Re: Using Linux on a Family PC
Hello,
As you may have noticed, I accidentally hit the 'send' button instead of
the 'save as draft' button, which lead to an incomplete first email in
this thread. Here is the complete email.
I've recently acquired a 2nd hand PC I want to use as replacement for
our (windows 98) family PC.
That means my mother, stepfather and little sister (5 years old) will
(have to be able to) use it.
Of course, I want to use Debian as the OS, if I can.
Specifications:
CPU: 466MHz Celeron
RAM: 2x 64MB DDR PC100
NIC: 3Com 10/100
Drives:
hda: 8.4 GB Seagate
hdb: 8.4 GB Seagate
fd0: 1.44MB 3.5" Floppy Drive
Internet access: ADSL (416 Kbit/sec up, 2240 Kbit/sec down)
My mother and stepfather will need to use the following types of
applications:
- Browser & E-mail (POP3) client
- Word processor
- Spreadsheet program?
- Image manipulation program?
My little sister plays about 3 different Windows games (some have a Mac
version too I believe) that she'll want to be able to play on the new PC
too.
I've thoght of using WINE, but I have no experience with it.
I've also thought of dual-booting, but would prefer not to use windows
at all.
My mother and stepfather already use Firefox and Mozilla Mail, so using
Firefox and Thunderbird as browser and e-mail client won't be a problem.
As for word processing, they're used to MS Word and Corel Wordperfect 8.
OpenOffice is also installed on the current PC, but as far as I know
they've never used it.
I hardly ever use a word processor myself, since I prefer plain text, so
I don't know what would be good replacements for Word/Wordperfect and
Excel. I occasionally use Openoffice and Abiword, but my knowledge of
those applications is limited.
Any suggestions, with arguments of course, on which apps to use are welcome.
Image manipulation is something my mother would like to do, but has not
done before, so I'll try to get her to use The GIMP. Any other
suggestions are welcome.
Another matter is which version of Debian to use.
I'd say unstable would be the best choice, but if anyone thinks
otherwise please let me know.
I don't think additional software will have to be installed regularly,
so I don't think I'll do much administration on this PC.
I'll probably have to perform security or otherwise important updates
sometimes, but that's it.
So my questions are:
- What version of Debian do I use?
- How do I allow my little sister to continue to use her windows games?
- What Word processor(s) and spreadsheet application(s) should I install?
- What desktop manager/environment do I use?
- What file-management program(s) should I use?
- How much administration (updating etc.) should I do?
- What do I have to think of regarding security?
- What do I set-up regarding permissions and limiting their options for
breaking anything, like deleting their important files, etc.?
- How do I make everyting as user-friendly as possible/nessecary?
- Do you have any additional tips?
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Felix
--
Felix C. Stegerman
the QuiX project - Open Source Software Development
E-Mail: quix@free.fr
Web: http://www.quix.tk/
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