So basically, my dad doesn’t have any tech literacy, like at all.
The only reason he learned how to ever use a computer was thanks to Linux (in my experience the elderly find it easier to use than Windows btw).
However, I moved to a different country long ago, and his old Ubuntu installation is getting extremely old. Not only that, but I forgot to install something like Rust Desk before I left, which means his browser etc hasn’t been updated in years (he forgot how to do updates and lost the page with instructions).
So, my solution now that I know he needs an updated system is to send him a USB drive and detailed printed instructions on how to install it with pictures by mail.
I’m planning on sending him Linux Mint, because I wanted to use the OEM install option in order to pre-install some programs (freetube, signal, and especially Rust Desk) using it in a virtual machine, and then turn that into an iso/img that I could flash to a USB so that it’s ready for him to just install once he gets it. I also need to be able to preemptively rename Rust Desk and change the icon to something he can easily identify so that if he needs help, he can easily find the program, ideally already pinned in the panel or with a desktop shortcut.
Problem is, I can’t figure out how to do that. I’ve been trying for 3 days. I tried converting the vdi into a img file using qemu but that causes errors when trying to run the img or iso (I think it’s still raw?). I even got desperate enough to try ChatGPT by it gave me a very advanced answer that I didn’t understand that involved calculating memory, or to use Cubic (which can’t modify Rustdesk), and it also gave me a solution that didn’t work.
I also noticed that the vdi is much bigger than the initial mint iso - I guess because everything has been unpacked in the virtual machine. Shrinking it so it can fit in my spare 8gb drive would be the next step of I even made it that far.
It might be easier to install a remote administration program on his computer and just do these things for him.
I’m in another country, how would I install it while also updating his OS?
Maybe you can send him an appimage of one? Those are easy to install. Then connect to his computer and update it
He forgot how to use email. Once on the phone, after he finally figured out how to see my video call (he couldn’t figure out how to start his) I walked him through step by step on trying to just get rust desk - which is in the Ubuntu repository already - installed, and failed at that.
Not only to him, but to a lot of elderly people, software is essentially magic. They don’t even quite understand the concept of “installing”. It took me awhile of explaining, with pictures and such, that a Google search isn’t run by people bringing up the information you’re looking for.
That’s why I’ve already typed and printed detailed step by step instructions on just the installation process for the OS, so that he can follow that. He does a lot better with physical mediums, like paper, USB, and so on. He even managed to install an SSD (with my direct in person supervision) and kind of understand what that was.
But software? Magic essentially.
That’s hard. Another solution, if it’s a laptop, is to have him mail it to you. Mailing a computer internationally 2 ways (a) will take a long time and (b) requires very, very good packing
There are 2 types of old people now:
- those who see it as magic
- those who made the magic
I’m not sure how to do what you want with customizing Mint directly, but a possibly simpler alternative solution is to just send two clearly distinguishable USB drives (e.g. label them “1” and “2” with a label maker or get two drives with very different colors) and tell him to install (unmodified) Mint from the first and then have him run a program you provide on the second after that’s done to make the other changes.
I have a tech illiterate mother in law who I switched to Zorin OS (an Ubuntu fork).
I installed a wireguard VPN client on her laptop and did drills over the course of 3 days to make sure that she understood how to connect. Anytime she needs help, I can tunnel through my wireguard server and log on with my own account - Heck, as long as she doesn’t change her password, I can log on as her as well.
That has made remote troubleshooting significantly easier as she is located about a a 23-hour drive away.
Yup, problem is I’m now too far to set that up. I’m about an 18 hour flight away, assuming small layovers.
Don’t know how to help you with those vdi problems, but here is an out of the box thinking: tell him to ask a neighbor.
I have a similar situation so i got a hetzner VM and set up wireguard connections from both ends, so that vm serves as a hub/router. Then you can just ssh into the machine via vpn and do an update, upgrade or whatever.
If you stick with Ubuntu lts, it will require very little maintenance.
Maybe it’s easier to use another tool to create an install USB stick, like FAI or a preseed file or another method of doing an unattended install. At least Debian used to have those. Though I haven’t done it for a long time.
This might be exactly what I need. I will definitely be trying it first thing tomorrow
For Windows users it might be simplest to start with Debian MATE. There is an install image on debian.org. No idea about Mint.
Need help switching Dad to Linux
i know linux is good and all, but i suspect it wouldn’t measure up well to replacing your father altogether.
You’re not my read dad, Linus!
You might want to try using an auto updating bootc based solution instead, such as universal blue with customized images. They have instructions on how to do image customization.
But more importantly: send him something like a NanoKVM along with the USB!
Also extremely useful to know, and a good idea. Universal blue is Fedora though right? How does that do on older desktops compared to Debian based systems?
Well the image is based on fedora linux and the tooling was developed by fedora, I believe. I put Aurora Linux on my dad’s aging PC around christmas, because it doesn’t qualify for Windows 11 and 10 ends support soon. In my experience it boots pretty slowly on physical machines (with n=2, fine on VMs though), and it doesn’t reliably wake from suspend, but other that that, it’s completely fine. I did not try to install any other Linux for comparison though
eons ago I heard and internalised an awesome phrase: “don’t analyze the problem - solve it”.
in that vein, install it yourself and ship the laptop to him. don’t matter what it cost, it’s not like it’s gonna bankrupt you and it’s not like you’re gonna do this multiple times per year.
you’re 100% in control of everything and that’s the next best thing to being there and doing it for yourself. you’re gonna figure out how to remotely do half of the things you mention across CGNATs and whatnot? I am sure you got better things to do; I know dad has.
