posted
I would second the idea of trying some non-MS software starting with the browser. Mozilla has good stuff - I used to like Opera but haven't tried it since I switched to Mac.
Outlook replacements are also available as are alternative OS's.
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
Annoying and pointless suggestions, numbers one and two.
One: Switch to using a Mac. Two: Switch to using Linux.
Suggesting that someone who has trouble using Windows switches to Linux is like telling a struggling bicycle rider to try practising on an F-16.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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A big advantage of Linux is that you really can do everyday things without having to know the root password.(i.e. access to the Windows Administrator account) So for people like well....parents who only need to do websurfing, movie-watching, and the occasional work processing; I'm seriously considering setting up a Fedora box for them.
Especially since Mozilla is virtually identical between Linux/Windows and the Gnome windows manager is getting real damn simple to use.
Lets face it, for those of us that are forced to clean up ad-ware/viruses and setup up PCs for parents anyways, I think its worth the inital time investment. Its not like they'll be playing 3D games anytime soon anyways.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Hey, wait a minute... someone's advocating a switch to Mac and it's not me? What just happened here?
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
Linux can be a real bitch. I personally don't really like it that much, to be honest (and I'm a CS student, for cod's sake!). There's very little consistency between programs, and it tends to take quite a lot of time to get something to work properly. The last time I installed Linux (Mandrake 9.x), I couldn't get my refresh rate anything above 60 Hz, and it took two days to figure out how the hell I could set up my network. You should really only use Linux if a) you really like it and b) you have a lot of time.
I have no experience with a Mac.
But a few tips on running a clean Windows XP: - I've shut down all the graphical crap that is turned on by default. Say bye-bye to the Teletubbies skin, and all those nice shifting and fading menus. - Shut down System Repair and Auto-Update. The first one eats up your disk space, the second one is just really annoying. Also shut down the Error Reporting thing. - Get firewall (I have Sygate Personal), anti-virus (I have AVG) and spyware removal software (Ad-Aware or whatever). - Get Firefox or Mozilla (or Opera). Really do. 99.99% of spyware crap is written for IE, and takes advantage of IEs many security leaks. And you really have to love tabbed browsing.
If you have Firefox/Mozilla, you can download all sorts of adblocking extensions. You are fully prepared to venture into the darkest depths of the internet. Even filthy filthy porn and warez!
Oh, and NO KAZAA. Or Gamespy. Or any of those suspiciously 'free' commercial products.
posted
Properties of My Computer - Advanced. There's a button on there that leads to the Error Reporting options. Also, under the Startup options on that same panel, you can disable the automatic reboot, and bring back the BSOD.
quote:Originally posted by Harry: But a few tips on running a clean Windows XP: - I've shut down all the graphical crap that is turned on by default. Say bye-bye to the Teletubbies skin, and all those nice shifting and fading menus. - Shut down System Repair and Auto-Update. The first one eats up your disk space, the second one is just really annoying. Also shut down the Error Reporting thing.
Step 1 makes no difference at all to stability. The more fancy looking, er, look does use a bit more memory and resources, but providing your computer is at least a gig, it won't make much difference. Are you really that desperate for a couple of less miliseconds response times?
And as for 2, shutting off System Restore because it takes up disk space is equally daft. Disk space is about a pound a gigabyte. You can easily afford to lose a handful of them, for something that really could save your bacon one day.
Auto-update, you can take or leave, really. Depends on whether you have a broadband connection, and can be bothered wandering along to the Windows web-site to update it yourself. It does use resources, but the more powerful your computer is, the less relevent that becomes.
If you do want to use IE, then download the google toolbar from, er, google. Because there's no reason not to, really. And it's handy and blocks pop-ups.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Mucus: I wouldn't go that far.
A big advantage of Linux is that you really can do everyday things without having to know the root password.(i.e. access to the Windows Administrator account) So for people like well....parents who only need to do websurfing, movie-watching, and the occasional work processing; I'm seriously considering setting up a Fedora box for them.
Er, what? I can mess around with my Windows installation all I want without knowing the root password, because I never set one up.
Or do you mean that your parents can much about on it without having to know the password? Isn't that bad? Or do you mean...no, actually, I've no clue what you mean.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Hope this helps @ least some of you poor spyware infested souls...
-------------------- Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I cannot accept. And the wisdom to hide the bodies of all the people I had to kill today because they pissed me off.
DO NOT SHUT DOWN AUTO-UPDATE. Those updates you get are actually good for things like protecting you from worms and thus not crippling any network you're on should someone else get one.
Are you really that desperate for a couple of less miliseconds response times?
Given that my computer has way more resources than it should need to run XP stably, and STILL takes a few seconds to pull up menus sometimes... yes.
-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
Registered: Mar 1999
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