9 ms·

For folks who mostly just need a browser and for whom malware is a risk, you really can't do better than an iPad. I love Linux, but there really is no beating

by sgk284 10y ago

For folks who mostly just need a browser and for whom malware is a risk, you really can't do better than an iPad. I love Linux, but there really is no beating an iPad if you need a PC-approximate that is absurdly low maintenance.

rudedogg 10y ago
There's also CloudReady, it's based on Chromium OS. I installed it on a relatives computer after making sure they just needed a browser, and so far so good. It's been around 4-6 months and they said it's working fine. https://www.neverware.com/#introtext-3 https://www.neverware.com/#introtext-3
p10_user 10y ago
My parents hardly ever use a desktop computer since getting tablets and smart phones, but they still need and use one for business activities (self employment Excel entries, scanning and emailing documents, taxes). So while I wholeheartedly agree with you, I don't think the tablet can necessarily 100% eliminate the need for a desktop computer.
intrasight 10y ago
iPads are great. But what beats it is a Fire HD8. I got one for me and for my mother-in-law on CyberMonday for $56 each. That's about 1/10th the price of an iPad. I did not login to Amazon. I did install Chrome and VLC so she has music, videos, and the web - all one needs on such a device. Hopefully it gets rooted soon so I can install a generic Android ROM.
- jethro_tell 10y ago
  What sort of OS support updates is that getting?
  - intrasight 10y ago
    OTA OS updates still occur on Fire tablet even if you don't register. I've disabled them via OpenDns in case the current OS version becomes rootable.
ekianjo 10y ago
> For folks who mostly just need a browser and for whom malware is a risk, you really can't do better than an iPad. Yup, I agree, but some folks prefer a physical keyboard and an Ipad + bluetooth keyboard is not really super convenient.
- xur17 10y ago
  A chromebook is a pretty good alternative.
  - ekianjo 10y ago
    True. But Linux distros can run on more hardware I believe.
eli 10y ago
A chromebook is cheaper and, IMHO, better for most users.
- pvg 10y ago
  What do you think makes it better? It's not unusual to see non-technical users of all ages using an iPad. You never see them using a chromebook.
  - hawski 10y ago
    - Built-in keyboard, - many times desktop browser will be more compatible, - you can install additional safety browser extensions beyond adblocker, - Chrome Remote Desktop for remote service, - updates on ChromeOS are entirely seamless - just reboot the machine every once in a while.
    - pvg 10y ago
      Almost all of this is of no practical importance to 'many users'. They're nice-to-haves for technical users.
      - hawski 10y ago
        Built-in keyboard - this depends how often or how important for a person text entry is. Certainly for older users that type often or value it more physical keyboard would have very high practical importance [1]. For younger users that write a lot it would also be important. Desktop browser compatibility have high practical importance. There are many sites that are important (i.e. government sites), but either are hard to navigate or can't be displayed properly. Users may use 20% of sites 80% of time. It does not matter then when they stumble upon a site that is important, but does not work. This sounds like a classic argument of FOSS proponents - everything works except: this game or that printer. In many cases it will be unacceptable. Additional safety browser extensions and Chrome Remote Desktop are indeed for technical users. However it is meant to cut needed service time - that is of value to the normal users. Seamless updates are important in a sense that the device is not bugging them and device is always ready to use. That also ensures that device is safe to use. It may be not of high importance to users, but it certainly is of practical importance. I did not include price previously, but it was mentioned here above. The price is not practical importance per se, but it often overrides everything. [1] http://web.ist.utl.pt/hugo.nicolau/publications/2012/assets12.pdf http://web.ist.utl.pt/hugo.nicolau/publications/2012/assets1... - it's a small study, but nice place to start
beefsack 10y ago
An iPad is an expensive solution if they've already got a PC, and Linux is a great free way to resurrect computers that the commercial operating systems have left behind.
- adav 10y ago
  That depends on how much you value your own personal time setting their system up and maintaining it. An iPad might have a greater up front cost, but the time savings could make it a comparative bargain over the lifetime of the device.
  - brokenmachine 10y ago
    iPads are not maintenance and support free. I would personally rather support a linux machine that I can remotely connect to, give them icons on the desktop, etc, than an iPad.
- chapium 10y ago
  Not so expensive when you consider support.

by sgk284 10y ago

rudedogg 10y ago

There's also CloudReady, it's based on Chromium OS. I installed it on a relatives computer after making sure they just needed a browser, and so far so good. It's been around 4-6 months and they said it's working fine. https://www.neverware.com/#introtext-3 https://www.neverware.com/#introtext-3

p10_user 10y ago

My parents hardly ever use a desktop computer since getting tablets and smart phones, but they still need and use one for business activities (self employment Excel entries, scanning and emailing documents, taxes). So while I wholeheartedly agree with you, I don't think the tablet can necessarily 100% eliminate the need for a desktop computer.

intrasight 10y ago

iPads are great. But what beats it is a Fire HD8. I got one for me and for my mother-in-law on CyberMonday for $56 each. That's about 1/10th the price of an iPad. I did not login to Amazon. I did install Chrome and VLC so she has music, videos, and the web - all one needs on such a device. Hopefully it gets rooted soon so I can install a generic Android ROM.

jethro_tell 10y ago
What sort of OS support updates is that getting?
- intrasight 10y ago
  OTA OS updates still occur on Fire tablet even if you don't register. I've disabled them via OpenDns in case the current OS version becomes rootable.

ekianjo 10y ago

> For folks who mostly just need a browser and for whom malware is a risk, you really can't do better than an iPad. Yup, I agree, but some folks prefer a physical keyboard and an Ipad + bluetooth keyboard is not really super convenient.

xur17 10y ago
A chromebook is a pretty good alternative.
- ekianjo 10y ago
  True. But Linux distros can run on more hardware I believe.

eli 10y ago

A chromebook is cheaper and, IMHO, better for most users.

pvg 10y ago
What do you think makes it better? It's not unusual to see non-technical users of all ages using an iPad. You never see them using a chromebook.
- hawski 10y ago
  - Built-in keyboard, - many times desktop browser will be more compatible, - you can install additional safety browser extensions beyond adblocker, - Chrome Remote Desktop for remote service, - updates on ChromeOS are entirely seamless - just reboot the machine every once in a while.
  - pvg 10y ago
    Almost all of this is of no practical importance to 'many users'. They're nice-to-haves for technical users.
    - hawski 10y ago
      Built-in keyboard - this depends how often or how important for a person text entry is. Certainly for older users that type often or value it more physical keyboard would have very high practical importance [1]. For younger users that write a lot it would also be important. Desktop browser compatibility have high practical importance. There are many sites that are important (i.e. government sites), but either are hard to navigate or can't be displayed properly. Users may use 20% of sites 80% of time. It does not matter then when they stumble upon a site that is important, but does not work. This sounds like a classic argument of FOSS proponents - everything works except: this game or that printer. In many cases it will be unacceptable. Additional safety browser extensions and Chrome Remote Desktop are indeed for technical users. However it is meant to cut needed service time - that is of value to the normal users. Seamless updates are important in a sense that the device is not bugging them and device is always ready to use. That also ensures that device is safe to use. It may be not of high importance to users, but it certainly is of practical importance. I did not include price previously, but it was mentioned here above. The price is not practical importance per se, but it often overrides everything. [1] http://web.ist.utl.pt/hugo.nicolau/publications/2012/assets12.pdf http://web.ist.utl.pt/hugo.nicolau/publications/2012/assets1... - it's a small study, but nice place to start

beefsack 10y ago

An iPad is an expensive solution if they've already got a PC, and Linux is a great free way to resurrect computers that the commercial operating systems have left behind.

adav 10y ago
That depends on how much you value your own personal time setting their system up and maintaining it. An iPad might have a greater up front cost, but the time savings could make it a comparative bargain over the lifetime of the device.
- brokenmachine 10y ago
  iPads are not maintenance and support free. I would personally rather support a linux machine that I can remotely connect to, give them icons on the desktop, etc, than an iPad.
chapium 10y ago
Not so expensive when you consider support.