On Thursday 11 Sep 2003 3:29 pm, Bryan Phinney wrote: > > > ..snip > > > > > > > > They get sold a box with a firewall, virus-checker and > > > > > windows update. They wouldn't know it has a firewall, run > > > > > the virus checker regularly but dont know about the > > > > > "update" button, and wonder if the windows update reminder > > > > > is a virus. I myself have only just learned about the > > > > > joys/pains of system restore which may or may not have been > > > > > turned on by the retailer. Many of the virus calls i get > > > > > are solved with Ad-Aware or Sy-Bot Search & Destroy. But it > > > > > takes 2 hours to show them how to update windows and there > > > > > virus checker database before i leave the house > > > > > > > > Although senior myself, I have been using computers since > > > > 1981, but I agree totally with your comments. What's really > > > > needed is for cyber-cafes to offer daytime classes, maybe 5-6 > > > > people at a time, where someone can teach them these things. > > > > I'm sure that many would want to know, but need the assurance > > > > of a protected setup like this, and can't afford one-to-one > > > > tuition. > > > > > > > > I had hoped to be instrumental in such a scheme at a proposed > > > > cybercafe, but the whole scheme fell through. I'd still like > > > > to see it done elsewhere, though. I'll bet reasonable fees > > > > for one tutor spread among 5-6 people could come up with a > > > > very fair price. > > > > > > Rather than offering day classes to try to teach seniors to hit > > > a moving target by trying to secure windows, I would suggest > > > day classes to teach Linux, so once they learn a few easy > > > administration tasks, they are able to be productive with a > > > minimum of effort. > > > > The only problem with that is that the idea of installing their > > own os would terrify the majority, and they would not even have > > the comfort of family that already use it. It is certainly the > > way to go, but unless someone has huge amounts of time to offer > > at low rates I'm not sure that it is feasible. I'm not > > suggesting that no seniors could cope with this, just that for > > many it is a leap into the unknown. With a little handholding I > > don't think it would be any harder than windows for them, but who > > will provide the handholding? > > Provided that they are going to spend ~$100 for the Windows OS, > ~$50 for the anti-virus software, ~$200 for the Office suite, and > whatever other costs get rolled into software that is purchased, > say a decent firewall or whatever, I am sure that someone would be > willing to do the initial installation of Linux for them for a > similar price. If anyone that I knew asked me, ~150 or so would > buy my time to do a setup of Linux good enough for someone who was > just going to use standard flavor Linux apps, plus a couple of > remote support calls if something came up afterward. > I'm sure it is feasible - the whole cost would probably still be less than a wondows-loaded pc if someone could find a way of getting to them early, i.e. before they have spent their hard-earned pension on M$ crap. <thinking aloud> Of course if someone with a business could run a seniors intro, with a few machines available, some loaded with windows and some with linux, and price tags for the whole setup including office software (probably not *the* office, they would buy 'works' instead), virus protection, firewall, internet setup and so on... Let them try them and find that they can use either equally easily.....
Anne -- Registered Linux User No.293302 Have you visited http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org yet?
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