Advice on cleaning bloatware off of a new PC - sh.itjust.works
sh.itjust.works
I helped my 77 year old mother purchase a new laptop, and I want to be sure to get all the bloatware off of it, and set her up with with some better privacy options. I am aMac guy at home so I haven’t done this kind of thing for many years. (I use Windows at work, so I’m quite familiar and capable, but obviously I have to rely on IT knowing what they are doing (they don’t)). I did make sure to get the pro version of Windows 11. I’m going to set her up with Proton mail I think. This is the computer that is coming: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-thinkbook-16-g6-abp-amd-in-16-touch-screen-notebook-amd-ryzen-5-with-16gb-memory-512gb-ssd-gray/6565272.p?skuId=6565272 [https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-thinkbook-16-g6-abp-amd-in-16-touch-screen-notebook-amd-ryzen-5-with-16gb-memory-512gb-ssd-gray/6565272.p?skuId=6565272] (Forgive me if this is not the correct place to post)

I did a clean install of Windows 11, and have also used Chris Titus’s tools to the best of my ability. Wondering the best extensions to add on Firefox. Also, should I get her onto the Proton train, or try to make her iPhone and Windows play nice?

  • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
    15·
    8 months ago

    At 77, she should just use whatever she’s comfortable with. So I wouldn’t switch her email or anything like that, because you’ll be on the hook if anything goes “wrong” (i.e. she’ll blame the changes if anything surprising happens, even if it’s her fault).

    If you can, get her to use email less and other forms of communication more to help prevent phishing scams and whatnot from impacting her.

    • [moved to hexbear]
      3·
      8 months ago

      I second this.

      Had to fix up mum’s laptop and she wanted Windows 10 with all the Microsoft Office gubbins (she had to settle for Libreoffice). Didn’t want a word of anything Linux because “it might not work with any of my stuff”. I don’t know of a single thing she does outside of web browsing and typing up word documents.

      You just can’t change some people.

      • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
        3·
        8 months ago

        And the goal shouldn’t be to force someone to change, but to convince them that changing is in their interest.

        Maybe have her try your computer (set it up with something familiar like KDE) and see how she likes it. Have her try the web version of Office. If there’s an app she uses a lot, have her try an alternative. If she really doesn’t like it, install Windows, make it as clean as you can, and try to get her to change one app at a time.

        At the end of the day, it’s her computer and you’re just setting it up for her. If she understands why you think something else may be better for her, maybe she’ll give it a solid shot.