Very Computer

I am using Mandrake 8

I would prefer to use this kernel on each of my 12 machines in a *
cafe located in Mexico, but I am concerned about user friendlyness for
my clientelle.

I have heard that there might be some existing kernels or upgrades or
??  that I could download that would more closely emulate a windows
desk top, allowing my windows familiar clientelle to be comfortable.

Does anyone know of such upgrades?

Thanks

First, do you really want to give your customers full access to a desktop or
do you just want to give them access to a browser?

Second it is not the kernel that gives you the desktop environment. Mandrake
install allows quite a number of desktops at the time of install. I suggest
you have a look at all of them so you know what your choices are.

I use KDE and I think it would be easy to make it look like a win98 desktop.
Change the "K" icon for a "Start" icon, Dump the desktop switcher (yup dumb
down Linux). Edit the Kicker Menu to put the stuff your users want in
places MS users would want.

Here is something interesting... Why not give your users the Linux desktop
THEY want? Why not give them CHOICES? It could be that giving them choices
may keep them coming back as they explore their options.

I am using Mandrake 8

I would prefer to use this kernel on each of my 12 machines in a *
cafe located in Mexico, but I am concerned about user friendlyness for
my clientelle.

I have heard that there might be some existing kernels or upgrades or
??  that I could download that would more closely emulate a windows
desk top, allowing my windows familiar clientelle to be comfortable.

Does anyone know of such upgrades?

Thanks

you know this is one of the things I LOVE about Linux ... not only
can I choose what my desktop is ... I change it on the fly

selectwm nice little program {even if it's still at the 0.3
stage ... } learned about it about two years ago when I was
running vector {as a beta} and I needed a quick way to change
wm's that was also easy

*  x11-wm/selectwm
      Latest version Available: 0.3
      Latest version Installed: 0.3
      Homepage: http://ordiluc.net/selectwm
      Description:
      window manager selector tool

also on a releated subject ... I love the newer stuff in KDE 3.0.2
and gnome 2.0 ... {which is being upgraded right now so I will
hafta see how that comes out}
--
mu.lvcm.com 2.4.19-gentoo-r7 i686 AuthenticAMD
Bootup: Sun Jul 14 21:29:23 2002    Load average: 1.60 1.31 0.67
warning left-handed_dyslexic_psycho-depressive_maniac loose on keyboard

On Tue, 16 Jul 2002 22:30:10 GMT, cybear assert()ed:

It's a * cafe.  Who's going to pay an hourly fee to theme their
desktop, just so the next guy who sits down can wreck it?

[snip]

Quote:> that I could download that would more closely emulate a windows
> desk top, allowing my windows familiar clientelle to be comfortable.

[snip]

http://www.qvwm.org/

Quote:> Thanks

HTH,
Peter
--
My email address is munged. Drop YOUR PANTS...
Registered GNU/Linux User # 279409 (http://counter.li.org)
"Gentoo GNU/Linux - Because I'm worth it!"

Quote:> I have heard that there might be some existing kernels or upgrades or
> ??  that I could download that would more closely emulate a windows
> desk top, allowing my windows familiar clientelle to be comfortable.

How are you going to emulate the software that runs in Windows? Software is
the key.

Just spend some time configuring and setting up a skeleton user's desktop
to make it what you want.  For web browsing and email, the Linux desktops
will do all they need.

It won't be exactly similar to Windows, but it will be close enough that
most users won't be confused.

Your best resouce may be a local Linux user group.  Try to connect with
other Linux users, surely someone can help you set up the whole thing.

Quote:>>> Thanks

>> Here is something interesting... Why not give your users the Linux
>> desktop THEY want? Why not give them CHOICES? It could be that giving
>> them choices may keep them coming back as they explore their options.

Yes.  They may be Linux converts on the spot.  For maximum enjoyment, they
must be able to customize as much as they want.

Quote:> It's a * cafe.  Who's going to pay an hourly fee to theme their
> desktop, just so the next guy who sits down can wreck it?

The next guy who sits down can have a different account that will keep him
from trashing other users desktops, a new feature to someone who's used to
Windows 9x.  With a little configuration, it could work as follows:

You sign up, someone types adduser yourname.  Go sit anywhere, log in.
Customize away.  Your home directory is on a central server. (no roaming
profiles crap, just a shared home directory and everything works) Then
they would come to the cafe just to work on their personalized Linux
desktop.

This may seem impractical for something like a cafe, where a full-fledged
Windows network could cost many thousands to buy and maintain, but it
could be done for only the cost of the hardware and the goodwill of a nerd
like me.  I wish I worked there.

Nucleon