Computer for Grandma... kinda off topic

[metal9966]

I have been given the task to build a computer for my grandmother. It would only be used for email / web surfing / writing letters. She knows nothing about computers. So I figured it needs to be SIMPLE and as bullet proof as possible (I live 18 hours away). I built an old PI 166 computer from spare parts. 32 megs of ram, One 500 Meg hard drive, and one other small harddrive, cheap sound card, old VGA adapter. I have Flonix 41 installed on the harddrive and it works well, but still to complicated.
I was thinking I would build it off a Minimal SuSe 8.2 Install with matchbox for simplicity. (got the matchbox idea from PDAXrom)

The only real apps it needs are a good web browser, good Email and Koffice or OOo (or a lighter word app), and easy + light WM.

Firefox, maby dillo?
Thunderbird, ??
Koffice? (need something faster!)
Matchbox WM

I downloaded and compiled matchbox, it works great on my SuSe 8.2 box as an alternate to KDE at home. Its very simple and still very usable.

What do you all suggest? Thanks for the input.

[DrWily]

I had to do something like that for my Grandma who lives in Washington.  I live in North Carolina so I\'m nowhere near within repair distance.  There was a sale on an E-Machines computer at Bestbuy and it had everything with it she would need for only $300 AR.  I just put a clean copy of WinXP Pro and locked down everything she wouldn\'t use.  I then made a backup of the entire partition to a secondary partition in case I need it later.  She has been using it fine ever since.

[bluedevils]

I agree.  Windows is the best thing for grandma.  No website incompatibility and XP is relatively stable enough.  It does cost more.....

[bluey]

How about Abiword for text processing?

[metal9966]

I have though about using XP, but She wants simple, I think all the options and menus will make it more difficult than it needs to be. I was thinking of just a fex icons. I have never used Abiword, (only been using Linux about a year) I will install it tonight on my main box and give it a try. Thanks.

[mikew]

I had to do something similar when my wife, who is a grandma, said she wanted to use the computer, setup a PC with Windows 2000:-

Icon on desktop for MS Word, so she can type letters & print them, or click File then Send menu items to automatically convert the Word document into an e-mail & send it via Outlook Express.

Setup Internet explorer with her e-mail account as the home page with automatic login, so she can see he in tray without any further keystrokes.

Used the same password for everything (Windows, ISP & e-mail).

This was 12 months ago, now she claims it's her computer.

She has now gone 1 stage further, she now has a Nokia 9210 mobile for SMS messages & to check for e-mails, using WAP.

Only one outstanding problem, she still insists on printing the e-mails, before she reads them!

Mike

[naanu]

This is a site which might be of help to construct a linux machine with adequate softwares.

http://linuxshop.ru/linuxbegin/win-lin-soft-en/table.shtml

[padishah_emperor]

Only one outstanding problem, she still insists on printing the e-mails, before she reads them!

I can sympathise with that, I used to like to print things out before reading them properly.  It's more tangible when printed, however, I use my Z (with pdaXrom) as my main email client and I can read very comfortably with it, it's nice to download mails, then go and relax in the lounge and read at leisure. I do most reading these days via my Z.

I remember some years ago reading an article about reusable digital paper, with luck, if it ever becomes a reality she could have a solution.  In the meantime, get her a nice Z. ;-)

regards..

-Francis

[padishah_emperor]

This is a site which might be of help to construct a linux machine with adequate softwares.

http://linuxshop.ru/linuxbegin/win-lin-soft-en/table.shtml

It's a good page, I've read it before (or something like it).  I think nowadays, it's a myth that you MUST run windows, I've not had any MS software for years, I'm a total Linux user and manage just fine without it.

I think IF I was in a position to make a PC up for a family member and they wanted access to a SPECIFIC PC app and they only would accept that app, then I'd be forced to put a Windows on it. Otherwise, especially if they had a DSL, I'd use a free Lindows disk I have (which is Debian), bypass the CNR and apt-get any additional apps they want.

The only thing I ever wanted was PC games, but I installed a TV card in my PC anyway and use a games console via the AV input.

With a bit of configuring and setting up, you can build a Linux PC for a total newbie to computers just fine, I've done it plenty of times (with Redhat, SuSE, Fedora, Knoppix and Lindows), all are still running and their owners are very happy. Life without MS is possible and good.