Installing linux during xp EOLife

[DanB]

I have been doing many linux installs on old xp computers. I even bought the stickers to go over the old windows one. The majority of these have been for retired folks (55-85 years). They do not want or cannot afford a new computer and this is really filling the bill. I am using linux mint 16 and I have not had one person ask me to install windows after they tried it. They love the virtual windows and since they are only surfing, facebook, email and solitaire/mahjong it is working great. I offer to put them back on xp for free if they cannot get used to it (fairly easy since I am leaving xp intact on the hd).
Of course some people need win (mostly quickbooks). I have a refurbishers license and picked up 20 pc that can do 7 comfortably.

The only downside is I am the only tech that supports linux in my area and between my regular work and the xp EOLife I am too busy.

 

[wavey]

I'm offering Linux mint too, but version 13 LTS instead of 16.

13 LTS is supported until April 2017. 16 only until July 2014.

I don't want the hassle of upgrading them every few months.

As for being the only Linux guy around, that's a good thing isn't it.

 

[NYJimbo]

The only downside is I am the only tech that supports linux in my area

This is the main reason I wont get involved with putting any *NIX on an end users computer. I found that when I was putting a nice *NIX on older peoples machines if they did have ANY problem I was the first one they would call. Too many times it would be some tiny thing gone wrong and the customer would be frustrated they couldn't just download some "fixit" or get an easy answer from google. Too little money on old cheap machines with cheap clients.

 

[wavey]

I am being very choosy as to who I offer Linux to. If they don't have a clue, it's no deal.

 

[altrenda]

Get a couple of high school or college kids, train them in Linux support and hire them as contractors.
Let them handle the easy stuff and split the price of the service call with them. You can take care of the complicated stuff.

If they turn out to be good, you can hire them. If they steal a client, you're only out a cheap, low paying customer you weren't calling on anyway and the tech never gets any more money from you.

 

[DanB]

Good point

I'm offering Linux mint too, but version 13 LTS instead of 16.

13 LTS is supported until April 2017. 16 only until July 2014.

As for being the only Linux guy around, that's a good thing isn't it.

Petra is such a leap foward that I went for it. But you are right about updates.
Yes being the only one around doing linux can be a good thing.

My older customers are more work, but they always ask what they owe me. They also are more likely to tip!

 

[gunslinger]

I was going to do Linux mint but I had rather wait for 17 LTS release. Right now, on my laptop, I'm using a slick distro called trisquel and I'm loving it. It is faster and much lighter than Linux mint plus it looks kind of like windows XP. The lite version is less than 500 mb and run superfast on 512 mb of RAM.

 

[Altster]

I was going to do Linux mint but I had rather wait for 17 LTS release. Right now, on my laptop, I'm using a slick distro called trisquel and I'm loving it. It is faster and much lighter than Linux mint plus it looks kind of like windows XP. The lite version is less than 500 mb and run superfast on 512 mb of RAM.

I'm going to give Trisquel another try. I had played with it in the past, but it didn't have much support for much of anything - been a few years.

My question to you is - how is the hardware support with the version you are using? Have you had any problems with getting / finding support for your laptop hardware?

 

[gunslinger]

I'm going to give Trisquel another try. I had played with it in the past, but it didn't have much support for much of anything - been a few years.

My question to you is - how is the hardware support with the version you are using? Have you had any problems with getting / finding support for your laptop hardware?

No problems at all. I was actually suprised. Installed on a 3-4 year old HP and everything just worked. Haven't had a single issue.

 

[coffee]

I'm going to give Trisquel another try. I had played with it in the past, but it didn't have much support for much of anything - been a few years.

My question to you is - how is the hardware support with the version you are using? Have you had any problems with getting / finding support for your laptop hardware?

This flavor of linux is based on Ubuntu. Therefore, It shouldnt have any real hardware issues. There are however a few driver issues with the wireless network cards but nothing that cannot be overcome.

It appears to be using the enlightenment or LX desktop.

Most all my customers I have them running on Mint 14. Support has run out but it still runs fine and 17 will be out in a bit. LTS right now is version 13 until April 2017.

See this link for release schedule for 17.
http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=2594

coffee

 

[SpaceSquad]

I'm going to give Trisquel another try. I had played with it in the past, but it didn't have much support for much of anything - been a few years.

My question to you is - how is the hardware support with the version you are using? Have you had any problems with getting / finding support for your laptop hardware?

It's essentially Ubuntu with the proprietary stuff removed.

Wouldn't choose it to install on customer PCs as some media will not play, graphics will be on the open driver only, etc.


Surprised at many of you choosing Mint as the distro of choice for clients...especially choosing NOT the LTS version. The upgrade path of Mint is terrible for a inexperienced user...ie need to reinstall.

 

[DanB]

Mint

Surprised at many of you choosing Mint as the distro of choice for clients...especially choosing NOT the LTS version. The upgrade path of Mint is terrible for a inexperienced user...ie need to reinstall.

Mint Mate works well on older hardware. Has a xp style start menu. If they had 2 gigs of ram and widescreen I would probably go Ubuntu and unity. Clem is hoping to have a upgrade path from 16 to 17lts. I am hoping so. The only big issue I am having with mint 16 mate is the older intel graphics. I have to put in a xconf file that is not used in mdm.

Now that Ubuntu 14.04 is out I have used lxde on some laptops. I also installed sparky on a dell mini 10 as it seems to have solved the wake from hibernation issue and broadcom b43 is easy to add. I am trying to stay focused on the least number of lin-flavors to support. My pharmacy client uses redhat But in a typical day I use ubuntu, crunchbang, suse gnome3 and puppy. Then there is my droid stuff, macbook and ipod.

 

[gunslinger]

Just checked to see how much resources Trisquel Mini was using on my daughters computer. Right now 71 mb and screaming fast. This on a Dell 2400 system p4 CPU.

 

[LifelineIT]

I run mint one one machine at home, Manjaro on another, and Ubuntu on another, each has a different purpose. I loooooooove mint and manjaro, but I wouldn't recommend either for linux noobs. I'm kinda "meh" on ubuntu, but it looks nice and works well.

I've recently been playing a fair amount with LXLE, and I recommend it for older hardware. It cooks. I'm going to try it out on a few less savvy users in the near future and see how it goes.

My biggest issue with giving linux to unsavvy users is that they all need to print...and that can be a nightmare.