Phoenix Network Forums

Anyone know of a grandparent proof system that allows:

Should work as simply as the telephone and enable them to do:

Web Browsing
Email
Word processing
Printing
Photo storing
Music storing/playing
Multimedia and DVD playing
Read only os - to eliminate virus / adware infestation
Save files to flash drive or something else not atached to the os.

A Mac with every program not able to do those things locked down?

Prototype wrote:A Mac with every program not able to do those things locked down?

Can a mac be locked down?

That's what the sysadmins at schools and business' usually do. Google for either programs, or technics. Since I'm not a Mac guy I can't tell you anything useful (but Mac OS X is using the FreeBSD kernel, I believe), but I know it's possible as I've seen it.

In reality, dumming something down isn't the best idea. People arn't stupid, but they can be really lazy, an sometimes just want things on a plate.
A small beginners training course on any platform should be enough to learn all those things and more. You can't just know things instantly, and computers are the way they are (graphical and such) because it makes them extreamly easy to use. But thats just a rant.

I would advise using a clean install of Windows XP and getting a little book on how to do basic tasks. I know linux is the preferred OS of many on these forums, but, in my experience, people new to computers have found it easier because there are more references (friends, family, books are more likely to cover Windows).

If you have the time, maybe you could try giving them a little course yourself on some fundamentals? After teaching the basics most people are able to pick up much more themselves, people are also more likely to remember how to do things if they learn it themselves.

I've never really had the experience of having to teach a family member about computers, my Grandad was a technology journalist before I was born and also did PR work for IBM when it was just starting up - he's been on the cutting edge of technology since the 60's! My Dad does a lot of IT work as well and does a fair bit of work with electronics. Nevermind though, trying to teach computing would porbably be a bit of a nightmare!

Best of luck!
Dan

Dan wrote:I would advise using a clean install of Windows XP and getting a little book on how to do basic tasks. I know linux is the preferred OS of many on these forums, but, in my experience, people new to computers have found it easier because there are more references (friends, family, books are more likely to cover Windows)...

I did upgrade them to XP and that has helped alot - but they are constantly plagued with spyware and other user generated issues - like clicking an icon 3,000 times if it doesn't immediately start the app. I think it would make sense to have a read-only system like a live-cd that works like the telephone. Kinda like the embedded systems running linux for ATM's and slot machines. They just do what they do - nothing more.

WE G

remaster a knoppix for them.

If you want an open source solution consider reviewing the Linux kiosk howto.