5 ms·

Elderly relatives are the best candidate for switching to linux. They need to do what? Browser, zoom, email client. They are never going to install anything.

Elderly relatives are the best candidate for switching to linux. They need to do what? Browser, zoom, email client. They are never going to install anything. All of these have great options on linux, and they work just as well. Just put them on Debian stable and be done with it.

thunky 11mo ago
Chromebook.
- XorNot 11mo ago
  A locked in Google platform while Google is helping Microsoft implement mass data collection...
  - aeroevan 11mo ago
    Most of them can be turned into a vanilla linux laptop fairly easily, and even support custom coreboot firmware: https://docs.mrchromebox.tech/ https://docs.mrchromebox.tech/ That being said, it's also pretty easy to get a full linux shell and even install gui apps via flatpak or whatever.
- more_corn 11mo ago
  Chromebook is absolute garbage
- fsflover 11mo ago
  So that all your chat history with the relative goes straight to train Google ads? No, thanks.
rjdj377dhabsn 11mo ago
Yep. While my mom was working she needed too many Windows-only applications. But once she retired, I set her up with a Linux desktop and it's been smooth sailing.
more_corn 11mo ago
I installed zorin on an old machine that was given to me because it wouldn’t run win 11. I like it a lot. Debian based, clean smooth UI. Just tell them Microsoft improved the user experience with windows 11.
- mjevans 11mo ago
  X X Windows L.E. => (e)X X Windows (Wayland) L.E. (Linux Edition) Even the one major 'windows' app that my mom needs to use is going Web only... so I figure if I install Debian Stable + Widevine that'll cover 99.9% of the use case and I gain an OS that just works correctly.
stOneskull 11mo ago
i think a good ubuntu is a bit better than just debian for this. probably linux mint or kubuntu. for just debian, then mint debian edition or mx linux would be best, imo
- fsflover 11mo ago
  > imo Any particular reasons?
  - stOneskull 11mo ago
    i just fret about grandma using plain debian. my first thought is i want to give her puppy linux. it's probably fine if she lives in firefox though.
    - marcosdumay 11mo ago
      What do you believe Ubuntu has that Debian doesn't and will make their lives easier?
      - stOneskull 11mo ago
        generally, it's more user-friendly and has more third-party stuff like codecs and drivers. i think it's also got more of a community to help with issues, whether googling or using the irc client that normally comes with a distro.
analog8374 11mo ago
I installed Debian (with Mate desktop) for 3 different elderly ladies. All 3 give it a solid thumbs up. "It never crashes", "It's so easy", "It's fast", "None of that Windows bs".
firen777 11mo ago
[dead]
WhereIsTheTruth 11mo ago
Linux is under control of the same companies Besides, all major distributions (Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu) ship with a shim signed by Microsoft, and systemd.. *BSD is the only escape, but for how long?
- stevenjgarner 11mo ago
  I feel your passion, but I feel this is a little hyperbolic? I feel your passion is directed more at UEFI secure-boot than at Linux. I am no lover of the UEFI secure-boot world, using shims as a first-stage boot loader component whose job is to bridge the firmware’s trusted key infrastructure (typically Microsoft’s signing key) to a Linux (or other non-Windows) bootloader/kernel chain. > Linux is under control of the same companies Linux is indeed open source, so are you trying to say that "Linux is EFFECTIVELY under control of the same companies VIA UEFI WITH SECURE BOOT ENABLED"? Or is there a big-Tech cabal controlling Linux in another manner? I get that most big-Tech companies are major contributors to open source projects. > all major distributions (Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu) ship with a shim signed by Microsoft Having a shim signed by Microsoft makes no difference if these distributions are being installed on hardware without UEFI firmware implemented on the motherboard’s SPI flash e.g. motherboards from Purism (Librem Laptops), System76 (Thelio, Galago Pro, etc.), Framework Laptop (2021 →), Star Labs, Raspberry Pi / Single-Board Computers and uncountable DIY PC builds with motherboards (ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte, etc.) that expose Secure Boot options. It is usually only when consumer hardware is being used from major OEMs (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.) that ship with only Microsoft’s key in the firmware trust database. > and systemd You are suggesting that “systemd” is also part of the lock-in or control (in your mind) of those distributions. But strictly in the context of shim and Secure Boot, systemd is not the same issue: systemd is an init-system/process manager in userland, not part of the firmware/boot loader signature infrastructure. Major distros use systemd, so from a “vendor/lock-in” narrative they may lump bootloader trust and systemd governance together. But strictly speaking your assertion is more of a opinion/ideological piece than a formal technical dependency. > *BSD is the only escape Not true. Not all Linux distributions use it — Tails, Qubes OS, PureOS, Alpine, Void, Gentoo, etc., deliberately avoid it. Most minimalistic, privacy, or DIY distributions refuse the Microsoft-signed shim route because their users are expected to control their firmware settings or use owner-controlled keys.
kro 11mo ago
I installed them Mint and they said it's better than Windows due to all the built-in free apps (like public TV)

thunky 11mo ago

Chromebook.

XorNot 11mo ago
A locked in Google platform while Google is helping Microsoft implement mass data collection...
- aeroevan 11mo ago
  Most of them can be turned into a vanilla linux laptop fairly easily, and even support custom coreboot firmware: https://docs.mrchromebox.tech/ https://docs.mrchromebox.tech/ That being said, it's also pretty easy to get a full linux shell and even install gui apps via flatpak or whatever.
more_corn 11mo ago
Chromebook is absolute garbage
fsflover 11mo ago
So that all your chat history with the relative goes straight to train Google ads? No, thanks.

rjdj377dhabsn 11mo ago

Yep. While my mom was working she needed too many Windows-only applications. But once she retired, I set her up with a Linux desktop and it's been smooth sailing.

more_corn 11mo ago

I installed zorin on an old machine that was given to me because it wouldn’t run win 11. I like it a lot. Debian based, clean smooth UI. Just tell them Microsoft improved the user experience with windows 11.

mjevans 11mo ago
X X Windows L.E. => (e)X X Windows (Wayland) L.E. (Linux Edition) Even the one major 'windows' app that my mom needs to use is going Web only... so I figure if I install Debian Stable + Widevine that'll cover 99.9% of the use case and I gain an OS that just works correctly.

stOneskull 11mo ago

i think a good ubuntu is a bit better than just debian for this. probably linux mint or kubuntu. for just debian, then mint debian edition or mx linux would be best, imo

fsflover 11mo ago
> imo Any particular reasons?
- stOneskull 11mo ago
  i just fret about grandma using plain debian. my first thought is i want to give her puppy linux. it's probably fine if she lives in firefox though.
  - marcosdumay 11mo ago
    What do you believe Ubuntu has that Debian doesn't and will make their lives easier?
    - stOneskull 11mo ago
      generally, it's more user-friendly and has more third-party stuff like codecs and drivers. i think it's also got more of a community to help with issues, whether googling or using the irc client that normally comes with a distro.

analog8374 11mo ago

I installed Debian (with Mate desktop) for 3 different elderly ladies. All 3 give it a solid thumbs up. "It never crashes", "It's so easy", "It's fast", "None of that Windows bs".

firen777 11mo ago

[dead]

WhereIsTheTruth 11mo ago

Linux is under control of the same companies Besides, all major distributions (Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu) ship with a shim signed by Microsoft, and systemd.. *BSD is the only escape, but for how long?

stevenjgarner 11mo ago
I feel your passion, but I feel this is a little hyperbolic? I feel your passion is directed more at UEFI secure-boot than at Linux. I am no lover of the UEFI secure-boot world, using shims as a first-stage boot loader component whose job is to bridge the firmware’s trusted key infrastructure (typically Microsoft’s signing key) to a Linux (or other non-Windows) bootloader/kernel chain. > Linux is under control of the same companies Linux is indeed open source, so are you trying to say that "Linux is EFFECTIVELY under control of the same companies VIA UEFI WITH SECURE BOOT ENABLED"? Or is there a big-Tech cabal controlling Linux in another manner? I get that most big-Tech companies are major contributors to open source projects. > all major distributions (Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu) ship with a shim signed by Microsoft Having a shim signed by Microsoft makes no difference if these distributions are being installed on hardware without UEFI firmware implemented on the motherboard’s SPI flash e.g. motherboards from Purism (Librem Laptops), System76 (Thelio, Galago Pro, etc.), Framework Laptop (2021 →), Star Labs, Raspberry Pi / Single-Board Computers and uncountable DIY PC builds with motherboards (ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte, etc.) that expose Secure Boot options. It is usually only when consumer hardware is being used from major OEMs (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.) that ship with only Microsoft’s key in the firmware trust database. > and systemd You are suggesting that “systemd” is also part of the lock-in or control (in your mind) of those distributions. But strictly in the context of shim and Secure Boot, systemd is not the same issue: systemd is an init-system/process manager in userland, not part of the firmware/boot loader signature infrastructure. Major distros use systemd, so from a “vendor/lock-in” narrative they may lump bootloader trust and systemd governance together. But strictly speaking your assertion is more of a opinion/ideological piece than a formal technical dependency. > *BSD is the only escape Not true. Not all Linux distributions use it — Tails, Qubes OS, PureOS, Alpine, Void, Gentoo, etc., deliberately avoid it. Most minimalistic, privacy, or DIY distributions refuse the Microsoft-signed shim route because their users are expected to control their firmware settings or use owner-controlled keys.

kro 11mo ago

I installed them Mint and they said it's better than Windows due to all the built-in free apps (like public TV)