Matthias Bethke wrote:
I got a Linux box for my mum as well after her Mac died, so I know it's
near impossible to teach some people about folder structures :)
I have taught a few computer classes and that is one of the
things I emphasized, no matter what the operating system.
I have a small 2 drawer filing cabinet with the folders labeled
like the operating system lays them out (Windows is much harder
to explain as the file browser is so weirdly layed out). Lots
of apps don't use My Documents (or whatever Microsoft/Mac use
now) as the default save folder.
It seems to be a fairly hard concept for middle aged and above,
unless they have previous experience in filing stuff in a file
cabinet. They seem to ignore the prompts on where to save the
file or have never bothered to configure the application for
setting a default, but I have mostly managed to get the concept
across.
<sidetrack>I have a Windows user that continually calls me for
advise about buying computer stuff and he is scared stiff of
Linux. He is upgrading his wife's computer (and ignored my
advise, he ended up with a Gateway and only one IDE slot
available for upgrading and all the video/audio built into the
MOBO) and wanting to sell her old box. Since he has an ISDN
connection and room on his router/modem, I suggested he keep it
and build a Linux file server for both of them. Since he
doesn't want to do that, I was thinking of trying to talk him
down to a real low price (Pentium II, 330 Mhz 8.5 GB hard drive)
and building me one!</sidetrack>
I have a cousin who is 82, and I think I have the concept across
to him, but I think he has a harder time than seeing than I do
(I have cataracts in both eyes) so has difficulty in seeing the
prompts.
I try to get them both to save the stuff they want to keep to a
different drive/partition since re-installation of Windows is
sometimes the only repair I have found that actually works.
Neither one ever seems to remember what name it is or that they
gave it, so the search feature isn't very good for them either.
Naming files to a meaningful name and saving them where you know
you can find them is pretty important IMHO, but Microsoft
actually makes that pretty hard, especially with their e-mail
client as it doesn't save it in a standard format and stores it
in the operating system area as well as the default location.
That is usually one of the things they wish to save as well.
I attempt to solve this by getting them to create a "My E-mail"
folder below the "My Documents" folder, or a folder on the other
drive/partition if they have one.
I am slowly getting one person used to Linux after they bought a
Compaq and when it crashed and I couldn't recover anything with
the CDs that came with it. They didn't want to call them as it
was out of warranty and were unwilling to buy an OEM Windows
install CD, so I installed Fedora Core 4 on it. It does
everything (if I send them click by click instructions) except
for a couple of web sites and run the Windows programs CDs they
keep buying. (roll eyes emoticon here)
Still, they continue to buy CDs that will only run in
Windows/Mac for their young daughter. I guess I need to install
wine on my box and see if they will run on that.
I don't see how some folks can be more dense than I am as I have
to take prednisone and morphine, two of the worst mind altering
drugs I know of (and prednisone is the worst, the morphine just
makes me drunk and clumsy).
HTH
--
Phil
My Home Page: http://fancypiper.info
Our 2nd CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/naomisfancy
Naomi's Fancy performances:
http://naomisfancy.virtualave.net/schedule.html
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