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Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now

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On 2014-04-12, tdk wrote:
> A friend is still running XP on an old low power PC (an EeePC), and I end up giving 
> her tech support. 
> It runs OK if a bit slow due to crapware. 
> She spends most time on her iPad and mostly uses the PC to run iTunes and store 
> her photos and videos. 
> She is also very unsophisticated about computers, and the PC would be riddled with 
> viruses if she wasn't always logged on as non-admin. There is a router with a firewall. 
>
> What's the best option? Assuming I want the least support work long term. I'm 
> thinking Ubuntu, a new PC with Windows 7, carry on with XP, or have a separate file 
> server she can access from her iPad. 
> Is it possible to run iTunes on Linux? Is iTunes necessary nowadays, or can the 
> iPad update itself and sync over the 'net? 

If you want to continue with XP, you could put the important
song/photo/video files on a network share with samba.  An old laptop
or a raspberry pi with an external HDD would work just fine.  If I'm
not mistaken, routers with DD-WRT firmware support this directly.
You could even install important programs on the samba share, if you
make sure the DLLs are in the right place.  Then whenever the XP
machine has a problem, you just restore/reinstall and the network
share is already waiting for you.  Run clamav on the samba side to
keep it clean.  For bonus points, name the drive H:\, for hyper
drive :)

For a linux option, I think Mint with Cinnamon is a more popular XP
replacement than stock Ubuntu.  I don't have any advice for making
iTunes work with linux, but if she wants to part with iTunes, it's
very easy to convert to MPD or Amarok or whatever.

If spending money is an option, skip windows and get her a Mac.
It's a sane OS with an excellent UI, very good for nontechnical
people.  And it would integrate nicely with her apple devices.  I'll
always recommend Mac over windows for home users.

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Thread

Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now "tdk" <forum.tdk@squte.com> - 2014-04-12 07:06 -0500
  Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2014-04-12 05:49 -0700
  Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Randy Westlund <Vorzakir@invalid.invalid> - 2014-04-12 18:23 +0000
    Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Johny B Good <johnny-b-good@invalid.ntlworld.com> - 2014-04-13 00:11 +0100
      Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Randy Westlund <Vorzakir@invalid.invalid> - 2014-04-13 04:55 +0000
  Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Andy Burns <usenet.feb2014@adslpipe.co.uk> - 2014-04-13 07:28 +0100
  Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Kees Nuyt <k.nuyt@nospam.demon.nl> - 2014-04-13 10:35 +0200
    Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-04-13 22:04 +0000
      Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Aragorn <thorongil@telenet.be.invalid> - 2014-04-14 10:40 +0200
    Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now "Dirk T. Verbeek" <dverbeek@xs4all.nl> - 2014-04-13 20:06 -0500
      Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now mm0fmf <none@mailinator.com> - 2014-04-14 17:54 +0100
        Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-04-14 17:50 +0000
          Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2014-04-14 12:00 -0700
            Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Jerry Peters <jerry@example.invalid> - 2014-04-14 20:19 +0000
              Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-04-14 20:44 +0000
          Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now mm0fmf <none@mailinator.com> - 2014-04-14 21:49 +0100
            Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-04-15 09:15 +0000
          Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> - 2014-04-15 11:23 -0400
        Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us (Scott Alfter) - 2014-04-15 21:47 +0000
        Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now "John" <j@j.j> - 2014-04-17 15:27 -0700
  Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Bryan Beicker <bryan@pipedot.org> - 2014-04-13 07:21 -0500
  Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now "tdk" <forum.tdk@squte.com> - 2014-04-15 09:04 -0500
    Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now Andy Burns <usenet.feb2014@adslpipe.co.uk> - 2014-04-15 20:08 +0100
      Re: Ask Usenet: XPocalypse Now RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-04-16 10:33 +0000

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