In case there are folk on the list who haven't seen them, there are several "new2linux" presentations on the wiki (wiki.linux-ottawa.org) The perspective of these aims to discuss issues that may affect those new to linux. FWIW, I have one friend who is a novice and uses Bunsenlabs after I showed it to him. This is not a distro I'd usually recommend to novices, but the keyboard shortcuts are -- for someone using only a few tools -- an interesting choice. And it is really lightweight, so good for older machines. His is a 2011 netbook from Acer that was originally $200 from Walmart, so the power is pretty limited. I've used Bunsen for a remastering of the distro to create an "appliance" to play music and display some "recipes" for folk dances. It uses the shortcuts and some auto-load apps. Cheers, JN On 2021-09-16 9:29 a.m., Kenny B wrote: > Tom, you've expressed some of my own sentiments very well. > A long time ago I was technically oriented, now I really want to use my computer as an easily usable tool.. > I run Wondows for my day to day stuff, and experimentally, I've downloaded a Mint distribution to a usb stick, booted up > and run from there, but not done a proper install. > So if you're looking for one or more volunteers to get started with loading and running Mint from a non-tech > perspective, and document the process, I'd be happy to participate. > > Cheers, > > Ken > > > On Wed, Sep 15, 2021 at 3:26 AM <tomg [ at ] sentex [ dot ] ca <mailto:tomg [ at ] sentex [ dot ] ca>> wrote: > > Quoting J C Nash <profjcnash [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com <mailto:profjcnash [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com>>: > > > Thanks Tom, for giving Marlene a hand. > > I assume this was meant for the mailing list. Marlene if you're > reading this don't be concerned, I'm using your help request as a > jumping off point for trying to help everyone with a PC. > > > I too want to see non-tech folk use linux > > Exactly. I want to change the topic of this message from technical > support to one of Linux advocacy. My basic question is, is Linux > better than Windows or Mac for non-technical users who have no free > technical support? I'd hope so, but Windows and Mac are much > improved since Linux first got big, so it seems. > > I think Windows is problematic and privacy destroying and maybe even > abusive if it still seems to blame its problems on new users, but I > haven't adminned or run Windows newer than XP on any of my computers. > Maybe one of you can give me comments on how Windows has improved and > how much competition Linux is for it or not. > > I also think Macs are exploitative because they cost so much money > and are really not better than Linux in terms of power or reliability > or speed, or having the option of having good hardware to run the OS on. > > When I use Linux I get a sense of peace, power, and pleasure. Peace > because of its security and reliability, power because of its well- > engineered UNIX implementation and distribution-provided tools, and > pleasure just from using something that works so well and has a good > design and works so fast, letting you have fun using a PC. > > But ordinary people might not care about these things. I love > computers and Linux gets the most out of them for me, but what do > ordinary people want? Just to have a safe, reliable, easy to use > computer that runs the applications they want right? > > I still think Linux Mint is great advice to run on a computer if you > are non technical and want to run Linux. It has the easiest to use > options and is still reliable (well, at least as reliable as Ubuntu is). > It was the one I was going to recommend for someone to run on a computer > if they are non-technical, so when I noticed it was hard for Marlene to > run it gave me something to think about. Maybe Linux Mint can't quite > cut it as an end-user operating system for the non-technical and not > technically supported, maybe Linux is only an option for the technical > and technically supported (except for Chrome OS). > > I could admit defeat at this point, but I feel like the freedom you > get with Linux is critical for society to have, to help keep the free > world free, and that Windows, Mac and Chrome OS don't provide that. So > I still want to advocate Linux, but I am stopped from doing that because > I don't actually know of Linux is better than Windows as far as keeping > running for a non-technical user. > > What I would like is stories from you fellow LUG members on how Linux > has been working for non-technical people. > > What I would also like is to test Linux Mint as an operating system for > non-technical people by helping someone have it on their computer, and > then supporting him or her every step of the way and see how often help > or fixing is needed, and then go and patch and correct those problems > upstream until we have a better operating system for non-technical end > users, and eventually make Linux the clear, absolute winner in the OS > wars and help the world be free. > > I'm sorry if this was a rambly message, but I feel strongly about Linux > advocacy and freedom and I hope this interests a few of you. > > Thanks, > Tom > > To unsubscribe send a blank message to linux+unsubscribe [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org <mailto:linux%2Bunsubscribe [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org> > To get help send a blank message to linux+help [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org <mailto:linux%2Bhelp [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org> > To visit the archives: https://lists.linux-ottawa.org <https://lists.linux-ottawa.org> > To unsubscribe send a blank message to linux+unsubscribe [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org To get help send a blank message to linux+help [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org To visit the archives: https://lists.linux-ottawa.org