[NBLUG/talk] Linux for my grand kid's computer

[Robert Hayes]

This was just posted on varlinux the other day.
Not exactly on the mark, but it may have some pointers in the right direction 
for you depending on the age of the grandkids.

http://hardware.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=04/12/02/1728210&tid=126

On Saturday 11 December 2004 06:46 am, Todd Cary wrote:
> With the propensity kids have for loading their computers with viruses
> and spyware, I would like to install Linux on my grandson's computer.
> However, I am faced with the challenge of deciding which flavor to use
> and then what programs to include.  As background, I earn my living as
> the lead software developer for Gilardi and Co. in Kentfield, a class
> action lawsuit administration firm.  Everything is in the Windows
> environment.  At my home office, I run two Linux boxes: RH 9 (for work)
> and Fedora 3 (for play).  Some years ago I started with RH 4 which I use
> to run my test environment for PHP programs (my client runs them on NT)
> and my FTP server, but I realized that I needed to know more about those
> two boxes.  This resulted in taking Mark Street's course in Linux
> Administration (one of the best CS courses I have taken and I learned
> that I am not a systems administrator!).
>
> I love Red hat Linux because it installs and runs and runs and runs with
> little help from me, but I look at the plethora of programs that are
> installed, ninety percent of which I have never used or looked at.  What
> would a kid need?  Firefox and Thunderbird plus the OpenOffice suite and
> maybe a easy to use GUI text editor?  Can such a simple version of
> Fedora be installed?  Or should I venture into another flavor of Linux?
> I have Lindows on a CD, however that seems too restrictive.
>
> The bottom line is that I am looking for a no frills desktop (maybe a
> notebook version too that has WiFi support) that will not require too
> many admin skills (you know those phone calls - "Grand dad, my computer
> is not working!  Can you come over and fix it?").
>
> Suggestions welcomed......
>
> Todd