Which flavour and settings for an elderly person

**Nina_W** · September 9th, 2021

Many thanks for all the replies, I think I'll try XUbuntu first and see what I can do with that.
Just to answer a few other points. I tried Kubuntu and just couldn't see how to do what I needed, it seems there are a whole host of different styles but it seemed like too much of very similar things and nothing like what I wanted. It is possibly there but a bit of a needle in a haystack type thing.
Just making screen resolution bigger doesn't necessarily help much, it would make the scroll bars bigger, so easier to roll over but also means needing to scroll more and some webpages become difficult to use. Also, seeing where the cursor is isn't the issue, it is getting it on the right place physically. She prefers a tracker ball so she can sit in a comfy chair with a small table pulled right up to her with the tracker ball on the side (unfortunately it doesn't have a scroll facility), back and shoulder issues make this essential for all but brief use.
Shortcut keys are a no no because she would probably struggle to remember them.

**pantazi** · September 9th, 2021

I use a padded tray under my laptop (on my knees), this has enough room at the side to keep a permanent list of keyboard shortcuts in my line of sight. It has proved very useful.

**Nina_W** · September 10th, 2021

Originally Posted by ajgreeny

I use Xubuntu with the Xfce desktop which can be configured to use desktop icons if that is how your mother likes it, and 5hose icons can be easily enlarged to a size of her preference. The window scrollbars can also be made wider with the stepper buttons top and bottom, not normally used in modern themes, by creating a simple text file in the user's home, details of which i can give you when on the correct machine.

Some users suggest the desktop is very old fashioned looking but that is a very subjective comment; to my mind it just works better for me than anything else I've tried.

More detail when on my Xubuntu box but search around and you may find other users who feel the same as I do.

I've got Xubuntu on a memory stick now and have booted from that and played around, seems to be just what we need. Can you give me the text file to widen the scroll bars please. No hurry for this.

Many thanks

**ajgreeny** · September 10th, 2021

Originally Posted by Nina_W

I've got Xubuntu on a memory stick now and have booted from that and played around, seems to be just what we need. Can you give me the text file to widen the scroll bars please. No hurry for this.

Many thanks

Sure can.
Create a simple text file with the content attached below and save it as /home/user/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css

Code:

/* Set thickness of scrollbars */
.scrollbar.vertical slider,
scrollbar.vertical slider {
    min-width: 12px;
    background-color: #34a853;
}

.scrollbar.horizontal.slider,
scrollbar.horizontal slider {
    min-height: 12px;
    background-color: #34a853;
}

.scrollbar.vertical.slider:hover,
scrollbar.vertical:hover slider {
    min-width: 12px;
}

.scrollbar.horizontal.slider:hover,
scrollbar.horizontal:hover slider {
    min-height: 12px;
}

/* Include scrollbar steppers */
.scrollbar,
scrollbar {
    -GtkScrollbar-has-backward-stepper: 1;
    -GtkScrollbar-has-forward-stepper: 1;
}

scrollbar button {
min-width: 20px;
min-height: 20px;
}

.xfce4-panel {
  -XfcePanelWindow-popup-delay: 10;
  -XfcePanelWindow-popdown-delay: 10;
}

This will also give you the little arrow icons at top and bottom of scrollbars that can be useful for stepping up and down but unfortunately it does not have any effect on firefox if that is the browser used though you can change that in the about:config page in firefox by changing the entry for widget.non-native-theme.scrollbar.size a size that fits your needs; mine is set to 24.

Good luck; I hope this is a help to you.