this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Today at the grocery store a sweet older lady approached me and asked if I knew anything about computers. I said yes I do, and she produced a mouse saying that her son set up Linux mint for her and she was wondering if the mouse was compatible. It needed kernel version 2.6 or newer so I said that the mouse should work, guessing mint itself was probably newer than that kernel. Happy with my answer, we chatted a little, then she thanked me and left.

It was a nice experience, so I thought I should share!

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[–] poVoq@slrpnk.net 22 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (12 children)

I literally set up Ubuntu for my mother (an old lady by now) 10+ years ago, and she has absolutely no problems with it other than the occasional LTS version updates that I need to do for her. I am pretty sure the overall tech-support I had to do for her over all these years is actually lower as it is much more difficult to accidentally mess up a desktop Linux than some Windows installation.

I live a few hours away from her and can't just go out and buy her a new mouse (and she doesn't like online shopping), so the OP story could be exactly her to the letter (except she isn't using Linux Mint).

[–] thefartographer@lemm.ee 27 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I literally set up Ubuntu for my mother...

I've never seen someone so brazenly bragging about elder abuse before.

[–] squiblet@kbin.social 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My mother did way better with Ubuntu than Windows (also, that was 2010-2014 and Ubuntu seemed a bit better back then)

[–] ladyanita22@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

So does mine. I installed Fedora on an old, 4GB laptop connected to a monitor for her to watch Netflix and TV on her bed. We literally reused a laptop from 2013, an old 900p monitor and a VGA cable + a cheap, poor quality Amazon speaker I was not using at all. I'm really happy with how everything turned out.

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