How can we get our mothers to use ubuntu?

[kennyhow]

The reason I titled this topic as I did is because most mothers do not have the computer knowledge of the genX kids. When my mom goes and blows her money on another computer/laptop that I am undoubtably going to need to install norton antivirus on, empty her internet cache, remove adware, install a firewall; how do I convince her that she wasted her money by buying a preloaded windows system and she should erase it and put ubuntu in it's place?

And...when I go home after installing ubuntu...how do I keep her from calling me and asking me to come over and help her? And how do I tell her that she can't use AOL on ubuntu because AOL is not supported? Is there a way to get a ubuntu for mothers that would be preloaded with all of the answers to the questions that she might ask me?

I guess, if mothers are happy to spend the money for antivirus, firewall, spyware, banking, os software...then they can keep using windows. Maybe I shouldn't worry about this...maybe I should just be happy that I'm not using windows....just maybe.

[Burgundavia]

Selling to somebody is quite difficult if you don't know some key things:

1. Their "pain". What about their computer drives them truly up the wall keeps them up at night? If it doesn't do this, it isn't really their "pain"
2. Their needs?
3. Does your value match up with their "pain"

An example of this for your mother:

Pain - Keeping machine updated, viruses
Needs - Get online with AOL, write book
Value - No viruses
Blocker - Need to connect to AOL

People may also have hidden objections. These are things they are often are not willing to tell you but are deal killers.

So, in short, think like a sale man.

Corey
(my other hat is a Sales Rep for Userful, a multiseat public Linux company, sells mostly to libraries)

[Thirsteh]

I did get my mother to use Ubuntu, for over a year actually. The only reason she chose to dump it in the end was that the Logitech EyeToy for Playstation2 didn't work out of the box with Ubuntu ;) Great success, nonetheless.

[kennyhow]

I just asked my wife if she minded if I put ubuntu on her computer...and she said "What's that?". So, I explained to her that it is like what I had on her computer a year ago. And she said "I don't like change". But, I'm going to do it anyways...she'll live. She only uses AIM and IE. But my mom uses a variety of programs...like aol and quicken. I told her to get cable internet or at least dsl since it's the same price as aol...but she hasn't yet.

[fuscia]

lots of people suffer from the 'biedermann und die brandstifter' mentality. they're much more comfortable denying a problem than facing it and finding a better way. i installed firefox on my father's computer. he watched the whole thing, asking a million 'you're not from earth, are you?' type questions, and still doesn't use it. he's taken computer classes (i haven't) and he still acts terrified of his computer. i don't get it.

on a positive note, my wife (who couldn't care any less) has adjusted to using ubuntu quite well, even when i keep rearranging the desktop, hiding panels, using different window managers, etc.

[poofyhairguy]

The reason I titled this topic as I did is because most mothers do not have the computer knowledge of the genX kids. When my mom goes and blows her money on another computer/laptop that I am undoubtably going to need to install norton antivirus on, empty her internet cache, remove adware, install a firewall; how do I convince her that she wasted her money by buying a preloaded windows system and she should erase it and put ubuntu in it's place?

And...when I go home after installing ubuntu...how do I keep her from calling me and asking me to come over and help her? And how do I tell her that she can't use AOL on ubuntu because AOL is not supported? Is there a way to get a ubuntu for mothers that would be preloaded with all of the answers to the questions that she might ask me?

I guess, if mothers are happy to spend the money for antivirus, firewall, spyware, banking, os software...then they can keep using windows. Maybe I shouldn't worry about this...maybe I should just be happy that I'm not using windows....just maybe.

Question is: are you cleaning up behind her now? Do you have to go home and fix her computer everytime? Does she have any problems with malware/spyware/viruses?

The best way to sell her is if she has problems. If she lacks problems then you don't really have an angle.

In fact, if she doesn't have those kind of problems you have to really think what advantages conversion has for her. You might have to wait till something in the Windowsland eats her lunch (cause it will one day....we all get burned at least once).

This subject is near and dear to my heart. This week (after a year of planning) I moved my mom to Linux. Here is my best advice:

1. Buy Crossover Office. Its not that expensive and it lets you bring the most popular mom apps with you- especially Quicken. Runs Quicken better than Windows. Needed.

2. Set up a dual boot, but cripple the Windows side. Uninstall AOL or go into the hardware devices and make the modem no longer work. She needs to be able to know that she CAN go back if she must for some random program or something some day. But don't leave it all confortable for her or she will probably regress back to the Windows.

3. Get her broadband. The only way you can make it better than AOL is to FORCE her onto broadband. One woman I know was like your mom- she loved AOL. She was a close friend of my family so I could no stand it. So I called the cable company myself and I set up the broadband for her. Then I plugged it in and uninstalled AOL. I said "you were in 1998, welcome to 2004." After a week of struggle, she "cannot repay me" she starts to say. This is for her own good. You know how good broadband is. Its time to move on, and YOU have to do it. Heck. Thats a bigger deal than getting her on Linux I would say. Maybe tie them together somehow.

4. Put eye candy on her desktop. YOU install Ubuntu (Gnome). You use Automatix to make it have nice stuff. You delete the top panel and make it a single panel. Delete the three words and use the Ubuntu menu to make it act like Windows. You change the theme to Clearlooks...this one:

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=32659

Go get her good wallpaper of scenery- mountainsides and junk. And set them as the default.

Do it in another room. Don't even let her see the Ubuntu default brown. Its not a good fit for the "former AOL user" and first impressions might ruin the job.

And add gdesklets. Especially the starterbar and good weather. My mom was sold on Ubuntu the second I started something from the starterbar and it jumped. That was something "her friends computers could not do." I know gdesklets should not matter but I swear they do.

Here is good weather:

http://gdesklets.gnomedesktop.org/files.php?func=gd_downloadfile&gd_filename=GoodWeather.tar.gz&gd_fileid=560

Use it wisely. Starterbar come with gdesklets when you install them with Automatix.

4. YOU set up Quicken in Crossover. YOU make sure her favorite sites work. YOU make sure her prineter works.....actually check on that beforehand. If the printer won't work than abort the mission early on. Look that up on the internet.

Basically you set it all up.

5. Install lots of small games. Like card games and puzzle games. There are at least 1000 of those things in Synaptic. Moms love those. Put two on her starterbar along wiht Firefox and Quicken.

Good luck!

[h3xx3r]

I just made my motherinlaws first computer experience ubuntu.
Shes happy im happy.
never even experienced winblows.

[alinuxfan]

some very sage advise.
When I go back home in a couple months, I am switching my parents computer to Ubuntu. I just better make sure I can get pogo.com working to appease my father's wife.
(between her and my wife and their love for pogo :confused: )

[Stormy Eyes]

The reason I titled this topic as I did is because most mothers do not have the computer knowledge of the genX kids. When my mom goes and blows her money on another computer/laptop that I am undoubtably going to need to install norton antivirus on, empty her internet cache, remove adware, install a firewall; how do I convince her that she wasted her money by buying a preloaded windows system and she should erase it and put ubuntu in it's place?

If she insists on Windows, then you should insist on being paid for your time -- in cash.

[aysiu]

Poofy, that's some great advice there!

To be honest, I haven't found that many people for whom I could definitely say convincing them into using Ubuntu is worth it, except when they have extremely old (almost not-at-all-functional) computers, but then you know what they do? They just buy new computers!

Since most people I know are using Firefox (usually at my behest), they don't seem to have as many Windows problems as they used to.

I'd love to see someone in my social/relatives circle who is interested, though...

[mstlyevil]

I guess, if mothers are happy to spend the money for antivirus, firewall, spyware, banking, os software...then they can keep using windows. Maybe I shouldn't worry about this...maybe I should just be happy that I'm not using windows....just maybe.

I do not think that telling your mom that she has to buy antivirus, firewall and spyware removal tools is a very good selling point since you can either get great ones for free or the ISP already provides these tools as a part of their service. Anyone that spends money on these things outside of a workplace enviroment is a fool who loves to throw out their hard earned dollars.

You should test and see if her online banking works with Firefox in Windows. If it does then that may help in selling her on Ubuntu. Then you should follow the advice of Poofy and set up eye candy and the clearlooks theme he linked you to. You can also sell it to her on the point that the kids and grandkids can not just install anything they find on the net and screw up her computer.

Then comes the best part, show her the Linux equivilents to Windows programs she uses and let her see for herself how good they are. Let her test drive Gimp and Open Office and let her play with Thunderbird and Gaim. You know what she uses so point her to the right programs.

In order to do this, offer to back up all of her data and settings in Windows and promise if she does not like Ubuntu after a couple of weeks of use then you will restore her Windows to exactly how she had it before. Also tell her she can get DSL through the phone company cheaper that AOL. DSL is running $15-$16 depending on the ISP and AOL is $24. Tell her that DSL is 70 times faster than AOL and that she will have a much more pleasant experience surfing the web.

[saphil]

My dad's house is full of Macs and so it is hard to prove definitively that Ubuntu would be an upgrade for them. I had an old USA-G3 and failed to install Ubuntu on that. It would be a marvel if I could have taken one of their older Macs and put Ubuntu on. I suspect Ubuntu would provide a faster experience than the MacOS8.x world. Macs have always seemed slow to me in mouse accelleration and app start time. My family of Mac users have no basis of comparison. Whenever I get a new Laptop, maybe I could schlep it over and show them the Ubuntu experience.

My wife, however is an AOL user and an AOL games player. When she got rootkitted a couple of months ago, I dual-booted Ubuntu and Windows. Every so often she looks at the Ubuntu side - mostly by accident. Since I cannot just make an executive decision for her, and I am still spending a lot of time messing with configurations on my machine, I am not making a huge stink about her switching. We live a smorgasbord life here. I just got rid of a win2000 machine (which I had almost perfect for what I do - and miss a bit) and the old MacG3 (used for web testing) and another windows machine (used as a guest machine - I would rather share my toothbrush than my computer).

[kennyhow]

I just made my motherinlaws first computer experience ubuntu.
Shes happy im happy.
never even experienced winblows.

This is another scenerio I want toaccomplish with my mother-in-law

[Nikusan]

My mum was addicted to solitaire and freecell on that legacy OS so moving her computer over to Ubuntu was not difficult, the sheer number of solitaire variations in AisleRiot blew her away (and in a way this is a nice little summary of the linux world in general).
I remember back when I was a kid my gameboy batteries were always drained because she was a big fan of my tetris cartrige, so gnometris just sealed the deal. ;-)
She can now explain to people the difference between free as in speech and free as in beer, as well as the importance of open formats. I'm quite proud. :P

[raghav_p]

I got my brother and mother to use Ubuntu. Actually my brother wasn't hard to work with at all. He had a P3 -750Mhz and was impressed with the speed difference. My mother was harder because she was one of those "MS is good" people. I just removed Windows and let the Ubuntu magic work for itself :)

I've to get my father to use it now. But he is one of those accounting people and needs some tax software that doesn't work well with CrossOver.

[mips]

If I was to migrate a windows user to Linux i would rather install Kubuntu than Ubuntu. They might find Kubuntu layout a bit more familair and closer to Windows than that of Ubuntus Gnome.

You probably even get a XP-like theme out there, ouch.

Just my .02c worth...

[hscottyh]

Getting hit with a root kit converted my brother. He was sick of the viruses and having to call me to fix them, so the last time he said he was just going to get a Mac.

I told him I could just put ubuntu on it and it wouldn't cost him anything. He is now a happy linux user of about 3 months.

My point is, I didn't push it or over sell it. I just took an oportunity to give him other options when he was truely ready to explore them.

[kennyhow]

My mom doesn't call me over to fix her computer...but when I visit I get roped in to doing annoying crap like running microsoft update and clearing internet cache and running a virus scan. She's always complaining that her computer gets slower and slower each day. I think I will start with my wife who has used Mandriva Linux when I put that on our computer after my motherboard got fried on the newer computer.

I am really impressed with the speed difference on linux. I had win98 on my amd k6-2 500mhz and it was slow...I put breezy on it...and it was fast and I don't get the lost data problems that I was getting in win98. Now I switched to my P3 500mhz and it's running even better...I can even put XP on it and even that runs good. But, I prefer ubuntu over Xp and have installed Wine so I don't have to use XP what-so-ever.

I suggested to my wife that I give her parents one of my spare computers and put ubuntu on it...but she said that wouldn't be a good idea because her little sister who is 9 will need a common pc environment between home and school (in not so many words). I can understand that logic for a child who has trouble learning and goes to school and uses a macintosh or pc and comes home and uses linux....it would be rather odd.

[poofyhairguy]

I suggested to my wife that I give her parents one of my spare computers and put ubuntu on it...but she said that wouldn't be a good idea because her little sister who is 9 will need a common pc environment between home and school (in not so many words). I can understand that logic for a child who has trouble learning and goes to school and uses a macintosh or pc and comes home and uses linux....it would be rather odd.

I don't really see the logic personally.

1. Children adapt quickly. I bet she could learn BOTH pretty easily at that point in life. Maybe ever easier than later in life. Studies prove learning is what people at that age are good at. Give her some credit I say.

2. I have never seen or heard of any school where any major grade that early on depends on being proficient in Windows. None. At most she would have to get through some educational Windows program and those are very specific anyway. I mean....giving her Ubuntu would teach her COMPUTER CONCEPTS not just "ok, to make a Word doc I click here, then here, then here, etc." (aka the process of just remembering the process like too many Windows users do).

3. Think about it mate- what if you getting her onto Ubuntu is the spark she needs? What if that early on begins to develop a geekiness inside her? What if she actually has an aptitude for that stuff? Why hold her back?

When she is 35 and she is making $70,000 a year as a Unix admin or a programmer she will thank you. Females are a rarity in the tech industry and that only increases their value. This might be the single best thing anyone could do for her in her early life.

4. No offense, but are you sure that your wife isn't really trying to say "please stop trying to spread your nerdy religion?" Does she really have the best interests of the child in heart? I'm not implying that she is trying to be evil about it, only that she does not believe in the power of the GNU and she is scared of problems her family MIGHT have. Risks are worth it sometimes.

5. The shear amount of free educational software availible for Edubuntu makes any comparison with Windowsland pointless. You would have to spend big bucks in closed source educational software to equal what is provided in Synaptic.

Do it. You are GIVING to her right? If she does not like then she will ignore it. Then no big deal, you tried. No skin off anyone's backs.

[aysiu]

she said that wouldn't be a good idea because her little sister who is 9 will need a common pc environment between home and school (in not so many words). I can understand that logic for a child who has trouble learning and goes to school and uses a macintosh or pc and comes home and uses linux....it would be rather odd. I agree with Poofy on this one. If I have one regret in life, it's that I didn't grow up bilingual, learning Cantonese at home and English at school. Now that I'm older, learning a second language is a lot harder.

Your wife's little sister would do well to learn more than one operating system while she's still young.

[BWF89]

I suggested to my wife that I give her parents one of my spare computers and put ubuntu on it...but she said that wouldn't be a good idea because her little sister who is 9 will need a common pc environment between home and school (in not so many words). I can understand that logic for a child who has trouble learning and goes to school and uses a macintosh or pc and comes home and uses linux....it would be rather odd.
Unless she uses licenced software from the school on her computer (shes only 9 so I doubt that) I don't see why it would matter. OpenOffice can read and write to MS Office files. Other than that I don't really see why she would need to have a common enviroment.

I use Windows XP at home (because of my parents), Mac OS10 in computer art class and study hall, and Mac OS9 in my computer concepts/web design class and I haven't had any problems with documents no being read properly being transfered from one OS to another.

[aysiu]

How about setting up a dual boot for the 9-year-old?
Or... Crossover Office? Doesn't that take care of just about everything?

[GA\/1N]

mothers are always difficult to convince.They are always right , and they dont listen to what you say unless they want to. What i do is usually confuse my mum by talking about hardware and software in a computer that she doesnt know about. this is the best way i can think...of confuse them and then they might agree to try it out. Or try to win them over by using a live CD...and if none of this works then either take it upon yourself and install it. Or just leave them be and let them keep having problems with their wonderful WINDOWS.

[aysiu]

mothers are always difficult to convince.They are always right , and they dont listen to what you say unless they want to. My mother is difficult to convince for other reasons. Mainly, she's so scared of computers, she doesn't want to change anything. Even if I defragment her hard drive, she freaks out and thinks her computer won't function any more because I "did" something to it.

Computer users like my mom are like baseball players who always have to wear a particular sock (and never wash it) because they used to have a winning streak when they wore that sock. My mom is intelligent in many ways, but when it comes to computers, she thinks of it as like gambling... or being on a winning streak--don't mess with the streak!

[hscottyh]

My daughter is 12 and has had no problems using ubuntu. She actually likes linux better. It got to where I couldn't keep her off of my computer, until I installed ubuntu on hers.

Aren't children wonderful!!!!

[alinuxfan]

My mother is difficult to convince for other reasons. Mainly, she's so scared of computers, she doesn't want to change anything. Even if I defragment her hard drive, she freaks out and thinks her computer won't function any more because I "did" something to it.

Most of that sounds like my wife. I tell her that I am trying to fix her spyware and adware and she thinks I am gonna mess it up (and sometimes it does mess up, but it's not ALL because of me :p

My daughter is 2 and I hope to get her into ubuntu in a year or two
train her at a young age

[TeeAhr1]

If she insists on Windows, then you should insist on being paid for your time -- in cash.
Funny you brought that up. I've had to do the rounds amongst my friends, telling them that the Windows segment of Pete's Travelling Guerrilla Tech Support Show has officially come to a close :p Next time I have to sit there for two hours and de-spycrap someone's machine, I expect cash. Personal check will do.

[TeeAhr1]

Do it. You are GIVING to her right? If she does not like then she will ignore it. Then no big deal, you tried. No skin off anyone's backs.
To join the chorus, I'm with poofy. I mean, come on. We all (we = 20-29 age group) grew up on a command prompt at school, called Apple II. Wasn't hard, and it was a lot harder then than it is now.

And of course, I do like the mental image of a ten year girl haranguing her classmates about the evils of proprietary software ;)

[kennyhow]

You all have very valid points. I must bring them up to my wife and see what she says. I made the switch for her last night to kubuntu and she hasn't used it yet. I know when she does that she'll love it. We'll see what happens from there.

[Stormy Eyes]

Next time I have to sit there for two hours and de-spycrap someone's machine, I expect cash. Personal check will do.

I charge fifty bucks an hour for that kind of work.

[mstlyevil]

I charge fifty bucks an hour for that kind of work.

Thats cheap. I charge $75.

[Stormy Eyes]

Thats cheap. I charge $75.

I'd rather have $50 in cash than a check for $75.