How would you n00b proof a computer?

[Kraft Single]

A Cheaper alternative(Free) to Deepfreeze:



Microsoft Shared Component Toolkit(Click here for more)
The Shared Computer Toolkit is ideal for computers in schools, public libraries, community technology centers, and Internet cafés. It allows those who manage shared computers in these environments to easily:

? Defend shared computers from unauthorized changes to their hard disks.

? Restrict users from accessing system settings and data.

? Enhance the user experience on shared computers.

The Windows Disk Protection tool:
? Helps protect operating system files

? Clears changes when the computer restarts

? Automates critical and antivirus updates

? Lets you choose to save changes to disk



Note: You will need Windows Genuine Authentication to download/install it. (it checks WGA at installation)

 

[gsellis]

Get them a Mac (already posted)

Apple - for people not smart enough to own a computer.

 

[MX2]

Originally posted by: letdown427
This will sound sexist, but based on my personal experience, women tend to break a PC very quickly.

I'm a woman, and I will run circles around you regarding PC's

 

[laurenlex]

NoScript extenstion for Firefox

 

[eits]

Originally posted by: InlineFour
I buy them a mac.

that's what i was gonna say.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: mugs
Give them a limited user account.

Give them the admin password and tell them to ONLY use it when they're installing a program they want.

Ooh, ooh! I want free screensavers!!!! I want cheesy emoticons!!!!! I want BONZI BUDDY!!!!!!!!


Give them the administrator password. It will be written on a piece of paper, locked inside a safe, which will be encased in the spines of a cactus or porcupine, tipped with poison arrow frog toxin, guarded by heat-sensing shotgun traps. That way, it'll only be used if they really really need it.

 

[nageov3t]

:thumbsup: for this thread.

my mom is getting a new computer in a couple weeks... I'll definitely have to implement some of these suggestions when I set it up for her.

getting phone calls waking me up at 9 am requesting tech support because she installed half a dozen spyware programs = FTL

 

[soydios]

Give them a limited account in WindowsXP. They may screw up their account, but the other accounts will survive.

"If you make something idiot-proof, you've only challenged God to make a better idiot."

 

[aloser]

Giving them the admin PW and saying "only use it when you want to install something" sounds strikingly similar to giving your 14 year-old the keys to your Ferrari and saying "only drive this when you turn 21"

 

[zerocool1]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Deep freeze maybe?

ftw firefox is pretty good along with S&D

 

[Baked]

Don't buy one.

 

[Stiffe]

Originally posted by: InlineFour
I buy them a mac.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[xanis]

-Firefox w/ Adblock and NoScript
-Windows Defender
-Adaware SE
-Spybot S&D
-Limited user accounts

 

[imported_LoKe]

Install Linux and don't tell them about sudo.

 

[xSauronx]

remove the psu

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Kraft Single
A Cheaper alternative(Free) to Deepfreeze:



Microsoft Shared Component Toolkit(Click here for more)
The Shared Computer Toolkit is ideal for computers in schools, public libraries, community technology centers, and Internet cafés. It allows those who manage shared computers in these environments to easily:

? Defend shared computers from unauthorized changes to their hard disks.

? Restrict users from accessing system settings and data.

? Enhance the user experience on shared computers.

The Windows Disk Protection tool:
? Helps protect operating system files

? Clears changes when the computer restarts

? Automates critical and antivirus updates

? Lets you choose to save changes to disk



Note: You will need Windows Genuine Authentication to download/install it. (it checks WGA at installation)

:thumbsup:

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: letdown427
Don't tell them where it is.

LOFL..AHAHHAHA:laugh:

 

[UglyCasanova]

Get them a mac. What does a PC do that a mac doesn't (sans the games). If they aren't very computer literate anyways I doubt they care which OS they are using. OS X does seem to be more user friendly as well, and it is very hard to fvck them up.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: UglyCasanova
Get them a mac. What does a PC do that a mac doesn't (sans the games). If they aren't very computer literate anyways I doubt they care which OS they are using. OS X does seem to be more user friendly as well, and it is very hard to fvck them up.

to an extent, for jsut plain phots, music and browsing, the mac would be more all-in-oneish if they don't know a damn thign about computers....

watch out if anythign goes srong though....

 

[tfinch2]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sharedaccess/default.mspx

 

[Pepsi90919]

unplug it

 

[Ayah]

Lock it in a vault.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: OdiN
This should work.

truely, one of the greatest retributions of all time:beer:

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: UglyCasanova
Get them a mac. What does a PC do that a mac doesn't (sans the games). If they aren't very computer literate anyways I doubt they care which OS they are using. OS X does seem to be more user friendly as well, and it is very hard to fvck them up.

Yes, if you absolutely need to buy them a computer and you don't care about the pricetag, just get them a mac and be done with it. The chances of them screwing it up are lower unless they purposely try to screw it up.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
I've tried simple things such as spybot + avast + a few simple modifications, but alas that doesn't seem to work.

What type of things would you do to n00b proof a computer (ie parents, teens, whatever), while still giving them full functionality (or at least what they need...they do need to be able to installs programs and whatnot while I'm not there)

Crappy computer + Duct tape = FTW

 

[fire400]

Originally posted by: InlineFour
I buy them a mac.

for some reason I don't think this one is a joke

otherwise get a dell or hp