The Easiest Linux

[IsaacKuo]

My advice for this sort of situation is very simple:

Use whatever Linux distribution you yourself use. YOU are going to be the de facto "computer guy" maintaining and fixing this system, so you should use what you're familiar with.

In this case, it seems to be SUSE, or possibly FreeBSD (why? For shell programming? You can do that with SUSE or any other Linux also).

However, you say you're only one month into Linux. That certainly leaves you plenty of opportunity to admit your mistake early on and use a Debian based Linux instead. :P

I'm kidding, I'm kidding! But anyway, depending on your mom's political views she might actually appreciate BSD rather than Linux. Some Republicans believe Linux and GPL is evil un-American commie scum.

[IsaacKuo]

I see...
Thanks.
I'm gonna install XPDE for her... it looks good.

You should set up her computer the way you set up your own computer, especially since you're a relative newbie. You're the one who's going to have to support this computer.

[chopin1810]

Good point... I don't like XPDE myself... I'm just installing it for her because she's used to Windows. I might change my mind though, just because I use Gnome. It's always looked clean and simple. KDE always looks cluttered. Since I'm going for simplicity here, and because I'm used to the way Gnome is set up, I might as well just go with that...

In this case, it seems to be SUSE, or possibly FreeBSD (why? For shell programming? You can do that with SUSE or any other Linux also).

I use BSD because it's more of a "pure" UNIX OS. I have it configured for optimal speed, shell programming, and those only. I have SUSE for all of my other stuff, like stuff for work, and, well, just all my other stuff. FreeBSD is just a place for me to learn all of the UNIX technicals, as some day I'd like to convert to Slackware, just because SUSE is so fat and bloated... at least on my pentium II machine I'm writing this on (I'm building a new system in October. I can't wait!!!)

[aysiu]

Good point... I don't like XPDE myself... I'm just installing it for her because she's used to Windows. I might change my mind though, just because I use Gnome. It's always looked clean and simple. KDE always looks cluttered. Since I'm going for simplicity here, and because I'm used to the way Gnome is set up, I might as well just go with that...

If you're comfortable with Gnome, put her on Gnome. All you have to do to make her comfortable is install this as the graphical splash for the login screen:

http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=22254

install this theme:

http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=16732

and make this her wallpaper:

http://bestmotorek.za.pl/Windows%20XP%204.jpg

She won't know the difference, and all the regular Gnome commands and such will work. You can even replace her Gnome foot with the Start Menu icon.

[IsaacKuo]

I use BSD because it's more of a "pure" UNIX OS.

I use Debian because it's more of a "pure" GNU OS.

And I don't have the patience for compile times on a Pentium II.

[chopin1810]

GNU's not Unix.

[chopin1810]

Good point... I don't like XPDE myself... I'm just installing it for her because she's used to Windows. I might change my mind though, just because I use Gnome. It's always looked clean and simple. KDE always looks cluttered. Since I'm going for simplicity here, and because I'm used to the way Gnome is set up, I might as well just go with that...

If you're comfortable with Gnome, put her on Gnome. All you have to do to make her comfortable is install this as the graphical splash for the login screen:

http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=22254

install this theme:

http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=16732

and make this her wallpaper:

http://bestmotorek.za.pl/Windows%20XP%204.jpg

She won't know the difference, and all the regular Gnome commands and such will work. You can even replace her Gnome foot with the Start Menu icon.

cool...

[jlgreer1]

A simple, straight forward, easy to use, small, ultralight, run on just about anything linux live cd......

www.damnsmalllinux.org

Jeff

[jtkleeme]

The best way is not to look at it as by distro but method of administration. You mother is probably one of those sorts of people who don't deliberately try to wreck something but backs into it.

Set up a user account for her with the things that she needs in a conviently and well laid out fashion. Yes, go ahead and log in as her and setup the desktop to begin with and remove everything that she probably won't ever need from the K menu. Make sure that the tooltips are enabled. Make sure that the screen resolution is not set too high and the fonts are large enough. Mom wants to be able to read an email from her favorite son more than she is concerned with being able to see the very fine blond hairs on Pamela Anderson's Butt. Stuff like that.

Don't give her the root password That makes you the sysadmin. Whenever she needs to do something that requires root access get her to have you do it. My mother doesn't know the differance between windows and linux. "it looks kind of different" is all she knows. A little patience and a lot of pre set-up work goes a long way. I leave the House terminal running 24X7 believe it or not this creates so many fewer problems. At this point you need to decide on things like KDE or Gnome. Remember that this is for someone else that may have very limited knowlege of ANY operating system or may not even know what an operating system is. Your dear sweet mom like mine will probably not be wondering about the virtues of premptive vs concurrent multitasking or compiling gpgpu application specific software or calculating server load balancing any time soon. Just K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) and work from there.
--Jtkleeme--