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Showing posts with the label SOHO

Ubuntu: Green Light for Mom's System

Just spoke with my Mom. I attempted (successfully, I think) to explain my reasoning for going with Ubuntu on her old workstation (Dell Dimension XPS T-450). She gave me the green light to move ahead (I think she found the $0 cost compelling...!). Step 1: determine minimum system requirements; upgrade if necessary Step 2: determine Ubuntu distro: regular or alternate (or Kubuntu, Xubuntu, etc.) Step 3: download Ubuntu 6.10 Step 4: determine KDE or Gnome (need to determine prior to download; KDE is Kubuntu) Step 5: burn ISO CD Step 3: replace defective hard drive (I just happened to find an old hard drive down in the basement Step 6: research (ongoing...) and planning Step 7: (big one) installation and configuration Step 8: training and hand-off Step 9: ongoing support (hopefully this is minimal and facilitated by remote admin) So, I need to determine my configuration. Off the top of my head, here's what I need to cover: -wireless support (Mom's router is upstairs from the workst...

Switching the Parents to Ubuntu...?

I spent a half hour or so recently on the phone walking my Mom through a technical issue. Tentatively, I diagnosed her issue as a hard drive failure. She brought it over on her last visit and sure enough, the Dell XPS 450 from circa 1999 sounds like a bad coin-operated laundry at full capacity. I was aghast to discover she's running Windows 98. Ugh. Also, her recovery disk is just that--for recovery. I don't believe I'll be able to re-install Win98 on a new hard drive. That, coupled with the end of Microsoft (and Dell) support for Win98, got me thinking about Linux. (and she's not intense about her computing needs...and she doesn't want to spend much money...) I've been reading good things about switching one's parents to Ubuntu. Any thoughts out there?