Converting Normal People to Linux

My parents have a computer running Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2. It has not been defragged or reinstalled during the 3 years they have been running it.

I was able to get them using Firefox and OpenOffice. They only make minimal use of any of the other software and could easily be switched to Linux versions of those programs.

I am going to be installing another 512MB of ram soon. During that time, I will also be backing up all of their data and reinstalling everything.

Now that I am the newest Linux self-appointed evangelist, I’m trying to decide if I should just convert them over. I can’t think of one reason they would need to stay on Windows and they would always be able to switch back if they didn’t like it.

Now, I should point out that my parents know absolutely nothing about computers besides how to run a few basic programs. They are absolutely the surf, word process, unload photos from the digital camera, and occasionally play a CD straight from the CD player.

The one stumbling block might be that my dad is starting his retirement career as a home inspector and is planning on buying some specialized software for the job. The software runs on Windows.

I’m pretty sure he is going to end up using a laptop for that, though, so he can take it onsite and print the reports before leaving the job.

I think if I put shortcuts to Firefox, OpenOffice, F-Spot Photo Manager, and any CD music player on the desktop, they probably would barely noticed that anything that had happened.

I’ll probably set them up with Kubuntu, my current Linux flavor of choice. I’ve noticed that my wife only logs out of Kubuntu to run a few specific Windows-only programs. I’m guessing that a lot of normal computer users could make the switch without even noticing as long as somebody did the installation for them.

I’m starting to think that my parents might be the next Linux converts. I’ll just tell them that they don’t need to pay to update Norton every year…or any year…and that I only support Linux now.

Do you know any Windows users that you think could convert without any real problems as long as somebody did the installation? What are you waiting for?