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Yeah same experience here. Installed gentoo on our home computer for my mom and dad and once i showed them how to open Firefox, they were happy as clams. The on

Yeah same experience here. Installed gentoo on our home computer for my mom and dad and once i showed them how to open Firefox, they were happy as clams. The only issue was when my dad wanted to install tax software

bubblethink 8y ago
You mean your parents can use your gentoo computer, or that you installed gentoo for them ? The latter sounds quite unorthodox.
- tathougies 8y ago
  I installed it for them. It was more than a decade ago, and I chose gentoo because it was one of the first distributions to support amd64. Chose gentoo over debian because it had newer kernel versions that I needed for that particular computer.
lerax 8y ago
Similar history here with another distro.
tdsamardzhiev 8y ago
Basically, they'll be okay as long as they only use the browser. When they need to edit a MS Excel file, or use their digital signature (mandatory for companies in my country), or use some accounting software... or anything like this, you understand that Linux isn't as ready for the mainstream desktop as we think it is.
- tathougies 8y ago
  My dad was happy with OpenOffice.org Calc (now LibreOffice), and he loved excel. But, yeah, obviously Linux doesn't run accounting or signature software that is not built for it. That's not a technical issue with Linux of course (see Android), but a lack of proprietary software that runs on GNU/Linux.
  - iagovar 8y ago
    If you are a medium-advanced user with Excel it's not gonna be good with calc. Linux is only going to be smooth for very basic stuff or if you have de knowledge to troubleshoot it.
- dorfsmay 8y ago
  Your country mandate digital signature that aren't cross platform?
  - solarmist 8y ago
    "Cross platform" is in the eye of the beholder. How easy is it to use for someone that thinks their browser IS the internet to install and use?
    - dorfsmay 8y ago
      Browser extensions?
  - tdsamardzhiev 8y ago
    Some are compatible, some aren't. And even if yours is technically compatible, if you run into problems with the website or program where you need to use it -- and you will -- you're on your own.

bubblethink 8y ago

You mean your parents can use your gentoo computer, or that you installed gentoo for them ? The latter sounds quite unorthodox.

tathougies 8y ago
I installed it for them. It was more than a decade ago, and I chose gentoo because it was one of the first distributions to support amd64. Chose gentoo over debian because it had newer kernel versions that I needed for that particular computer.

lerax 8y ago

Similar history here with another distro.

tdsamardzhiev 8y ago

Basically, they'll be okay as long as they only use the browser. When they need to edit a MS Excel file, or use their digital signature (mandatory for companies in my country), or use some accounting software... or anything like this, you understand that Linux isn't as ready for the mainstream desktop as we think it is.

tathougies 8y ago
My dad was happy with OpenOffice.org Calc (now LibreOffice), and he loved excel. But, yeah, obviously Linux doesn't run accounting or signature software that is not built for it. That's not a technical issue with Linux of course (see Android), but a lack of proprietary software that runs on GNU/Linux.
- iagovar 8y ago
  If you are a medium-advanced user with Excel it's not gonna be good with calc. Linux is only going to be smooth for very basic stuff or if you have de knowledge to troubleshoot it.
dorfsmay 8y ago
Your country mandate digital signature that aren't cross platform?
- solarmist 8y ago
  "Cross platform" is in the eye of the beholder. How easy is it to use for someone that thinks their browser IS the internet to install and use?
  - dorfsmay 8y ago
    Browser extensions?
- tdsamardzhiev 8y ago
  Some are compatible, some aren't. And even if yours is technically compatible, if you run into problems with the website or program where you need to use it -- and you will -- you're on your own.