this is a topic i’ve been heavily involved with because i still consider myself to be someone who prefers using technology at a very beginner friendly level, plus it’s very good when a linux operating system makes you feel right at home when it has a modern desktop environment. this is why i really like gnome, its simplicity and usability is something available for everyone, for beginners and for a lot of other people, but if you had to, say, rearrange xfce or kde for someone who was an elderly person or an absolute beginner so that they wouldn’t have any trouble using linux, how would you do it? (screenshot is my current linux mint desktop, very simple and extremely user friendly!!!)
ChromeOS is already an operating system for children. Like, literally. Schools use it because it works well and is really easy to use, and runs on very cheap hardware.
Agreed. Get them a ChromeOS device, or get a good refurb business class laptop and put ChromeOS flex on it.
Yes it’s not what OP is probably wanting, but this gives them a device that is hard to mess up with a minimum of training.
Ahh, so the solution is to install gentoo and customise it for simplicity and minimal user permissions /s
Chrome OS Flex seems OK. Not sure how it manages printers.
“Web printing”. Basically the printer connects to Google, the laptop connects to Google and your printing goes via Google. Why not give your advertisement profiler everything you print too?No that’s not right.
Google killed cloud print in 2020. By default, Chrome OS uses CUPS like any other Linux system.
Oops, how embarrassing. I stand corrected and tip my hat.
So, basically, WWCD?
right. so basically:
only run on ‘certified’ hardware. greatly simplifies hw support required.
hide all the stuff that gets users into trouble, or better–don’t even have it available at all.
limit what’s installable.
dumb it down.