FAO: Conor - Ubuntu

Hmm...depends. If you want to run Wifi, don't. IME it's only the older stuff that works reliably. If you want a nice simple PC to do web, e- mail and office, go for it.

Ubuntu is quite easy to install although you'll have a bit of faffing around to get the multimedia stuff (Real/Quicktime/DivX support) on however someone wrote a utility to do it. THe new version runs as a liveCD so you can try out the hardware support before clicking on a desktop icon to install to HDD.

If he's on broadband, get a modem router and forget the USB modem - makes life far more simple.

Can't fault the help available at

Basically, once you've got it up and running, that should be it. Stuck it on a mates sons Dell laptop. P3/1GHz, 256MB and it runs fine so there's no need for fast hardware. Got the Wifi working via a PCMCIA card, albeit at 802.11b, and even syncs with his iPod.

I'll add that the Belkin 802.11b PC card was recognized right away on my laptop, no troubles. It's a Dell P3 500MHz, 256MB. It was pretty good, and there's loads of software available - everything I could possible need except one particular web plug-in (shockwave, I think) which made (not) viewing some websites awkward.

Also, even though Ubuntu ran fine on my machine, it was a bit slow. I've gone back to Win2K (!) and it's noticably more 'responsive'. However, if I had a quicker machine, I'd definitely have Ubuntu back.

This is going to be a (if I can remember what's in the box) a Celeron 333 or Pentium 400 desktop machine, with 256 megs and probably a 10 gig HDD. Web access will be via ethernet to the router, so that's simple. Just want the thing to update itself (preferably without user intervention), not be any hassle with getting virus scanners, firewalls, updating and licencing them etc. Just needs to work for ebay and email, possibly skype.

Ubuntu does have an updates notification icon which you click and it goes and does its thing. Usually no reboot required.

Firefox is the standard browser so that'll save some trouble. Worth sticking on some TTFs from Windows though IMO to give a more "Windows" feel on webpages.

As long as it's fairly intuitive and uncluttered to use, it'll be fine. My Dad last used a Windows PC 5 years or so ago...

A godsend in one way then.