Simplified PC targets reluctant silver surfers

Interesting idea

but somehow I'm not too sure - an on-line company selling computers to people that can't use Windows/OS X?
How are the customers going to find them?
As for cost - even their wed site states "Best of all, Linux Mint is completely free, as are all the applications" - can't comment on the hardware, their site doesn't say much about it at all, other than one has a Sempron LE 1250 processor, while the other has an Intel D945 motherboard & Atom processor
Sounds fairly standard stuff

By greemble on 11 Nov 2009

Over 50

how many PC Pro readers are over 50.

We are hardly in need of a simplified computer.

My father is over 75 has just upgraded to Windows 7!

Please do not reinforce the Ageist stereotype that once past 50 we are all incapable of using a PC.

some of us are still employed in the IT industry!

By Carl42 on 11 Nov 2009

The term "Silver Surfers" considered patronising

And that's putting it mildly.

I can but agree with Carl42, having been using mainframes, minis, and PCs of assorted types since 1967...

By JohnGray7581 on 11 Nov 2009

Silver surfers?? Ah you mean like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Richard Stallman, perhaps these guys need a simple to operate PC :-))

By rjp2000 on 11 Nov 2009

@ JohnGray7581
I thikn your forgetting that once you turn 50 all you forget ALL your IT knowledge and revert to calling it the "computer thingy"

By DaChimp on 11 Nov 2009

Remember the "basic" mobile phone?

Designed for people who just wanted a phone, yet was far more expensive than many other phones.

This strikes me as a similar "dodo" product.

By Lacrobat on 11 Nov 2009

Rip off

Why not have an option to have the software as a free download, so familly members can install onto mutch cheapper'off the shelf' hardware or dual boot onto exsisting hardware.

By Tibbs on 11 Nov 2009

Both me and my sister are over 60. We find no problem with running win 98, win vista, or win 7.
The only problem I got is this, What is this thing with letters and numbers on that seems to put the same letter or number on screen that what is on the button?

By curiousclive on 11 Nov 2009

This sounds familiar.....

I know! They're describing the first Mac I ever used. Lovely simple desktop; just a few applications that all did what I wanted them to; and never crashed.

By pike_by_nature on 12 Nov 2009

re-inventing the wheel?

I suspect that the eeetop PCs would be just as effective as this and they have a touch screen and run a modified XP and are cheaper as well.

By codfangler on 12 Nov 2009

Typical Geek Reaction

The comments to this item show why something like this computer is needed. There are millions of people who would find the services provided by web sites useful - but are put off by the every more complicated interfaces that clever clogs geeks dream up. And no - they would not be reading PCPro - they've got lives to get on with!

By SilverBob on 12 Nov 2009

Software is available - called ELDY

The simple software is available to run on a WinPC Google ELDY. Works fine on an old XP notebook.
I tried installing the Mint-Linux in a partition - that worked ! but as a complete newb to Linux can't find a way to install ELDY as I seem to have no permissions ( I am not a root?) and am blocked from doing anything except running the installed or addable programs ? ? ? Seems overly difficult to create a simple Linux like they did . . .

By petrev on 12 Nov 2009

Software is available - called ELDY

The simple software is available to run on a WinPC Google ELDY. Works fine on an old XP notebook.
I tried installing the Mint-Linux in a partition - that worked ! but as a complete newb to Linux can't find a way to install ELDY as I seem to have no permissions ( I am not a root?) and am blocked from doing anything except running the installed or addable programs ? ? ? Seems overly difficult to create a simple Linux like they did . . .

By petrev on 12 Nov 2009

Wrong idea, wrong time.

This might have been helpful 20 years ago, but today when many 90+ grannies can manage very well using much more of the facilities available (Skype for example) the idea has missed the boat.

Much, much more important is price; next is getting manufacturers to omit all the junk software that they persist in loading regardless of our requests. Even my recent purchase of an HP workstation arrived with stuff not mentioned in the sales details. That means wasted time formatting the drive and re-installing the O/S plus the software I need! Aaarrrghhhhh!!

By Jaguar on 12 Nov 2009

Printer

I suspect that a printer would significantly aid the "Writing Package"

Jim

By horndon2 on 12 Nov 2009

Too Little Too Late

'Silver Surfers' are ALREADY surfing, thank you very much.

This is Too Little Too Late and probably going in the wrong direction with regard to OS.
Sure the OS is inexpensive so what is the pile of dosh these people are asking actually for?
Super Duper Support? Because that is what users will need if the intended user base ever find out how to buy the package?

By FroggyGrodkin on 12 Nov 2009

Perhaps they can now turn their attention to producing an OS for school leavers, with automatic spell checking and grammatical correction!
Bloody cheek, it was our generation that enabled you to fly across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound. Back in the 1960's I could turn on my TV and see people landing on the moon. Now a generation that communicates in a series of grunts is trying to make out we can't operate a computer, and which generation invented the digital computer? Oh that would be my generation also.

"A large number of 50 pluses only require email, internet, a writing package, perhaps a means of storing or viewing pictures and a facility to chat"
Complete twaddle, who writes this dangerous nonsense, dangerous because somebody might actually believe them.

By stokegabriel on 12 Nov 2009

Silvers Surfers

Just how patronising can some people get? At 74, yes 74 I've just upgraded my 3 Desktops and 2 Laptops to Windows 7. All machines are networked together via ethernet/router or wireless. The desktops currently multiboot with Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows XP and Ubuntu.
I write in numerious languages down to assembler.
If people want to campaign for us their efforts would better be channelled towards getting us better deals on hardware and software (just as students do) recognising what many of us "Silver Surfers" lack is funds living on a pension and having to put up with various levels of disability.
As a subscriber to PC Pro over several years and other publications I'm not only 'with it' but can discuss in detail hardware from basic thermionics to high level integration. I respectfully suggest that not many of your 'expert' youngsters have that breadth of knowledge.
Yes, by all means help those who are not computer literate (or is it numerate) but don't start distcriminating on age.

Thanks

Peter J S Ashley

By pjsashley on 13 Nov 2009