Software for new computer

March 18, 2006 12:50 PM

My mother in law has just purchased a brand new laptop. She only uses it for mail and banking. What software could/should i install that would broaden the computers usefulness?
posted by FidelDonson to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

How about a DVD player program? (If it's a PC, I like "Cyberlink PowerDVD".)
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 1:33 PM on March 18, 2006

Installing Rio500remix will enable changing the startup animation on a Rio 500 mp3 player. Of course, it's hard to tell whether this is the kind of thing that your mother-in-law would consider useful.

If you're just wondering about anti-virus and -adware software and useful utilities and whatnot, searching the many previous AskMe threads on this topic might be helpful. Off the top of my head, and presuming she's using Windows, you might consider AVG, Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, HijackThis and Firefox (w/the AdBlock extension and the Filterset-G auto-updater).
posted by box at 1:36 PM on March 18, 2006

Also, since she's already using it for mail and banking, maybe she'd like a nice mail client (Thunderbird, for example), or some accounting software (Gnucash is the only free one I'm aware of).
posted by box at 1:39 PM on March 18, 2006

I'm no linux fanboy, but after checking out Ubuntu this week, I'd recommend it.

All the stuff your Mom would need (essentially FireFox and an email client), with none of the hassles of spyware, and viruses, etc.

I take the 'Mr. Miagi approach' to viruses and spyware. "Best defense, you no be there." That is, don't use MS Windows unless you *have* to.
posted by Wild_Eep at 1:41 PM on March 18, 2006

How about you get her a digital camera and she can use it to handle the photos?
posted by edd at 2:13 PM on March 18, 2006

If you're just wondering about anti-virus and -adware software and useful utilities and whatnot, searching the many previous AskMe threads on this topic might be helpful. Off the top of my head, and presuming she's using Windows, you might consider AVG, Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, HijackThis and Firefox (w/the AdBlock extension and the Filterset-G auto-updater).

Seconded. I'd worry about locking it down before broadening its usefulness if you anticipate having to play any kind of tech support role.
posted by juv3nal at 3:18 PM on March 18, 2006

You should first ask if your mother-in-law wants additional capabilities.
Sometimes people only want the mere basics. Don't geek out on her laptop if she really doesn't need/want it. Didin't already come with most of the basic stuff anyway (media player, browser, etc)?
posted by Thorzdad at 3:39 PM on March 18, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks a lot. I've got the whole anti-virus, -add and -spyware thing more or less covered using avg, firefox and the xp sp2 firewall. And i certainly plan to make sure that her desktop is not cluttered with things she wont use. I was just wondering if any of yuo knew any cool aps that even in a small sense could be useful for someone that dont know it yet.
posted by FidelDonson at 12:10 AM on March 19, 2006

Dave's Quick Search Deskbar - the greatest utility ever, for people of any skill level.
posted by Chuckles at 12:19 AM on March 19, 2006