OT Re: Cheap PC distro's

[Jon Quiros <jquiros@teahead.net>]

Francis Cianfrocca wrote:
> 
> Rob Enderle (god rest him) says that connect speed is usually the
> bottleneck with online tasks, not the processor. (I think he's in favor
> of this product.) But I've talked to plenty of home users lately who all
> say that dialup is plenty fast enough for what they do online- I was
> totally shocked at that, but it does explain the slow uptake of
> broadband in U.S. consumer markets (which are not subsidized). It also
> may be a validation point for this toaster product. Comments? Flames?
> -f

i find it nice for someone i hook up with a computer (e.g. grandparents,
friends' parents, etc- i'm talking CASUAL, not about setting something
up for a client whose needs may vary and more than likely are greater-
vpn, more power etc...)

when it comes to connection speed, the machine i choose for a home user
doesn't matter (as long as i adhere to my trustily subjective lowest
common denominator for that).  Francis, about being "shocked" of dialup
being "plenty fast," you've go to remember we're spoiled ;)

i consider these three things the most:
1) price
2) support options (in my mind, "non-commercial support options from
people someone knows")
3) ease of use, which usually just means adding aliases for people for
"web" "email" and "word processor" and maybe "spreadsheet" and "games",
and sitting down with them and having them redo what you just showed them.

openbsd-  very good option when i hook someone up.  do a decent job
customizing it for them and it should go for years ok it seems to me. 
but maybe i'd save it for my closer people because they'll be contacting
me in the odd event they need help, and i in turn might contact YOU if i
can't figure it out :-)  on the plus side as well, you can troubleshoot
remotely without much preparing for it (timbuktu, pcanywhere, etc).

windows-  tempting and dangerous option because more people they know
will be able to help them, but much more need for help.  it really
pisses me off when, say, my sister (who i didn't hook up w/ a comp)just
needs to install an kids program her daughter is al excited about, and
the thing has some conflict with the printer driver, and she's on the
phone for a long time, frustrated).  this stuff is really marketed as
being good, reliable, etc.  a sham your average joe seems happy to live
with :-(

mac-  hmmm.... if only they were cheaper, or i got my hands on older
ones for cheap more often...  i like, but the price is usually the
determinant here.

just some thoughts.