On Thu, 2003-05-01 at 04:55, Derek Fountain wrote:
Web browsing and email will probably be OK, until they hit an IE only site. We all know the politics of "any browser", but the web is what it is, in
It would probably take minimal training to maybe point out to them how to get Konqueror to trick sites into thinking it's IE. Or use Opera. I wouldn't imagine that would be too tough.
reality. Also, when they want Kazza or IM, you have some work to do.
IM is covered, really. I use MSN, AIM and Yahoo Messenger via Gaim.
Digital camera might be a problem - a serious one if they get an incompatible one. "Nah, Linux won't drive that - you need to buy a card reader." None of the software which comes with it will work, and the software manual will be useless. Potentially big trouble for you here.
Really? I've used 3 or 4 digital cameras with Linux and never had a problem. Like anything else you could check ahead.
I considered a similar situation when my Dad decided to get a PC. Given he had contacts who use Windows boxes, and was keen to start learning from beginners books and magazines, it was a no brainer. Much as I hated doing it, and much as I wanted to push Linux, he got a Windows box. With 20-20 hindsight, it was undoubtedly the right decision.
I did the same with my parents, also. The really important factor is that if you're putting the computer together yourself you can get Windows XP for $95 OEM. So really in that kind of scenario Windows doesn't cost that much more than SuSE and like you said there are valid reasons why it's just less of a headache to give them Windows. There's a lot to like about giving someone Linux. Remote admin with SSH would be a breeze. You can copy the DVD to the hard drive and you can basically install whatever you want via SSH without needing to be there. But the average user is a stupid user and will inevitably come up against some frustration that some other Windows user will be able to help them with. Kind of depressing. Preston