Should I give Arch to my parents?

eldalion · 2008-08-03 11:06:32

I set up an Arch64 desktop running KDEmod for my younger brother and sister aged 11 and 16 (why should only parents make the switch!). They know their way around computers, well, GUIs, and everything is running smoothly.
By all means, do not give them root.
I mean, it's so much easier to ask them to email/IM/phone you to install an app through ssh than letting them run some random script they found on the web
You can't just tell them to pacman -Syu every month or so, the recent move of KDE4.1 to extra is a fair example of how they could mess the system badly without understanding properly pacman's output.

Lord Illidan · 2008-08-03 23:32:47

I've set up my father's laptop and sister's pc on Ubuntu. They're ok with it, both work rather well.
However, my dad's laptop (which is almost identical to mine - both Sony VAIO VGN-FE (slight change in version number, but identical hardware for the most part)), doesn't suspend nor hibernate and has got several small issues that I'm suspecting are more to do with Ubuntu. Meanwhile, my laptop suspends/hibernates very well with Arch Linux (it didn't with Ubuntu either).

I've been wondering whether to change his laptop to Arch Linux.

Main probs are :

1. Installation is rather difficult, I've only done Arch twice, and it took me 1 1/2 days to get everything how I wanted. Main obstacle is that there's no ethernet, just wifi, and I don't really dig Arch's console net config for wireless access, I prefer wicd/network manager. However, I can do it via chroot on Ubuntu, as I did to install it on mine.

2. Moving all the documents and stuff..Ok not that much of an issue tbh.

3. Installing packages will be tricky. My sister (12 years old) can handle the command line, but only if I tell her exactly what to enter. And even then she sometimes forgets. My dad prefers the GUI, but can handle the command line. They don't really install a lot of packages though, so I don't think this will really be an issue.

Inxsible · 2008-08-04 04:06:11

Lord Illidan wrote:

I've set up my father's laptop and sister's pc on Ubuntu. They're ok with it, both work rather well.
However, my dad's laptop (which is almost identical to mine - both Sony VAIO VGN-FE (slight change in version number, but identical hardware for the most part)), doesn't suspend nor hibernate and has got several small issues that I'm suspecting are more to do with Ubuntu. Meanwhile, my laptop suspends/hibernates very well with Arch Linux (it didn't with Ubuntu either).
I've been wondering whether to change his laptop to Arch Linux.
Main probs are :
1. Installation is rather difficult, I've only done Arch twice, and it took me 1 1/2 days to get everything how I wanted. Main obstacle is that there's no ethernet, just wifi, and I don't really dig Arch's console net config for wireless access, I prefer wicd/network manager. However, I can do it via chroot on Ubuntu, as I did to install it on mine.
2. Moving all the documents and stuff..Ok not that much of an issue tbh.
3. Installing packages will be tricky. My sister (12 years old) can handle the command line, but only if I tell her exactly what to enter. And even then she sometimes forgets. My dad prefers the GUI, but can handle the command line. They don't really install a lot of packages though, so I don't think this will really be an issue.

Hey Illidan,
So you moved to Arch as well eh? (of course, I am assuming you are Lord Illidian from the ubuntu forums)

In any case, I am more or less in the same boat. My parents are capable of handling the command line but only if I tell them exactly what to enter. That does pose a small problem in that, if they do a pacman -Syu, it could create havoc - especially if they are using KDE 3.5 and it upgrades them to KDE4.1 which has a number of issues. That said, I am not a KDE fan and I would most likely give them Gnome. But a similar issue could arise, when Gnome transitions to a different release number.

In any case, the best solution would be to not give them root access -- but that's easier said than done, because at least my father likes to tinker around -- he will buy a bluetooth mouse and then want to configure it himself by asking me what commands to enter. Of course if he finds out that I havent given him root access - he'd be a tad pissed

So for the moment, I have given him root access - but told him to be careful with it. If I find that I have to ssh into his machine a lot more to do maintenance and/or repair, I might just give them debian lenny + Gnome the next time.

Last edited by Inxsible (2008-08-04 04:07:56)

Lord Illidan · 2008-08-04 10:08:36

Yes, I am.. I actually was a moderator on the Ubuntu Forums until I dropped out due to RL issues. And I wasn't using Ubuntu anymore. I've been using Arch for about 6 months now, and I love it.

The good thing is that I still live with my parents, thus I'm never too far away from my father's laptop. Ubuntu Gutsy was fine, but the upgrade to Hardy seems to have screwed up a few things.

quetzyg · 2008-08-04 12:11:43

OK, so we already know that Arch is a good distro to give to our parents.
Now, the next question should be: Should I give root access to my parents?

Inxsible · 2008-08-04 16:27:01

Lord Illidan wrote:

Yes, I am.. I actually was a moderator on the Ubuntu Forums until I dropped out due to RL issues. And I wasn't using Ubuntu anymore. I've been using Arch for about 6 months now, and I love it.
The good thing is that I still live with my parents, thus I'm never too far away from my father's laptop. Ubuntu Gutsy was fine, but the upgrade to Hardy seems to have screwed up a few things.

In that case, you should just go ahead and install Arch on your father's machine. Give him root access as well. Just give him a warning about how things can get screwed up -- so he will probably ask you before doing something major.

miggy · 2008-08-04 18:16:15

My parents have no need/desire to run arch (or even know something besides windows exists). However, I will be visiting them shortly, do you think I should try to convince them to stop giving money to AOL? I think this will be a step in the right direction for them. Last time I was home I used my technical prowess to purchase a wireless router from staples.

solarwind · 2008-08-05 05:54:52

Inxsible wrote:

The only issue that I could think of was that they won't have any graphical installation program like Synaptic or the Add/Remove (gnome-app-install).
And if they wanted to install something, they'd always have to go to the CLI.

Nope, there are pacman frontends.

Arch Linux

#26 2008-08-03 11:06:32

Re: Should I give Arch to my parents?

#27 2008-08-03 23:32:47

Re: Should I give Arch to my parents?

#28 2008-08-04 04:06:11

Re: Should I give Arch to my parents?

#29 2008-08-04 10:08:36

Re: Should I give Arch to my parents?

#30 2008-08-04 12:11:43

Re: Should I give Arch to my parents?

#31 2008-08-04 16:27:01

Re: Should I give Arch to my parents?

#32 2008-08-04 18:16:15

Re: Should I give Arch to my parents?

#33 2008-08-05 05:54:52

Re: Should I give Arch to my parents?

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