Tom Achtenberg wrote:
> 
> On Saturday 10 November 2001 03:48 pm, you wrote:
> > There is a big difference between using an operating system and
> > installing or configuring one.
> >
> > Most Windoze users haven't a clue how to do either one.
> >
> > Give a preconfigured Linux box to someone who has never had a computer
> > before and the ease of use
> > is as good or better than Windoze. ( A recent report rated KDE 2 better
> > than MacOS and WinXP for ease of use.)
> >
> > I personally have setup two Mandrake boxes for computer newbies. One to
> > a friend of mine and the other
> > to my girlfriend's daughter. In each case I helped them get their ppp
> > setup. They have had very little
> > difficulty in web browsing, using email, etc.. One of them had some
> > experience with windows, the other
> > had never used a computer at all.
> >
> 
> This is all fine until the run down to the local Best Buy or the like and buy
> the lates game or any other software.  They will then sood discover that at
> this time the unknowing Linux users like themselves are out of luck. And
> they'll be calling you up to "fix" it.
> 

They didn't want their computers to play games, and they aren't even
aware of the 'latest games'. They don't want to answer any questions or
read any instructions to do an install on their own either. They just
want it to do what the need it to do. Mail, browsing, shockwave, real
audio, collecting and view graphics, editing graphics, and maybe an
occasional solitare or tetris game. Nothing that a modern 'standard
install' doesn't provide.

My maintenance has required about 1 visit per year, of less than an
hours duration, per machine... 


-- 
Kevin O'Connor