Best computer for old geezer?

To be honest if he knows NOTHING about computers set him up on Linux Mint, and set it up so that what he uses is accessible in a very simple way

Mint updates itself fairly seamlessly. Just needs a password to be set up for maintenance

you need with the latest release about 4GB RAM to run those two And a 64 bit machine with DVD drive probably later than 2005

I tend to put those two plus a main menu plus a shutdown button on the menu bar and that's it. For my 'not fore anything complicated' laptop

Chrome is not easier to use and its slow.

Apple is horrendously bad for some video support - wont play anything non apple - and its expensive.

don't buy a new machine - wipe his windows machine.

You can test it all before installation by inserting the live DVD and booting from it.

SWMBO uses an iPad Mini for these tasks. She's still got 18 months before turning 80.

One question first - does he have a reasonable internet speed. Some old folk try to keep going are on <1Mbps ADSL or even no internet at all!

My vote would be for Apple iPad in this sort of case since they are robust and almost maintenance free. Windows borks itself with monotonous regularity - particularly in the hands of the computer illiterate.

A Samsung Android device would also be another option worth considering if it is only for web browsing and email. Various nice apps on either platform for chess, sudoku and crossword for example.

Relevant question is what does the rest of his family have by way of phones and other tablets?

Chromebook ticks that box.

That's ok, but if it/he *does* have problems, who will sort them?

The same goes for anything else

Either don't get involved in his problems or be prepared to be an unpaid

I don't see anywhere where Dagenham Dave stated he was familiar with Linux at all in the OP! Plus, even if Mint is entirely suitable for novices (which is questionable) there will be issues when the old boy needs to print out an email - or anything else for that matter, 'cos the drivers won't be present. Likewise any other peripherals will likely all need drivers sourcing and installing (command line stuff so a non-starter for a technophobe in my view).

A tablet with a keyboard dock would be the thing I'd look at - it's quite happy for you to poke it directly with your fingers so you don't have to worry about using a mouse (although elderly fingers can struggle sometimes).

Although do they need a large screen (eyesight problems?) Then they get slightly more unwieldy if you want to plugin to a monitor as well, although you can do it.

The advantage of a tablet or laptop is it's easy to take it to someone if you need help. If they take it places, something with LTE and a cheap monthly SIM card they don't need to worry about setting up internet - some people can't handle configuring wifi.

Although if they have struggled with Windows it sounds like they're not a complete notice in terms of using mice, wifi, etc.

Theo

But far more will be able to sort any problems he has with a ipad than with mint.

So what? You dont need to be.

Mint MATE 20 is a 'shove the DVD in the drive answer two or three simple questions and its installed;

Anyone who is familiar with XP can drive it, and there is far more help available online and a complete PDF manual which isn't the case for windows OR Mac

Plus, even if Mint is entirely suitable for

What drivers?

Most printers 'just work' with the included lists of PPDS. And the OP never mentioned printing

It isn't Windows, It's much simpler.

Likewise any other peripherals will

Why, when you clearly are completely ignorant of how Linux Mint deals with hardware, do you post such misinformation?.

There is no need to use the command line AT ALL for anything. The whole thrust of the distro is to automate everything of that nature

You run a 'driver manager' app, it scans the hardware, tells you what you need to install, and installs it for you. Even yoiu should be able to manage that

And why would an 80- year old boy who just wants email facebook, maybe skype and maybe whatsapp, need 'other peripherals'? Maybe a webcam and speakers, but they work 'out of the box' without drivers

My experience is that even if you shove e.g. a scanner in front of a non computer literate 80 years old he still wont be able to use it.

The reason to use linux Mint is that once set up it is no more incomprehensible than windows or macs, and from experience it is far less likely to go wrong. And its almost impossible to catch a virus. So less support calls

It is FAR more suitable for elderly people than windows.

I haven't seen a laptop with a DVD drive for ages.

But the old fart is more likely to want to print some stuff and plenty of printers are designed to work effortlessly and wirelessly with ipads now.

Yes, but they can take photos of it with an ipad.

But an ipad is better again.

If he is prone to writing anything at length, then something with a keyboard would be good, otherwise a tablet will probably do the trick.

A chromebook would be a good bet for something with a decent keyboard - works out of the box and no need for active maintenance by the user.

If going for a tablet, then probably worth checking that he can cope with a touchscreen though, since I have met older folks who find that their skin is so dry, the touch screens basically can't "feel" them!

If he?s not really into creating content, an iPad. More than adequate for web browsing, shopping, emails, facebook etc.

Tim

Sounds like just the job! Where can I get it?

Dave,

Dagenham, UK

And if it gets lost/stolen/or dies, it's completely effortless to replace it, just enter the appleID on the replacement and carry on regardless with everything restored.

Ive never seen one without

OTOH the OP said PC, not laptop

No brainer. iPad.

The trouble is we don't know what level of competence this user has. Mint (and indeed Windows and MacOS) expect a certain degree of computer literacy, such as you get from running Windows. You need to know there's things called windows with funny shapes in the corner that change their size, there's a thing called 'double clicking', what the buttons on the mouse do, etc.

Those are fine if you've used Windows because somebody trained you what to expect, and those things feel familiar in Mint because it works like XP did. But if this is your first computer and you haven't experienced Windows then there's still quite a bit to learn. The user has obviously used Windows but we don't know if they're happy with, say, editing a Word doc. If not I'd suggest another desktop OS might not be the way to go.

Theo

How you burn that to a DVD depends on what you have to do DVD burning

Online guide to downloading and installing

Now he boots from a USB stick. I prefer DVD if the machine has it because generally the PC will boot from a DVD drive if one is installed but not from usb without fricking in the bios

Only problem is that later machines have 'secure boot' and 'efi boot' and other strangenesses. You may need to hot the BIOS and slect EFI boot or legacy boot