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View Full Version : Requesting Advice on setting up Ubuntu for computer illiterates...



earthpigg
September 20th, 2008, 02:14 PM
I <3 Ubuntu.

But i hesitate when i think about helping my computer illiterate buddies out and setting up their computer to dual boot Ubuntu. these are the type of people that that click every "your computer may be infected!" popup that comes their way... so you can imagine how their windows install ends up. Ubuntu, in a lot of ways, would be simply unbreakable no matter how retarded they are with stuff like that.

Me and my co-workers/buddies all move around to different parts of the world a LOT, so i wont be there to help them if something goes wrong a few months down the line - and odds are, they wont be posted with anyone knowledgeable about Linux. I want it to be Fire-and-Forget. i know, from my own experience, that even in Ubuntu sometimes things break for no good reason. sometimes installing updates breaks things. suddenly your sound doesn't work, for example.

when that happens, ~I~ can fix it. but i wont be there when it happens to my buddies, and they will probably be all alone. with windows, there is a good chance there is always a nerd around that can help you... not so with Linux.

so, when i do this:

1. Install it (probably LTS version) on my buddies comp in dual boot config.
2. Set up dvd support, flash, etc.
3. I tell them the following to keep their machine as low maintenance as possible and give it the lowest chance of having any problems ever: ______________________


anyone got any advice on filling in that blank?

-"this is what updates are, take the normal ones but dont take the distribution updates."
-"install all updates, this link in FF is to the Ubuntu forums... make an account, and ask for help if anything breaks itself."
-what other things should i consider?

and should i even use Ubuntu? Mint has the nice little updater thing that tells you how risky updates are...

Presto123
September 20th, 2008, 04:00 PM
Disable updates related to anything not a part of the official Ubuntu packages (I.E.: Flash, Java, and Medibuntu repos).

Just tell them, then, that almost any type of program they could want is in Add/Remove and stick with only official and to allow the updates to install when needed.

FYI: I would install beforehand any proprietary programs/drivers that you would think they would need.

Ubuntu Restricted Extras, Flash, Java, libdvdcss (from Medibuntu), Compiz, and video card drivers.

earthpigg
September 20th, 2008, 09:20 PM
yeah, that is what i was thinking. was just wondering if there where any less obvious things i should look at.

how do i disable automatic update notification of certain packages?

schauerlich
September 20th, 2008, 09:35 PM
I would set them up with Linux Mint if you want to stay Ubuntu-based or openSuSE if you have experience with that.