[Tfug] Ideas for the ultimate "Grandma Millie" distro...

[christopher floess]

Ok, I don't want to take away from the discussion too much, but is xp really
such a problem? I know it sucks (I should say, is no fun I was never that
dissatisfied with it), but really, before I stopped running it, I never had
virus probs and never had spyware/malware probs, and aside from zone alarm,
I didn't have any kind of internet security software, definitely never any
antivirus. Ok, I did get minor adware and such from time to time, but it
never invaded my system to the point where it would grind to a halt like it
does with some people. Am I really that out of touch with what most people's
computing abilities are/should be. I really don't think I was that good. Was
I just that lucky? I think if I ran into the problems that some people run
into, I would unplug my  computer all together. Any way kudos for their
persistence.

I really don't know what the best way is to solve people's puter probs. On
the one hand, I don't have the time to teach people a whole new OS,
especially considering that that usually turns into a whole seminar about
computers in general. On the other hand, I effing hate windows. Once you
taste liberation, there's no turning back I guess :)


On 1/27/07, john galt <johngalt1 at uswest.net> wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim March" <>
> To: "Tucson Free Unix Group" <tfug at tfug.org>
> Sent: Saturday, January 27, 2007 11:14 AM
> Subject: [Tfug] Ideas for the ultimate "Grandma Millie"
> distro...
>
>
> > Folks,
> >
> > I'm running into a circle of politically active older
> > folks almost entirely
> > running XP, "geek genes" about on par with a hampster, and
> > they're getting
> > *hammered* by malware.  We're talking dozens now expanding
> > into hundreds of
> > these folks just around Tucson.  They use a few basic apps
> > hard and heavy:
> > EMail, web, MS-officecrud.  Some do simple photostuff.
> >
> > I just spent about 8 hours doing a total "nuke from orbit"
> > cycle on an XP
> > laptop, which means talking them into scoring an external
> > USB drive cheap,
> > do the backup, reformat, reload, reconfigure.  I am NOT
> > going to "rinse
> > lather repeat" on the next 50+, I'll go completely
> > bugfuck.
>
> I too support some older folks on XP. IMHO, moving to Linux
> would mean my being responsible for 125% of support rather
> than 20%-80%, if the solution is structured well. What do I
> mean?
>
> Considering the tone of this thread and the problem's
> solution:
> http://www.tfug.org/pipermail/tfug_tfug.org/2007-January/013240.html
> I question whether moving to any Linux is a great idea for
> the mature crowd. <duck> Please hear me out.
>
> If one's solution to XP malware is reformatting and
> reinstalling, that is suboptimal. That is a waste of time
> and problems may reoccur if prevention is not comprehensive.
> Seldom does a case of malware/virii require such an invasive
> solution, I believe.
>
> Instead of spending 8 hours to amputate, instead of
> stitching up a boo-boo, one could fix the problem in about
> 2-3. Then with applying a little education of how to
> maintain their computer, they can be largely self
> sufficient.
>
> Kill the infections and cleanup things-
>
> 0.5 Delete Browser cache and Browser helper objects
> 1  Delete all files in Temp and Tmp directories
> 2  Disable System Restore temporarily.
>
> 3. Install updates and run AntiVirus - I like AVG Free. It
> works well. I despise Syamntec AV and McAfee.
> 4. Install updates and run SpyBot Search and Destroy - Best
> for malware, IMO. Free
>
> 5 Autoruns by sysinternals. Free. Find all of the places the
> malware uses to launch themselves. Eliminate these links to
> start malware/virii in services, registry entries, Startup,
> etc
> 6. Re-run 3&4 until the results come up clean. Reenable
> System Restore
>
> By now the system is probably stable and further effort is
> just a little maintenance. Symantec AV is such a pig, you
> might want to eliminate it, if it is installed and try
> something else
>
> 7. Teach someone who touches the PC routinely to make sure
> the AV and Anti Spyware updates occur and to run scans
> periodically. Dial-up makes auto updates messy.
>
> 8. Teach the users to not look at email spam and trash it
> instead.
>
> 9. Tell them not to click on pop-ups, especially ones from
> websites that say stuff like "Do you want to install and
> Run"...
>
>
> But, why not install Linux so they don't have to endure all
> that maintenance? That's so you won't have to contend with:
>
> Gransdon got Grandpa a webcam/capture card/whatever for
> Christmas, It won't run.
> The new wireless card/ap/USB dongle doesn't have a
> Prism/supported chipset.
> Why doesn't the software we bought at WorstBuy /
> CircuitShtty load?
> Feature "X" doesn't work in Linux on my Laptop
> I can't play the songs I bought.
>
> Yeah, but most of these things can be made to run using
> FOSS. No problem, but maybe you'll have to wait for someone
> to write a driver for it.
>
> Don't misunderstand, I am not flaming FOSS, it's just that
> Grandpa and Grandma need more of an appliance-type solution,
> unless you want to be their desktop support
> /system/application developer.
>
> And then, if they feel guilty about asking you for support
> in the future, they might get help somewhere else.
> Otherwise, someone will spend another period of time
> removing Linux and reinstalling XP.
>
> just my $.02 and then some.
>
>
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-- 
I worry about viruses like I worry about terrorists