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Good OS for 1st time computer user?

C

coolVariable

Diamond Member
I am setting up an "old" laptop for my mom (compaq 1050us).
She has barely any idea how to use a computer, so it should be very, very simple.

I don't see here doing anything beyond:
- Write docs / print
- email
- surf internet
- copy audio CDs

... maybe also:
- instant messenger (MSN?)
- skype


The Options, as I see it are:
- XP
- Vista
- ubuntu
- some other simple/easy to use linux

XP
The laptop currently runs XP Pro.
I like XP very much but I know how 1st time computer users like her keep changing small settings unintentionally (e.g. by clicking and dragging stuff around without intent) ...

Vista
If I throw some more RAM on it, the laptop should easily be able to handle it.
The nice thing is that UAC will keep her from messing stuff up.

Linux/ubuntu
I very much like the idea of a very, very simple OS with the most basic apps for her to only do the above. Something like a "child OS".
I was thinking about something like the primitive Xandros Linux version the Asus EEE PC runs. I also like how it starts very, very quickly (15 seconds).


Any ideas? Suggestions?
How do you handle your computer challenged relatives?

 
I'll say Vista, if you set her up correctly she won't be able to screw much up. Since she's never really used XP before she won't messed up trying to find anything. Vista help is really quite good, she'll learn a lot if you teach her to use it. Probably nearly everything she'll ever need is already integrated into the OS.

My mother is a horror show with XP and earlier, even after many years of use I still cannot teach her how to right click and therefore she still can't copy/paste.:Q I'm afraid to move her to Vista because she'll never find anything, but I wish she had learned on Vista originally, it would be easier.
 
Originally posted by: Cutthroat
I'll say Vista, if you set her up correctly she won't be able to screw much up. Since she's never really used XP before she won't messed up trying to find anything. Vista help is really quite good, she'll learn a lot if you teach her to use it. Probably nearly everything she'll ever need is already integrated into the OS.

My mother is a horror show with XP and earlier, even after many years of use I still cannot teach her how to right click and therefore she still can't copy/paste.:Q I'm afraid to move her to Vista because she'll never find anything, but I wish she had learned on Vista originally, it would be easier.
Click to expand...

Amen, its helped me out quite a few times.
 
I agree with you guys.
I use Vista and like it a lot.
Played around with ubuntu but it just isn't there for business use (nor the occasional gaming).

I thought there might be a linux OS with a very simple GUI (that literally only supported the 6 features I listed above with BIG, BIG icons and BIG, BIG text). Something like this here.
But it probably is not worth the hassle in case anything ever goes wrong.



Since you both seem to have similar experiences ... isn't it funny how BIG icons (much too large for my taste) are perceived as "simple to use" by people like my mom?
 
They are simple to use by anybody. The ease with which someone can click on something in the UI is directly proportional to its distance and size. A larger icon, closer to the cursor will be easier to click on then a small icon, further away
 
Many older adults I know run XP at a lower resolution to get the icons and text bigger to make it easier to read and see. Vista took the steps of making these things bigger in higher resolutions so people with vision problems will be able to still use Vista in it's native resolution.
 
If you do go with a linux variant, I'd recommend pclinuxos over ubuntu for usability. It worked better out of the box for me. It's the most user friendly linux distribution I've tried so far.
 
Ubuntu (or Xandros or PCLOS or whatever) would work. Give her a limited user account on Ubuntu and once you get it set up for her, it will be pretty much impossible for her to break. And my wife at least thinks the menu structure is much much easier to use than Vista (she's very very computer illiterate).

Since it already has XP on it, you could use that, and at the very least set her up with a limited user account, which should prevent her from messing up anything that can't be easily undone. You might also take a serious look at Windows SteadyState. It's a free addon from Microsoft and gives the ability to greatly restrict and simplify the user interface, among other useful things.
 
Originally posted by: soonerproud
Many older adults I know run XP at a lower resolution to get the icons and text bigger to make it easier to read and see. Vista took the steps of making these things bigger in higher resolutions so people with vision problems will be able to still use Vista in it's native resolution.
Click to expand...

Another one my dad figured out was to increase the DPI rather than lowering the resolution. Right click the desktop, go to properties >> settings >> advanced >> change DPI from 96 to 120. As you can guess, he's far sighted 😉

edit: Installing Linux on somebody else's computer is a very bad idea. Expect endless headaches when she buys some printer or digital camera or something that isn't supported. Either get Vista or a Mac.
 
Expect endless headaches when she buys some printer or digital camera or something that isn't supported. Either get Vista or a Mac.
Click to expand...

Yea because noone has problems with hardware in Windows or OS X...
 
Originally posted by: Nothinman
Expect endless headaches when she buys some printer or digital camera or something that isn't supported. Either get Vista or a Mac.
Click to expand...

Yea because noone has problems with hardware in Windows or OS X...
Click to expand...

Exactly, go buy vista OP you will not be dissapointed :thumbsup:
 
OSX is nice for a beginner, everything is made for simple minded people.
Or Windows XP with limited user rights.

I wouldn't go Linux unless you are prepped to support it in case they mess it up...but on the other hand, learning Linux now would probably be somewhat beneficial in the future.
 
Originally posted by: Nothinman
Expect endless headaches when she buys some printer or digital camera or something that isn't supported. Either get Vista or a Mac.
Click to expand...

Yea because noone has problems with hardware in Windows or OS X...
Click to expand...

Um... correct? I've been using Vista since February on 3 different computers and so far not a single piece of hardware has had problems. Absolutely everything is plug & play. Mac OS has been like that for years.
Contrast that with Kubuntu Linux where it can't detect my Radeon 9600 video card, it's unable to detect my laptop's native resolution (it sets the screen too wide), cannot connect to any of the computers in the workgroup, and is unable to use the integrated wireless G.
 
Um... correct? I've been using Vista since February on 3 different computers and so far not a single piece of hardware has had problems. Absolutely everything is plug & play. Mac OS has been like that for years.
Contrast that with Kubuntu Linux where it can't detect my Radeon 9600 video card, it's unable to detect my laptop's native resolution (it sets the screen too wide), cannot connect to any of the computers in the workgroup, and is unable to use the integrated wireless G.
Click to expand...

Far from correct. I've got 4 machines all running Linux, one going on 9 years without a single problem besides a dead drive here and there IIRC, with all of their hardware working just fine and IMO they were all less hassle than Windows to setup, especially the wifi. If the XP wifi management stuff isn't the worst ever designed I don't know what is. So my anecdote beats your anecdote!

No matter what OS you use you've got to pay attention to what hardware you buy. Go ahead and put a non-Mac video card in an OS X machine and see what happens. Linux has vastly better hardware support than OS X, it's laughable to think otherwise. Hell I can plug any old PCI card that Linux supports into my Alpha and it'll work just fine because the driver is OSS works on every architecture that Linux supports.
 
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Originally posted by: Nothinman
Expect endless headaches when she buys some printer or digital camera or something that isn't supported. Either get Vista or a Mac.
Click to expand...

Yea because noone has problems with hardware in Windows or OS X...
Click to expand...

Um... correct? I've been using Vista since February on 3 different computers and so far not a single piece of hardware has had problems. Absolutely everything is plug & play. Mac OS has been like that for years.
Contrast that with Kubuntu Linux where it can't detect my Radeon 9600 video card, it's unable to detect my laptop's native resolution (it sets the screen too wide), cannot connect to any of the computers in the workgroup, and is unable to use the integrated wireless G.
Click to expand...

I've been putting off using Vista because it doesn't work with half my hardware, including but not limited to: my tv tuner card, my soundcard, and my scanner.
 
Originally posted by: Brazen
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Originally posted by: Nothinman
Expect endless headaches when she buys some printer or digital camera or something that isn't supported. Either get Vista or a Mac.
Click to expand...

Yea because noone has problems with hardware in Windows or OS X...
Click to expand...

Um... correct? I've been using Vista since February on 3 different computers and so far not a single piece of hardware has had problems. Absolutely everything is plug & play. Mac OS has been like that for years.
Contrast that with Kubuntu Linux where it can't detect my Radeon 9600 video card, it's unable to detect my laptop's native resolution (it sets the screen too wide), cannot connect to any of the computers in the workgroup, and is unable to use the integrated wireless G.
Click to expand...

I've been putting off using Vista because it doesn't work with half my hardware, including but not limited to: my tv tuner card, my soundcard, and my scanner.
Click to expand...

I'll agree there.... jmicron updated their drivers and still vista is useless.
 
Originally posted by: Brazen
Ubuntu (or Xandros or PCLOS or whatever) would work. Give her a limited user account on Ubuntu and once you get it set up for her, it will be pretty much impossible for her to break. And my wife at least thinks the menu structure is much much easier to use than Vista (she's very very computer illiterate).

Since it already has XP on it, you could use that, and at the very least set her up with a limited user account, which should prevent her from messing up anything that can't be easily undone. You might also take a serious look at Windows SteadyState. It's a free addon from Microsoft and gives the ability to greatly restrict and simplify the user interface, among other useful things.
Click to expand...

Wow. I had never before heard about SteadyState.
That seems like a great tool!

Will probably go with XP or Vista.
I think the compaq only has 384MB RAM ... but I could probably give her a 1GB stick of mine.
 
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