On Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:58:21 -0600, Paul Johnson wrote:
> Hello, Beartooth.
Hi, Paul! If you're the same guy I know from several electronic
places, I'm glad to hear from you. And incidentally, the address I post
from is valid, and I check it several times a day.
> I have given this a lot of thought over the last few months. You
> certainly can't leave her on Fedora. That turns over too fast.
>
> On a server or in a public lab, I run Centos or RHEL.
>
> This is a Centos list, and I don't want to inspire a big distro flame
> war, but here's an opinion. If you are serious that you may die and
> leave your wife with an OS she can't manage, you might think about
> installing the LTS version of Ubuntu.
Hmmm ... I had forgotten all about the LTS versions ...
> The Ubuntu email list folks are
> more helpful to non-experts. The distro team is more energetic about
> making device drivers work, even if you happen to own the "wrong"
> hardware (proprietary drivers for Nvidia video, MP3 encoding, etc). They
> are somewhat like Macintosh in attitude. "If we can't package it up for
> you to click on, it is not worth doing." That's not the way experts
> need it, but for somebody who is just using the system, it may be about
> right.
Hmmm ... again. IF (repeat IF) she would ask online (and I don't
know) ....
As for drivers, etc., I don't think that's likely to become a
problem unless by hardware obsolescence; but I'll keep it in mind next
time I have somebody build her a new machine. (I don't speak hardware
myself.)
I install lots of apps on her machine for me to use on occasion
(not only for troubleshooting); but I don't think she even looks at most
of what I put on her panel -- like the workspace switcher, which to me is
the Champion Percheron of All Workhorse Apps.
She seems to stick to one or two browsers for news and reference,
a gnome-terminal for Alpine, and OpenOffice for her own writing; she'd
rather be out hiking or playing golf than sitting indoors.
> On the other hand, if I have a really serious problem, something wrong
> in the kernel, I'd much rather seek help in the Fedora list. There are
> more true experts floating about in there.
I read you loud and clear. 99 44/100% of the Fedora list (well,
close) is over my head; but lots of the regulars are very helpful.
> I suppose that once you install the OS, the trouble due to automatic
> updates from either Ubuntu LTS or Centos/RedHat will be about the same.
> The trouble will come when she either has to get a new computer or make
> a major distribution update, eg from Centos 5.5 to Centos 6.0.
I'll hold off till 6.0 is out and quieting down; but that's just
now. How important is it to upgrade from x.y to x.(y+1) in general?
> If she needs to find Linux help, my *guess* is that she will be more
> likely to find a teenager who has used Ubuntu than the others.
Actually, she'd likely have an easier time finding an undergrad
or grad student. (We have no Tech affiliation, but we live a couple miles
from campus. Dunno if that will much affect the issue, though.)
> She'd have the same trouble with Windows, the only difference there is
> that it is easier to find/hire geeks to help on a Windows system.
Our LUG list is nowhere near so active as for instance the ones
in Northern Virginia or Silicon Valley, of course; but there seem to be a
respectable number of members, year after year. Time was (before we
arrived), I'm told, when Tech required Apples; but we replaced OSX with
YellowDog and then Fedora.ppc while we had an iBook. Maybe the LUG is
full of fellow rebels from fame.
--
Beartooth Staffwright, Neo-Redneck Not Quite Clueless Power User
I have precious (very precious!) little idea where up is.
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