So, my aunt's computer is infected with the Vista virus, and has become a brick. I'm gonna wipe it, and install Ubuntu for her, but I have the following concerns
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If all she uses it for really is turning it on and going to facebook, I'd say just make sure she knows how to do that with Ubuntu backwards and forwards first - walk her through it and all?
My mom never knew how to work computers before, and is very ADHD. It was less of a problem than I thought when I realized that she generally stuck to just the things she knew how to do and wasn't interested in learning much more (She's better now but I'm constantly unable to get around the "How do you turn the screensaver on" question).
Oh additionally if you can find any online guides to it? Maybe bookmark that for her so she has a place to go specifically for Ubuntu with questions. IDK.
God I suck at this this is why I never bother working tech support.
Hmm. Well, I guess just make sure she has all the codecs and flash and things she needs for whatever she does online. That should be it, really. Then she can just push the button to get Firefox. If she's used Firefox before, then it should be simple for her.
Umm I'd suggest talking little and just letting her try to do what she needs to do and let her ask questions and tell you what she needs. Just show her the buttons and things and then let her go. Probably devote a few hours to it with you just sitting in the background (maybe reading a book or something) to help her when she needs it. The important thing is not to overwhelm her-- that's my experience with people who are bad with computers.
Then ask her if there's anything more she thinks she wants, like little games or a screensaver or something. Or if she wants the screen to be a different color.
I'd also say expect to have to go there and help her with computer problems in the future if you can. But I'd say don't make her install anything on her own unless she wants to try.
Oh no, I was planning on installing everything for her; she doesn't even have anything saved to the HD! x___x At least I don't have to back anything up for her.
What do you think of Kubuntu? I haven't tried it myself, but I'm familiar with the KDE, and think it might be more... I dunno, familiar? For someone used to Windows.
Kubuntu's okay. It's a lot more flashy. I don't like it much. You can make Ubuntu look like Windows pretty easily, though. Just, you know, move the Applications menu to the bottom panel and change the appearance w/ Compiz.
I'm using Ubuntu 10.04, and so long as she doesn't need to install anything, it's really easy. Just make sure she has all her drivers and the programs that she uses regularly.
But yeah, I agree with watashinokokoro; let her know that she can call you if it acts up.
Ubuntu is really user friendly right up until you need to change a config someone hasn't built a pretty gui interface for. My best suggestion is "Set it up, teach her to access her basic programs, and then be willing to go back to help when something inevitably goes wrong."
As long as she's mostly using Firefox, she won't notice much difference. Unless she needs shockwave or something else not linux available. Get all the codecs and everything in advance.
'Nix really lets you screw it up, so you might want to consider setting up her user in non-superuser mode, with a separate superuser for you when you tweak things.
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My mom never knew how to work computers before, and is very ADHD. It was less of a problem than I thought when I realized that she generally stuck to just the things she knew how to do and wasn't interested in learning much more (She's better now but I'm constantly unable to get around the "How do you turn the screensaver on" question).
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God I suck at this this is why I never bother working tech support.
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Umm I'd suggest talking little and just letting her try to do what she needs to do and let her ask questions and tell you what she needs. Just show her the buttons and things and then let her go. Probably devote a few hours to it with you just sitting in the background (maybe reading a book or something) to help her when she needs it. The important thing is not to overwhelm her-- that's my experience with people who are bad with computers.
Then ask her if there's anything more she thinks she wants, like little games or a screensaver or something. Or if she wants the screen to be a different color.
I'd also say expect to have to go there and help her with computer problems in the future if you can. But I'd say don't make her install anything on her own unless she wants to try.
Reply
What do you think of Kubuntu? I haven't tried it myself, but I'm familiar with the KDE, and think it might be more... I dunno, familiar? For someone used to Windows.
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Hmm. Yeah, I might do that. *nods*
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But yeah, I agree with watashinokokoro; let her know that she can call you if it acts up.
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As long as she's mostly using Firefox, she won't notice much difference. Unless she needs shockwave or something else not linux available. Get all the codecs and everything in advance.
'Nix really lets you screw it up, so you might want to consider setting up her user in non-superuser mode, with a separate superuser for you when you tweak things.
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This never even occurred to me! That would've been a disaster in the making; I'll add it to my 'to remember' file.
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