[HLUG] HLUG Meeting - 16th April 2008

[Paul Stenning]

Well you'll have a lot of problems finding a properly legal copy of 
Windows on eBay!  Lots of OEM ones without hardware and often without CD 
Keys (or with previously used CD Keys).  Lots or pirated volume licence 
ones with licence keys that will fail Genuine Advantage sooner or later. 
  But very few properly legal ones.

The spec of the PC would suggest Windows 2000 rather than XP.  Vista 
does not have any of the activation hassles so it should install fine 
with an eBay copy.  Office 2000 would work well on that and again has no 
activation.  Or use OpenOffice which should do all they need as long as 
they aren't using MS Access.

Decent anti-virus is essential, and IMO AVG Free is not good enough.  I 
am an Eset NOD32 reseller, and I can supply that for 15% below the 
website list price (email me privately if interested).

Assuming you go with Linux...

For the MSN use aMSN.  It's an open-source clone of MSN Messenger and 
works well, including support for file transfers and webcams.  I use it 
on Vista (sorry) and it works well.  It's in the Ubuntu repositories.

Install ClamAV to reduce the risk of them passing on Windows viruses 
through email attachments etc.

Paul


Ralph Jones wrote:
> Hello one and all, 
> 
> Sorry I missed this months meeting, but work called!:( 
> 
> I'm in touch with a lady off the Freecycle group, who was looking for
> some parts to make up a PC for her son (HDD, monitor, mouse). I've
> offered, and she's accepted, to install the HDD. As I don't have any
> Windows disks myself, I also offered to install Linux (Ubuntu) on the
> HDD once I had the PC up and running, which she also accepted.
> 
> It's mainly for her son, who wants to do school work (OOo; KOffice),
> internet (FF) and MSN (not sure about this - Jabber, Kopete, etc). Btw,
> it's a 1G Mhz processor (P3?) with 512Mb of RAM.
> 
> Your thoughts please:
> - should I tell her to splash out on a legal copy of Windows off eBay?
> - should I proceed to install Linux, and show the lad Ubuntuforums and
> Linux questions?
> 
> Bearing in mind, as a truck driver, I won't be around that regularly to
> help if he gets stuck.
> 
> Didn't there used to be a beginners guide magazine, which came with a
> distro on a CD/DVD? Is it still available (I saw my last copy in Hfd
> WHSmiths about three years ago, I'll have after breakfast).
> 
> More questions to follow :)
> 
> Anon.
> 
> - Btw, have you heard the good news yet?
> - It's Friday!
>  
> On Thu, 2008-04-17 at 22:01 +0100, Julian Robbins wrote:
>> Paul Stenning wrote:
>>> I like the idea of hosting them at people's homes or other locations 
>>> for the ones where we don't have use of our normal room though.  This 
>>> would make a nice change a few times a year.
>> Hi Paul
>>
>> Yes its a good idea. At the Shropshire LUG, they used to have an August 
>> barbecue at the Lugmaster's house each year.
>>
>> I don't know if I can stretch to that, but I'm happy to host a LUG event 
>> at our new (ish) house up in Shobdon, north Herefordshire in the Summer.
>>
>> Lovely sunsets, and you can see for miles around !! Remind me if I 
>> forget ...
>>
>> Julian
>>
>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Paul
>>>
>>>
>>> Mark Broadbent wrote:
>>>> Hi All,
>>>>
>>>> Very kindly, George has offered to host our April meeting at his 
>>>> house.  Unfortunately I will be unable to make as I'm going on 
>>>> holiday this weekend and work is somewhat hectic. :-(
>>>>
>>>> The address is:
>>>> Hatfield Court
>>>> HR6 0SD
>>>>
>>>> George, could I get you to specify what time you would like people to 
>>>> attend.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks
>>>> Mark
>>>>
>>
> 
>