Too bad my usb stick can only store one distro at a time.
Solution: install windows for them, but complain and evangelize at every opportunity. You’ll be so insufferable they’ll never ask you again.
Another solution - install Windows 2000, which was the first and the last good Windows distro.
Another solution: install a Linux distro in kiosk mode and make the browser home page https://www.windows93.net/
lolll
Constable Odo treatment.
Thanks for reminding me that the DS9 box set is a high priority on my ripping list
I don’t need friends that are Windows users.
I don’t care what they use, be it linux, a BSD, OSX, Plan9… but windows?? that is pathetic!!
Or don’t
Use whatever you want to use. You can always say no to support requests.
I charge a consulting fee. If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
Tested and guaranteed.
I always install openSUSE without removing my buttplug. Or any extra USB cables.
Uhm… Where can I find that? For a friend, of course! (◕ᴗ◕✿)
Well, I only know of one and you’ll need 12 angry men to pull it out.
Oh yeah I have that too. Just sit on the PC case while you are installing. ( ￣▽￣)
Got my parents a new computer for Christmas. I didn’t feel like acting as their 24/7 tech support so I let it with the Windows 11 that it came with. Yesterday they couldn’t get their webcam and microphone to work at all for our weekly family videocall. We ended up having the videocall on Signal. I believe they would face less troubles with Debian at this point.
i installed linux mint on my sisters household PC last week.
my dad did his usual grumblings about “it should be windows” and i just said “i’ve been out of the windows ecosystem completely for the last 5 years and partially for another 3 years beyond that. i no longer provide support for windows, if you want them to have windows you need to support it”
he went quiet after that.
Why does your dad have an opinion on what your sister use?
he’s still coming round to the fact he’s not getting security updates soon due to lack of a TPM module.
He’ll be running mint too by the end of the year
Please don’t go around forcing people into Linux…
i’m not forcing him into it, microsoft is
Right? OS arguments over Thanksgiving dinner sounds like kind of a good time.
Well, beats other kinds of argument.
Honestly that sounds like a jerk move. Why would you force someone to use Linux? It isn’t your computer and if you are helping them you should do what they want. I wouldn’t be surprised if they bought a new machine and then ghosted you.
Where did they say they forced anyone? They just said they installed it.
Maybe I’m just reading into it but I read it as they wiped the drive and installed Linux without asking for explicit permission.
Well, based on the rest of their comment, they were “providing support”, so the implication is that the sister asked for help and received it.
I would assume that they informed their sister as to what would be installed. I don’t think it’s fair to assume the worst without context.
It’s not hers. it’s one of my computers that i am deploying to her house for her and her family to use.
It’s technichally for my neice but the rest of the family all also have access.
no one in that household has expressed a specific preference of operating system. other than my brother in law texting me to tell me one of the old games he tried to install doesnt work (i did promptly offer to “make it work” but he declined).
I have no problem with them installing windows on it if thats what they want. they wont be coming to me for technical support if they do though.
Me with 40$ 1tb external ssd with ventoy be like
I can’t fit an SSD up my ass. :(
Not with that attitude
Don’t threaten me with a good time
Its one of the many trials set by SPACE KING
I tried that too, it wouldn’t reliably boot on things it should have. I remade it on a mechanical drive, same settings, and that one will boot on anything I’ve thrown it on so far.
My 77 year old mother-in-law runs Pop cause of me and loves it.
My parents love Bazzite.
Is Pop as good and generally user friendly for those less familiar with Linux? Never heard of Pop before!
Why Bazzite for a non-gaming setup? Or are your parents gamers?
My brother set it up for my parents even though they don’t game. I just think he installed it because it as intuitive as Windows for lay people.
Yeah it’s a very good overall distro. Things work well and it’s familiar enough to pick up and use.
Good for her
Just make sure you respect the wishes of the people around you. It is not ok to force someone to use Linux because you think its a good idea. You don’t get to take advantage of people to push your own agenda. Windows is going to be ideal for most people simply because it is widely supported.
Most sane people wouldn’t bring their some brand car to another brand car mechanic and expect service though, unfortunately most people are not that sane when it comes to it.
No linux? No free support from your frienfly neighborhood technician.
Oh Windows? Yeah that’ll cost…
For me personally I’m not supporting anyone if I can avoid it especially users running Linux. I don’t want to have to manage a custom system when I could instead get them either a plain Windows install or better yet an IPad.
How is me “forcing” somehow worse than Microsoft actually forcing people to use their ad-pushing, data mining spyware of an operating system? My “agenda” is simplifying an elderly person’s computing experience, protecting her from phishing/scams and allowing her the freedom of not having to worry about one other thing.
Weird take, bud.
Just install Linux Mint, they’ll never find out.
As a fresh convert not having my .exes work would be sus. But with MS locking more and more stuff in their app store, we’re not too far from a full-on windows troll distro.
It will obviously look different, but with binfmt, wine, and a sane initial setup, you could get a lot of .exe works from a click in the UI (or the CLI, after all, CLI apps exists on windows too).
Should mostly work through WINE and Proton?
or something with plasma
Don’t actually do this as it is problematic. You should respect there wishes instead of trying to force Linux apron them. They don’t really need to know that Linux exists at all.
The other issue is that you instantly become the sole source of tech support.
I’ve done it to my family and friends over a decade ago.
Free tech support is for foss!
Yeah we are very different. I do IT for a living so I’m not exactly excited to do tech support outside of work.
If it works for everyone i involved that’s great but the problem with Linux is that there are far fewer people who use it which means that suddenly I’m the central point of support. I want something totally hands off for me which means something friends and family know and can help with.
I’ve worked in IT my whole career and if someone wants me yo install Linux on their machine, or has questions about bash scripting, I’m dropping whatever I’m doing to help them.
How else are my friends and family supposed to teach each other it nobody teaches them? Not everyone was as lucky as I was to be encouraged to pursue tech, that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the same privacy and options that I benefit from.
I’m down helping once and I often will point people in the right direction
The problem is that help isn’t needed once. It can turn into a full time job very quickly if you don’t draw the line.
Since I’ve installed openSUSE Tumbleweed to everyone about 5 years ago I’ve actually done literally 0 tech support on that front so I’m superbly happy about that.
With Windows (albeit 7) there was always shit going wrong (not to mention XP before that which I basically regularly reinstalled). With various distros (Ubuntu & Debian mostly, but others too) there were frequent fuckeries of various flavours when upgrading.
I’m not totally against Linux. I just think that people here are so evangelical about Linux that they start installing it everywhere even when it isn’t a great fit. People don’t like change and installing Linux on there machine is a great way to piss people off.
Honestly I think iPads are the best for those who want a simple experience. The alternative to that is Android tablets.
People don’t say “install Windows”, they just want their PC to work. And if that PC isn’t for Adobe or kernel-level intrusive anti-cheat money-sucking games, there is no difference (except the spying).
Also the amount of maintenance with Windows after each update isn’t small (software like Shut Up Windows helps with regedits tho).
And most people don’t know what their OS even is.
But no, I’m not giving an iPad to people that want Windows :P.
Installing Linux on your buttplug is a bold move, I say.
Your father gave me his USB stick in Vietnam, son.
where did you keep it?
I carried this uncomfortable hunk of data up my ass for two years. And now little man, I give it to you.
118 ISOs, and windows ain’t one
Tough love is the realest love
Is it mandatory to have in your ass or can you just put it in your pocket?
It’s mandatory.
Prison pocket.
What’s the difference?
Hey if you don’t know how to do it just say so
I’m shy. ┐('～`;)┌
I’m the family computer guy but dad’s probably better at Windows than me.
