Recommend easy-to-use software for elderly people

July 2, 2008 5:13 AM

Help me with some free, easy to use software for elderly people to use on a computer. Specifically: hands-off, self-maintaining security, and a good replacement for Windows Explorer.

I have to set up a computer for my wife's mother to use to Skype us while we're abroad for a year. I imagine that we will also send her pictures or video via Skype chat that she will want to save and view later. My first challenge is choosing free security software that maintains itself and doesn't have too many dialog boxes popping up; then, if possible, I want to find an alternative to Windows Explorer that makes it easier to save and find files.

posted by biwa-shu to computers & internet (9 comments total)

Set up a normal Windows box. Put free anti-virus on it and set Windows Updates to automatic.

Then on the desktop:
SKYPE as a big icon (maybe even re-name it Video Chat or Chat with Biwa-Shu and Mrs. Biwa-Shu)

Then ensure that her dial-up account will go automatically when she clicks on Skype.
posted by k8t at 5:44 AM on July 2

OH and set the pictures/video download folder in Skype to go to a desktop folder called PICTURES AND VIDEO.
posted by k8t at 5:48 AM on July 2

AVG Free is basically pain-free as well as *actually* free. My husband has his parents set up on it, and I think they called us once about it when you recently had to download a whole new client (we've used it for years and I think this is the only time it's happened). He was able to talk them thru it no big deal and it still works fine.
posted by Medieval Maven at 6:10 AM on July 2

You should look into implementing MS Steadystate onto that machine. Or the very least setting her account to be a limited user.

You can also enlarge the system font.

I've never used this but "EasyMode XP" was developed for netbooks but may work well for you. There are other kiosk solutions. Search askme for the keyword kiosk.
posted by damn dirty ape at 7:03 AM on July 2

Err, ignore easymode xp. Its not for xp. Still, steadystate might be what youre looking for.
posted by damn dirty ape at 7:14 AM on July 2

With Skype be sure to disable some of the more recent and invasive "features" that might freak non-computer-types out as follows: view > tabs and panels > uncheck Livetab and Skypefind.

Also, so Skype doesn't bother them disable a few more things: tools > options > advanced > disable automatic things and Skype updates, etc. Updates freak people out.

If she's browsing with Firefox, disable auto-updates as well, I'd suggest.

A good passive security aid is Spywareblaster. Be sure to manually update it when you install it.
posted by rumbles at 9:19 PM on July 3

Jarte or AbiWord might be a good word processors, if that's needed.
posted by rumbles at 9:27 PM on July 3

Rather than find an alternative to Windows Explorer, I'd find an alternative to Windows. There's Skype for OS X and Linux. The Nautilus file manager that comes with Ubuntu and other linux distributions that use the GNOME desktop environment is pretty simple to use. Ubuntu also comes with a nice photo manager called F-spot.
posted by PueExMachina at 12:03 AM on July 4

I raccomand ELDY (freeware from European Community)

ELDY ( www.eldy.eu and www.eldy.org) has all that you need to let elderly enjoy computer and internet:
email, chat, browsing, weather and rss feed, editor, pictures viewers.

Eldy is for windows (http://www.eldy.eu) and for linux ( http://deb.vegans.it). Mac coming soon.

Eldy is out since 2006 and has reached version 2.0 after hundreds of thousands of seniores users around the globe, particularly in Europe where there have been a lot of e-inclusion projects. Eldy is free of charge and without ads.

About skype, it has a awesome interface with enormous button for skype calling and videconferencing.

Check it out and let me know your thoughts.
ENRICO NERI
posted by enriconeri at 5:33 PM on October 12