the app panes (ex. indicating list of inbox/folders on the left and emails on the right.) Back in the day, she was a champ with Outlook Express, so I think Thunderbird will be easily taken to.

The thing I'm flirting with next is remote desktop. I've made use of LogMeIn, but dropped them quite a while back due to increasing costs, deferring a lot of support to my father who is more local to her and falling back to Teamviewer when needed, but then they had unconfirmed hax within the past two or so years. I feel like if I'm to go this route, then I need a solid remote access solution. So far tonight, I've been looking at NoMachine's NX client/server setup and was thinking of pairing it with an always on OpenVPN connection back to my house. (though a VPS we both connect to might be better) I think if I can get it to not route all her traffic through my connection, then it should be a good way to keep up with the machine.

Any suggestions on remote access desktop sharing that might not be as involved?

also, don't let this steer the direction of conversation too much from the OP. I'm still interested in other stories and suggestions.
 
My 79 year old father-in-law has used Ubuntu Mate for about 4 years now. I set up changing background images with Variety along with famous quotes and he was very happy. Only thing that has caused trouble was that I wasn't able to get MS Office running on wine, he has asked for help a couple of times with Libreoffice Calc due to the different GUI.

I set up a similar system to my mother-in-law too but her laptop gave up the whisper a couple years back.
 
I use Teamviewer on a daily basis, the thing is I never 'remember' any machines and I always rely on the rolling password. I've never had an issue and the hack has been long resolved.

You can use VNC, but it's no where as easy to set up as Teamviewer and you have to forward ports to the interwebz...

In my experience, oldies love Thunderbird. It's simple, logical and free. I install it for them on Windows as well as Linux.
 
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Get the exact model of printer she is using, and make sure it works without issue in the distribution you are looking at. Lot's of people buy the cheap Black Friday printer specials, that come with no support, and only work with the direct OEM driver, which of course, is only written for Windows. Don't want to go through all the trouble to switch, retrain, then have to purchase a new printer. None of Grandma's cookies for you if that happens!
 
Ubuntu mate is a great option. Ubuntu Gnome is also not a bad option, dock to dash is likewise great for older users. I would love to talk about opensuse leap or fedora ect but really an Ubuntu distro is probably the safest bet.

One thing I found that helps with older users is to install a ton of free fonts for them before you hand it off. I normally just go to fonts.google.com and grab 20-30, a few handwritting fonts and the like. I remember getting calls about fonts. learned it was easier to just give them a ton before they ask. Copy them to /usr/share/fonts so she won't have to call and ask. Also find a good readable font to use for the system. I am not sure what Ubuntu mate defaults to it may be fine readability wise. But consider bumping the size up 1-2 steps. My eyes have never been that great so its the first thing I do. So when I setup family it has always been one of the first things I do on their systems it tends to go over pretty well. I found for older relatives replacing the default system fonts with nice thick stroke fonts was a good change. (fonts like pt sans is nice and readable when the text gets small... droid sans is also a good choice)
 
What about a refurb PC with Neverware Cloud Ready?

Props if you've got the patience to train her on a linux desktop, tho.
 
skiddierow said:
What about a refurb PC with Neverware Cloud Ready?

Props if you've got the patience to train her on a linux desktop, tho.
Click to expand...

A properly setup Linux system is easier to use then windows. Its no issue for users that are going to use their machine for web browsing email and perhaps writing the odd letter or church newsletter.

Chrome is Chrome Linux or windows. Thunderbird is TB Linux or windows. Libre Office is identical as well... and for most people looks identical to the 10+ year old copy of MS office they may have been running before.

There is no need to set such users up with rolling releases and the like that "power" windows users like to complain about when something requires 1 min on a terminal to config ect. The stable regular user versions of Linux are perfectly acceptable for regular users these days.
 
skiddierow said:
What about a refurb PC with Neverware Cloud Ready?

Props if you've got the patience to train her on a linux desktop, tho.
Click to expand...

This icon, this is Chrome (Firefox) just like your other computer, that's how you access the internet. This icon, this is Thunderbird, this is email (here, I'll rename it 'email'). This icon, this is Libreoffice, this is what you should have been using on your old computer instead of paying for Office, it's what you use to type up a letter. All icons are located in a logically laid out in a dock so they're easy to find.

Training done.

If you can't get the HP (shudder) printer working I totally recommend Brother printers, some of the best Linux support out there, although as always, best to check driver availability first.
 
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BulletDust said:
This icon, this is Chrome (Firefox) just like your other computer, that's how you access the internet. This icon, this is Thunderbird, this is email (here, I'll rename it 'email'). This icon, this is Libreoffice, this is what you should have been using on your old computer instead of paying for Office, it's what you use to type up a letter. All icons are located in a logically laid out dock so they're easy to find.

Training done.

If you can't get the HP (shudder) printer working I totally recommend Brother printers, some of the best Linux support out there, although as always, best to check driver availability first.
Click to expand...


I think you guys underestimate the button-pushers of the world.
 
I agree with skiddlerow -- How about Neverware's version of ChromeOS, "CloudReady" ?

It is similarly simple to my actual chromebook.

It's free and is actually ChromeOS...
 
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skiddierow said:
I think you guys underestimate the button-pushers of the world.
Click to expand...

I'm a PC tech that also does callouts, I work with them directly, I know only too well just how bad they are. And, honestly, Linux isn't any more difficult to use from the perspective of such people unless they own an iPhone - In which case I'm sorry for them as iTunes is the single worst piece of code ever dumped onto mankind no matter whether you're using Windows or macOS.
 
My own parents and in-laws both learned to use linux without any special training. All that was required was to set up the same shortcuts they had on windows.

Even my grandfather who had never used anything more complicated than a typewriter learned to use OpenSUSE a few years ago (until he became blind).
 
Given that she is already familiar with the Windows 7 layout, I'd honestly have her try Linux Mint Cinnamon. It's the closest I've found to the "Windows experience" on Linux, and given their focus on rock solid stability I think it'd be a good option for that use case. Also, like others have said, Cloudready could also be a great option.
 
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