My wife who appears to have similar needs to your sister has gone through
this experience. I will comment on some of what you write.
Ed Skinner said:
> What criteria would suggest that a naive user could probably make
> the
> move to Linux with very little trouble? Here's my guess:
>
> 1) Computer use is limited to surfing the net and exchanging email. 2)
> Someone with minor (?) Linux-savvy is available to do the initial
> install, printer, network, browser* and email configurations, and to do
> an hour or two of "hands-on" instruction, and an occasional
> "hand-holding" via cellular phone (while the user is dialed-in trying
> to do something).
My wife prints a lot of pdf's and needs pdf functionality. Which is
interesting as she LOVES ghostview and hates adobe. Go figure. At least
twice I have upgraded and accidently pulled xpdf or acroread down and
heard hell about it. :)
> 3) Hands-on instruction would include:
> 3A) how to turn the machine on,
Wife figured this out w/o help.
> 3B) launch and operate the browser,
Wife figured this out w/o help.
> 3C) launch and operate the email program,
Minor help need here, but not more than 3 minutes.
> 3D) how to make those programs exit (without losing data), and
Wife figured this out w/o help.
> 3E) how to bring the machine down to a poweroff state.
Two second tutorial. However we don't power down machines so she doesn't
have to use it often.
> *Note: Cookies on or off? What's safe versus what will the naive user
> "need" for "Microsoft-like" browsing?
I would leave them on, unless you are ultra "privacy" concerned. Cookies
are mostly a privacy invader than a gaping security risk. Flash will be
necessary, as will mplayer (with windows and quicktime codecs) along with
javaplugin, if you wish to give "windows browsing experience". We can all
rant how evil each of these things is, but too many websites windows users
want to access aren't willing to go with out. Damn trading spaces website
forced the flash issue in my home. :)
> A slightly more sophisticated user might add the requirement for
> "Microsoft Office tools". That requirement could be answered through
> OpenOffice with the following criteria.
>
> 4) Computer use includes Word and Excel (but not PowerPoint or Access).
Open Office has a replacement for PowerPoint that seriously kicks the crap
out of powerpoint. Seriously for non Office power users, I find Abiword
and Gnumeric to be better replacements. Way less bloat and easier to use.
> 5) Someone with OpenOffice**-savvy is available to do some "hands-on"
> training and follow-up "hand-holding" by telephone.
My wife uses abiword to make and print things all the time. She has never
used a word processor and has not had any help. In fact, she often has
more time finding files she saved than she does actually making them or
printing them. :)
> 6) Hands-on instruction would include:
> 6A) how to launch OpenOffice,
> 6B) how to open existing Word and Excel files,
> 6C) how to save them as OpenOffice, or Word/Excel files,
> 6D) how to decide when to save them in one format versus the other,
> and 6E) how to exit (without losing data) from OpenOffice.
> **Note: Fonts seem to be an on-going problem, or is that just me?
After switching to gnome2 and antialiasing. Fonts on my wifes computer
just kicks butt. I am jealous of her 21" monitor with clean fonts. :(
> Would those two categories cover the majority of Windows users?
> What have I missed?
I think it covers most windows users pretty nicely. Internet station with
small producitivty usage.
HOWEVER, two things that are not very solveable that I will be installing
win4lin for....
1. ActiveX control for printing coupons not supported on GNU/Linux. My
wife saves hundreds of dollars doing coupons (re: lots of pdf printing)
and its killing me not having this control.
2. Games. The kids and wife have oodles of games that have varying
support under wine. Plus, there are lots they would like that are not
readily supported under wine.
GNU/Linux is darn close to being MORE than sufficient for a desktop. In
our house the #1 feature is I can run 3 X sessions. This way 3 family
members can use one computer, with different login and settings and NOT
have to log each other out. It is an absolute God send.
-derek
(text/plain)