[nzlug] SeniorNet "helper" wants to uninstall Linux off my parents' computer

[Simon Bridge]

I am in Orewa.
Do they still want local help?

I'm starting to think that Hibiscus Coast Linux Users Group is worth a
shot now :)

Simon

On Mon, 2007-03-19 at 09:50 +1200, Martin Kealey wrote:
> The net result is that they've used it like ONCE since I installed it 3
> months ago, and from their point of view it makes sense to look for help
> locally.
> 
> The SeniorNet guy's initial position that he just wanted to wipe the whole
> computer and start again, at which I said bluntly that I would wash my hands
> of the entire thing. He back-peddled a bit, but he didn't sound convinced.
> I've told him that he could overwrite the (useless) Win98 partition.
> 
> Apart from me letting off steam, does anyone have any *useful* advice on how
> to proceed?
> 
> (a) wash my hands of the entire enterprise
> 
> (b) report SeniorNet to the BSA
> 
> (c) take a week off and spend it tutoring my folks, before they get
> corrupted
> 
> (d) find some way to reeducate SeniorNet on the ills of what they're doing
> (e.g. threaten to report them to the BSA) or on the joys of Linux (which
> ones?) I think what I need is a "killer app". Something like a recipe
> database or a genealogy research tool would be ideal.

You don't really need something that has remote administration - just so
they turn it on and they can have fun. They will either get sucked into
it or they will give up.

Education is important, but it must be on their terms.
The computer needs to be inserted into their existing life before it can
expand it. What do they like to do which a computer would help with?

Geneology and Recipes is a case in point. There are open source apps for
both... but are they actually interested?

For comparison; I have recently installed Zenwalk Linux to a (68yo)
grannies ancient machine (PIII 32MiB RAM 4GiB HDD Intel Chipset) and
shes way happy with it. She wanted something to write letters on... no
internet nothing.

Interestingly, the first support request was to get the password back. I
told her the root password and that she should change the user account
password... which she did.

The last support was on advise on how to recompile the kernel!!!
(wanted ISA support - for which there is a precompiled distro kernel I
know I know.)

Now that's quite a jump.
I have noticed that linux has this effect on people who use it - they
start asking how to do things which wouldn't have occurred to them were
even possible under their windows paradigms.

However - there have been people where I have just told them to go use
windows. These are the folk who find it offensive to be expected to use
their brains for two seconds in a row. It's nice to have someplace to
put these people :)

Simon