[clug] Recommendation for a Linux Distro to replace Win-XP

Ian Bardsley ifb777 at tpg.com.au
Sat Apr 13 01:40:03 MDT 2013


On 13/04/13 16:48, steve jenkin wrote:
> I have a retired friend who has an old Dell PC (2nd-hand from ANU) and,
> "it works Just Fine" for them. They found the Gmail browser interface
> "confusing", so I needed to setup MS-Outlook with a new account. They've
> sort-of got the hang of that after a few weeks, but it's still a stretch...
>
> They're already using Firefox and Libre Office, so most of the job of
> converting to FOSS is already done.
>
> But they rely on MS-Outlook (Express).
> My first preference is to migrate them to Thunderbird or other FOSS
> email client, but I expect I have to keep
>
> I know from my older friends in Sydney who've happily learned Ubuntu as
> well as they ever knew Win-XP, that these folk can cope well with new
> environments, though do tend to equate Firefox with Linux...
> But that's not a hill I need to defend, only accept and move on.
>
> I'm looking for 3 specific recommendations for the community:
>
>   - A Linux Distro for someone who's "just a user" and used to Win-XP.
>     I'll do the setup & migration, so that's not an issue.
>     - I've normally recommended/installed an Ubuntu LTS,
>       but would like good current options. Fedora is OK with me.
>
>   - A way to run MS-Outlook (Express).
>     Is it stable under WINE and/or CrossOver Office?
>     Or is it "lipstick on a pig" and avoid like the plague?!?!
>
>   - I'd *prefer* to move them to native Linux tools, but only if
>     the change doesn't stress them (i.e. looks/works similarly)
>     I use Thunderbird only because I haven't bothered to
>     look for a replacement. [mutt failed me. don't ask.]
>     - Can you recommend email clients that my friend could try?
>       T'bird vs SeaMonkey?
>       Others?
>     - necessary requirement is to import address book and messages.
>
> My friend already pays for a subscription to a Virus scanning service.
>   - What do they need on popular Linux Distro? [nothing?]
>   - Anything that the community would recommend or warn against?
>
> Thanks in Advance
> steve
>
> PS: I'll probably get her to buy some more (DDR2?) RAM and a small SSD
> disk when I do this :-)
> Be nice to sell the change as "it's faster and better", while allowing
> me to keep the old disk on a shelf as a fail-back. Win-XP is out of
> support in a year...
>
Linux Mint 14 (Maya) with Thunderbird as the mail client. There is a 
choice of desktop appearance and functionality between "Mate", ( close 
to Gnome 2 ) and "Cinnamon" ( a Gnome 3 way to work a bit like Windows 
XP). I have found Cinnamon to be very good and quite stable.

Mint 14 will be upgraded in 4 to six weeks and promises to add even more 
functionality though this remains to be seen.

Both flavours are available as LIVE CDs if you want to take a look at 
the options and can then be installed from the same CD. You can of 
course use memory sticks if you prefer.

Just my 2 bobs worth

Regards

Ian Bardsley




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