[BBLISA] Windows or Linux for parents' PC?

[Arthur Gaer]

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004, Scott Ehrlich wrote:

> I am now thinking of giving them Linux, but there are some web sites they
> need IE for, and some multimedia stuff (like Windows Media Player) they
> need, though are not at all technical.
>
> The PC is a genuine Intel board with an 800 Mhz P3 and 128 Meg RAM.
>
> What are my browser options?   What WMP options are there for Linux?

I realize this isn't the question you asked, but if I were at all
contemplating a new desktop Unix box, especially for those not intending
to be SysAdmins, I would go straight to Mac OS X.

In fact, I did exactly that for *my* parents--replaced an ancient Win95
machine with a $750 eMac, and they are ecstatically happy.

True Unix underneath, true useable interface on top, real commercial
software and multimedia support (true IE if you want it, MS Office
straight from MS, WMP, Quicktime--not sometimes iffy emulations).
VirtualPC available if you really need to <yech> run Windows occasionally.

The same holds true in the more academic arena--I've had quite a number of
users in my department switch from Windows, Linux, or Solaris on the
desktop to OS X, and they are all quite pleased.  They can go right to a
Unix prompt when they need it and run all the Unix based mathematical
research software we ever use here, supported X Windows, and all that, and
they still get access to up-to-date web and multimedia software, and an OS
stability that I find second only to Solaris.  I'm likely to be switching
the majority of our desktop machines to OS X over the next few months.

No, you can't get a brand-new Mac for only $350, but for many people a
$750 eMac actually gives them more performance than they need on the
desktop: it won't win any benchmark records, but you're paying for the
superior OS and more less common (but frequently better integrated and
supported) hardware.

And if you really need something for serious computation, the G5 boxes
pretty much equal or exceed the fastest Pentiums (depending on who's
benchmarking what)--and they're 64-bit besides.

Arthur Gaer
gaer at math.harvard.edu

Senior Systems Manager, Department of Mathematics
Harvard University, 617-495-1610, FAX: 617-495-5132