Do your children use Linux?

bpisciot · 2005-07-13 16:22:48

A few months ago, an Archer asked if anyone's parents were capable of using Linux. The nature of the responses gave me the impression that the majority of respondents were of the younger persuasion. Plus, based on the photos from LinuxTag, one could surmise that Linux is a young person's game.

Well, speaking as a parent of adult children, who's also a Linux advocate (running Arch on two machines and Slackware on another), I'd like to turn the question around.

Where are the elder Archers out there? And would you let your kids near a Linux installation? Two of my four kids run Wxp exclusively. Two of them share a notebook with Mepis, but have no idea what's happening under the hood.

So, if you're an elder Archer--however you choose to define that--let's hear from you. I'm sure there are others out there.

Bob Pisciotta

stavrosg · 2005-07-13 16:35:59

Hello.
I do not fall into the "elder" category, since I am just 22, but I think I can give an answer.

I exclusively use Linux in my pc.
A brother of mine (20 years) dual-boots
Another one (19 yrs), use windows only.
Last, the smallest member of the family, who is 6 right now knows about "Linux" in my pc and some cool games that come with it ( :mrgreen: ), and frequently boots the knoppix cd he has in his cd case when using the family (windows) pc.

iphitus · 2005-07-13 16:41:37

They'll be living in the front yard if they dont.

Just gotta get some first.....

mmgm · 2005-07-13 16:42:15

With your permission, I'd like to turn this around yet again, a tiny bit, but still answer the question.

Years ago, my dad used to maintain a cluster of Unix boxes, so if I sat him down in front of a bash console, he probably wouldn't be completely lost (he does prefer KShell though). His job is now a lot less technical and a lot more managerial so he has a box with WinXP in his office (well, actually, two, but that doesn't make much difference). However, I think he still works against the company Unix cluster every once in a while.

He is now starting to develop his own project, which is intended to run on POSIX boxes, so he's looking into different Linux distros and will probably install one very soon, making him a Linux users, and due to his previous experience, probably an adept one. If he takes my recommendation for the choice of distro, he'll soon become a fellow Archer, and hence and will be able to answer "Yes, both me and my kid run Linux."

lucke · 2005-07-13 16:49:30

By no means I can reckon myself an elder Archer, but one thing in your post caught my attention. How come you mention you have 4 kids, one being a linux advocate, 2 using XP exclusively and the other 2 being a tad familiar with Mepis? ;-)

Very nice topic, nevertheless :-) Maybe times shall come when kids won't be even familar with proprietary software. Mmm, sounds utopian, if you take a look around at this contemporary commercialized world.

khazdar · 2005-07-13 17:12:14

He's saying HE is the linux advocate.

lucke wrote:

By no means I can reckon myself an elder Archer, but one thing in your post caught my attention. How come you mention you have 4 kids, one being a linux advocate, 2 using XP exclusively and the other 2 being a tad familiar with Mepis? ;-)
Very nice topic, nevertheless :-) Maybe times shall come when kids won't be even familar with proprietary software. Mmm, sounds utopian, if you take a look around at this contemporary commercialized world.

lucke · 2005-07-13 17:25:47

Ah, I knew my skills of reading and comprehension are puny ;-) I read 'child', not 'children' ;-)

bpisciot · 2005-07-13 17:53:08

Well, I am continually amazed at the youthfullness of Linux practioners. Consider, for example, the former chief maintainer of Dropline Gnome--a college student named Todd. Evidently, he had to give up DLG to concentrate on his studies. I think the demands of maintaining and tweaking a Linux installation (or assisting in development and packaging) may favor younger practioners. I've just decided that I had to identify at least a few Arch geezers out there (I'm 53), who actively pursue Linux/Arch as a hobby/avocation.

Bob

normc · 2005-07-14 01:09:22

Neither of my kids use linux (30 & 28 ). One runs XPsp2 and the other doesn't have his own computer. He either use one of his room mates (which runs a vertion of MS) or comes here where he is forced to use arch (only firefox) but he doesn't understand how it works.

jp_fielding · 2005-07-14 01:35:35

my oldest son is just starting to get to the age where he's got good enough motor skills to manage the mouse well. for now he only uses my wife's computer which i dual boot into arch when i'm on. nathan plays the flash version of some thomas the train games on arch.

to flip this the other direction also, since i'm 29... i was digging through my dad's stuff in his basement (old geek with lots of gear from the good old days), and found this generic 'LINUX' cd set from like 94 or something. although he always wanted to be a programmer, life took him other directions, but my brother and i are both programmers. so we might have 3 generations of linux here i any of our children bite, not that they're have much choice.

Ryujin · 2005-07-17 05:25:07

My kids get Debian Sarge, they can't break it

DarkMind · 2005-07-19 18:50:45

I have 22 years, and I use only Linux (Arch)

my sister have 19 years and use only Linux (gentoo)

and my other sister, have 8 years use only Linux too (ubuntu)

jackmetal · 2005-07-19 19:13:30

Absolutely!

cjdj · 2005-07-20 01:35:05

yep

I have a 2.5yo, 6yo and 7yo. They all use linux. Because that is all I have on my computers at home (ok, my laptop is dual boot for the occassional game, but it rarely gets used).

I used to let them use KDE, but they kept messing with the settings, so instead of locking down KDE, I just make them use IceWM now. I have the menu's setup all nice, they can play all sorts of games, go to their favourite websites (cartoon network, miniclips.com, etc), and can watch their favourite cartoon movies that I have put on there.

None of them complain about linux, because even icewm is intuitive for them, and there is an awful lot of stuff bundled with KDE and other things for them to play with.

My wife doesnt even complain about it. Ok, she does complain when I change things on her, but that only lasts until she figures out what it is that I've changed.

deficite · 2005-07-22 02:36:22

Have you tried this: http://extragear.kde.org/apps/kiosktool/
I don't have any use for it so I don't know how well it works, I just found it via google.

Benedict_White · 2005-08-01 09:51:50

I have 3 children, the youngest is only just 18 months so does not use a computer. The other two are 9 and 5 years old and use Arch because that is all I give them. That said they are poking around it quite allot.

Soon I will be getting broad band at home and will be setting up some servers.

Arch Linux

#1 2005-07-13 16:22:48

Do your children use Linux?

#2 2005-07-13 16:35:59

Re: Do your children use Linux?

#3 2005-07-13 16:41:37

Re: Do your children use Linux?

#4 2005-07-13 16:42:15

Re: Do your children use Linux?

#5 2005-07-13 16:49:30

Re: Do your children use Linux?

#6 2005-07-13 17:12:14

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#7 2005-07-13 17:25:47

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#8 2005-07-13 17:53:08

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#9 2005-07-14 01:09:22

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#11 2005-07-17 05:25:07

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#12 2005-07-19 18:50:45

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#13 2005-07-19 19:13:30

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#14 2005-07-20 01:35:05

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#15 2005-07-22 02:36:22

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#16 2005-08-01 09:51:50

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