What linux distribution you would recommend to your mom?

[theplanb]

Must be very user friendly..

 

[lucidguy]

Guys, let's collate the one hundred seventy three responses of "Mandrake" in this single post.

Mandrake.

OK, I've said it. You can save your energy now.

 

[Smaulz]

Without a doubt, Mandrake 8.0 is the easiest and most "userfriendly" linux distro available at this time. I'm speaking from experience. I've tried almost every distro out there, from red hat and debian to slackware and caldera, and everything in between. Mandrake had the easiest install and detected all my hardware, 80% of which is obscure OEM crap. Once installed, the KDE interface that's installed by default is very Windows-like, and easy to configure and customize. Tell dear 'ol mom to give it a shot. Hopefully before long, Linux will put the "Evil Empire" out of business. (lol too much to hope for, I know) Linux-Mandrake 8.0 is definitely a step in the right direction. At least now the non-techno weenies have an alternative to MS.

 

[Smaulz]

dangit lucid... beat me to the punch

 

[MGMorden]

Mandrake, Redhat, Caldera (in that order for extreme newbies).

 

[DukeN]

Mandrake, what else

 

[juiio]

I wouldn't.

 

[guitronics]

Linux OP.(Older People).Recommended by the AARP.Familiar icons, false teeth(recycle bin),Coffee cup(standby),Lon Cheney(My computer),Light switch(shut down);and it even has a little furry mouse for the cursor!Very intuitive.

 

[y2kc]

2nd vote for none. My mom is strictly an end user, period. I installed 2k on her machine, got her on the net and I haven't heard a peep since as opposed to win 98 which guaranteed at least one call/visit per week due to one problem after another. 'nix for Mom? no way. Not mine anyway.

 

[thornc]

It kind of depends on the mom....mine wouldn't even touch a computer...

But I know of cases where the mom works with Linux systems without a
problem...and others where the only answer is a good stable windows...
if you can find one!!

Anyway if the mom or someone else if just starting with computers
she/he will learn what you want them to learn, i've seen that...

It's not like you want your mom to learn how to install a OS or
assemble a computer is it...if you give her a preinstalled computer
and teach her the basics you're set...

 

[BreakApart]

lucidguy mentioned Mandrake.

Let me clarify and say Mandrake-8.0 (best version by far)

Some of the earlier Mandrakes were a bit so-so.

 

[5mudge]

One thing to add is if your mom is taking PC classes, the instructors assume that their students have Windows boxes at home.

My mom's first class was an intro to PCs, using Win9x boxes, and then her second class was for MS Excel. She would be less than pleased if I installed Linux/StarOffice, since she would then have to adapt what she already learned to the new environment.

The other thing is that with having Win98 on her box, I don't have to give her any lessons, as she gets OS and Microsoft app-specific instructions in class. (Besides I'm 50 miles away and only get to visit 2x per month).

That last thing is that I support Win9x/NT/2k full-time at the office, and only play with Linux as time allows, so my Linux support experience isn't as deep such that I could rattle off answers to common questions. So having Win98 on my mom's PC is what the doctor ordered in my case, though if the OS ever broke, I would migrate her to Win2k for the stability.

 

[Bremen]

Etch-A-Sketch Linux for sure.

 

[Chaotic42]

Progeny Debian

 

[dud2k]

tell her to stop being so technological, and go back to the kitchen.

 

[Edfan]

When Dud2k was born, somebody should have slapped his mother.

 

[Edfan]

Planb - have you looked at Corel's Linux Deluxe? I've heard it's super automagical and beginners go from opening the box to reasonably productive at the usual things within an afternoon. The "out of box" experience is supposed to be very good.

Email me a couple of weeks from now. I'm planning a Linux system as soon as some remodeling is finished on my house.

 

[lucidguy]

Corel Linux is based on Debian, and since Microsoft's buyout of Corel, they have somehow stopped supporting and updating the Corel Linux project. One wonders why?

Stormix was another compelling Debian-based distro, with many of the same strengths as Corel Linux, but they recently went out of business.

Currently, the prominent Debian-based distros are Debian (duh), Linux by Libranet, and Progeny Linux. The most user-friendly Debian based distro that is still being supported is Linux by Libranet.

 

[RedBadger93]

<< Must be very user friendly.. >>



Linux is the last thing you should be recommending to you mom, unless she is *very* computer literate.

She is far better off running either Windows or a Macintosh.

 

[MGMorden]

Linux is different than Windows granted, so if this lady already has a background in Windows it'd be best to stick w/ that. HOWEVER, I've maintained for a while that for a person with ZERO computer knowledge, either platform would do fine. They'll have to learn whichever one they choose (and yes you can get by in Linux without the command line. You do it in Windows . . . that DOS prompt ain't a GUI), and I really don't see Linux as being any harder to pickup than Windows for someone who knows neither.

 

[serialb]

Pick up a cheap copy of Windows 95 for like $20. That would be a better bet for grandma-grade computer user.

 

[Davegod75]

how about w2k...

 

[SemperFi]

I am in agreement with MGM.

The big drawback is that mom can't go to best buy or where ever and buy that recipe program etc. with a linux box.

 

[zzzz]

How about linux from scratch?
After she figures it out, she would be able to troubleshoot your linux problems!