Reviving a Classic: Setting Up My Daughter’s First Laptop with Ubuntu
I recently undertook a rewarding project: rejuvenating my 12-year-old laptop and installing Ubuntu on it. This laptop is destined to be my four-year-old daughter’s first experience with technology, allowing her to explore typing and writing in a fun and engaging way.
One of my main goals is to create a user-friendly environment for her. I’m looking for an easy method to have the laptop boot directly into a text editor. This will help her get started without needing to navigate the complexities of a mouse, making the learning process smoother and more intuitive.
Additionally, I’m curious about whether it’s possible to set the device to start with Caps Lock enabled. This could enhance her experience as she learns to recognize and utilize the keyboard more effectively.
As I embark on this journey, I’m excited to see how my daughter engages with her new laptop and begins her exploration of the digital world! If you have any tips or insights on setting up a laptop for young learners, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
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Setting Up Your Laptop for Beginner Use & Custom Keyboard Preferences
Hello, and thank you for sharing your exciting project! It’s wonderful to see such a thoughtful approach to introducing young learners to technology.
To have your Ubuntu laptop boot directly into a text editor, you can set up an automatic login and configure the system to start the editor upon login. Here’s how you can do it:
Edit your user’s .bashrc file by running:
And add the following line at the end:
Replace gedit with your preferred text editor (e.g., mousepad or leafpad) to launch it automatically when the terminal opens. To launch it