Re: [LUG] Farseer enterprises

[Rob Beard <rob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Julian Hall wrote:

> How about the best of both worlds?  Mandrake 10 with the latest WINE 
> compiled on it?  Most Windows programs have a native Linux variant for 
> the same function these days, and in general the normal "user" doesn't 
> have the slightest interest what goes on under the bonnet in my 
> experience.  So give them a GUI (KDE or Gnome) instead of Windows and 
> you'd be unlucky if they can tell the difference.
>
> Open Office instead of Microsoft Office
> Any email client that is handy
> Any browser
> (although I go for Firefox and Thunderbird for the last two)
> Kopete instead of AIM, YIM, ICQ etc
> TheGIMP for graphics
>
> If the user in question DOES have some esoteric function that Linux 
> doesn't have yet, then:
>
> a) It's only a matter of time until it will.
> b) WINE may be able to run it instead.  I'm not sticking my neck out 
> to say it *will*, I'm not that dumb :)
>
> As a newbie to Linux I went for Mandrake because it was pitched as the 
> flavour for newbies.  It runs out of the box and gives all the 
> functions that a Windows installation does, plus all the other 
> programs usually bought separately, such as those listed above.  I'm 
> now on my 4th Mandrake iteration and loving it still :)

I'm going to have a good test, my childminder was going on about her 
computer always freezing up (it's running Windows 98 at the moment).  I 
haven't looked at it yet, but my guess is that it is probably going to 
be something like a Duron.

I was thinking of suggesting they try Linux of some description, 
probably something like Mandrake 10 Community edition (as its free and I 
have the whole distro on DVD from a Linux format magazine).  I don't 
think they would need much from Windows, it sounds like my childminder 
uses Office (or maybe even Wordpad) which can be replaced with OOo 
1.1.3, and her kids browse the internet which I'm sure Firefox wouldn't 
have any problems with (well it certainly works a treat for my browsing 
needs).

Does anyone know of any guides to help new Linux users convert from 
familar Windows 9x/ME/XP to something like KDE or Gnome? (just thinking 
it'll save me trying to explain everything to her).

Rob


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