My solution was to install Mozilla, set it as the default browser, lock the rest of the box down, etc. and then just lie lie lie when asked why funnyjoke.exe that they got in their email isn't working.
"Sorry, mom, sometimes stuff just isn't compatible with blah blah blah."
"Oh, that webpage isn't working? Yeah, it's probably a problem with their server. Stuff on the Internet isn't always reliable."
Sure, they miss out on a lot of "content," but nothing they can't live without.
Do I feel bad about lying? Yeah, kinda, but it's better than making them feel stupid for Window's design flaws.
Perhaps eventually they'll move on to something better and gain the expertise to avoid these perils themselves, but I'm not going to cram lectures and lessons down their throats. I'm patient enough to let them learn on their own pace.
And like I said, they're really not missing out on anything important so far.
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My solution was to install Mozilla, set it as the default browser, lock the rest of the box down, etc. and then just lie lie lie when asked why funnyjoke.exe that they got in their email isn't working.
"Sorry, mom, sometimes stuff just isn't compatible with blah blah blah."
"Oh, that webpage isn't working? Yeah, it's probably a problem with their server. Stuff on the Internet isn't always reliable."
Sure, they miss out on a lot of "content," but nothing they can't live without.
Do I feel bad about lying? Yeah, kinda, but it's better than making them feel stupid for Window's design flaws.
Perhaps eventually they'll move on to something better and gain the expertise to avoid these perils themselves, but I'm not going to cram lectures and lessons down their throats. I'm patient enough to let them learn on their own pace.
And like I said, they're really not missing out on anything important so far.