Hello!
I want to give my parents new portable computers, as the ones they have are a bit clunky and old (older than their iron man-admiring grandchildren, for example), and they’ve been having a hard time with them (them= computers; not sure about them=grandchildren…)
I want to install openSUSE (of course!) on both new portables, and while I’ve figured out most everything I think would please them, I’m still undecided about whether to install KDE or Gnome for them.
Personally, I’m a Gnome enthusiast, but I’m not sure whether they’ll feel comfortable with my approach to desktop environments. My mother would adapt (she’s used Ubuntu with Unity desktop before), but my dad might find himself a bit lost. Has anyone had experience with KDE vs Gnome among senior users? They mostly use web browsers, video/voice chat and listen to music or watch netflix (Unless they are undercover nerds and I’m not aware of it… :O), and I’d be installing and setting up openSUSE (Leap 42.2) for them.
Every word of advice will be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!
I set up KDE for an eighty year old with a full desktop so that he could put icons anywhere on the screen as he had been used to doing with Windows. All he did was choose the background colour. He uses it just as he used Windows - just for emails and browsing.
Of course, each them could have their own login with completely different desktops - KDE now offers a more Gnome like option if your mother prefers that.
I have done the same for several 70-to-90-yr-olds with the same results as John: They are just fine, do not see any difference between it and Windows the way they use their machines (except, they generally express surprise at how faster it is without all the crashes they had in Windows), and like John says, they use it mainly (most of them exclusively) for e-mail and browsing (mainly Facebook to long-lost friends and relatives).
I guess I’m a senior user, though perhaps that doesn’t count.
I took an instant dislike to Gnome 3 when it came out. But recent versions of Gnome 3 seem not too bad. So I’m not sure it makes that much difference.
KDE or MATE or XFCE will probably seem easier for a Windows user. But I don’t think it will be that hard to have them adapt to Gnome.
Hi, thank you! Thanks for sharing your experiences and ideas with me. You are all very insightful and everything you’ve pointed out has been very useful.
I’ve chosen KDE for the parents, as you suggested, and I think they are feeling comfortable with it. rotfl!
I’m sure they will find KDE fine, especially if they were windows users. I changed my wife’s laptop a while ago from Windows to Linux KDE and she never really noticed the difference but then most of what she does is web browsing and email and we had been using Firefox and Thunderbird on Windows before.
Stuart
I have to agree with Nrickert. KDE or Xfce would be your best bets. They’re more closely related to Windows’ interface than GNOME is. KDE if it’s a newer system, Xfce if it’s an older system.
Imo, the best setup for older people includes desktop icons for commonly used applications, a taskbar with labels and a Classic menu (as simple as possible). Virtual desktops aren’t needed.
I would personally use Xfce for that, although it can be done with anything.