Reimagined Version 2: After repairing my 12-year-old laptop and setting up Ubuntu, I now have a new device for my 4-year-old to start learning how to type and write.

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Reviving a 12-Year-Old Laptop for My Child’s First Learning Experience with Ubuntu

Recently, I embarked on a little project to breathe new life into my old laptop, which had been sitting unused for the past 12 years. After successfully repairing it, I decided to install Ubuntu, making it the perfect starter computer for my 4-year-old daughter. My goal is to provide her with a platform where she can begin learning how to type and explore the world of writing.

One challenge I’m currently facing is figuring out how to set the laptop to open directly into a text editor upon startup. This would eliminate the need for her to navigate with a mouse, allowing her to focus solely on typing and familiarizing herself with the keyboard. If anyone has tips or recommendations for user-friendly text editor options, I’d love to hear them!

Additionally, I have a quick question about accessibility features: Is it possible to configure the device to start with Caps Lock enabled? This could help her get accustomed to typing with capital letters right from the beginning.

I’m excited about this new journey of learning and discovery for my daughter, and I’m eager to see how she interacts with this refurbished piece of technology. If you have any advice or resources for setting up a kid-friendly Ubuntu environment, please share your insights in the comments!

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One Comment

  1. Hi there,

    It’s fantastic to see you transforming an old laptop into a learning tool for your daughter! To have Ubuntu automatically open directly into a text editor on startup, you can set up a custom autostart or configure the system to launch the application upon login.

    Here are some steps you might consider:

    • Set the text editor to launch in startup applications:
      1. Open the “Startup Applications” preferences from the menu.
      2. Click “Add” and enter a name like “Kids Text Editor”.
      3. In the command field, enter the command to launch your preferred text editor, e.g., gedit, leafpad, or any lightweight editor.
      4. Save and restart to verify it opens automatically.
    • Alternatively, modify the `.bashrc` or `.profile` file in the child’s user directory:
      1. Open a terminal.
      2. Edit the file: nano ~/.profile
      3. Add the line: exec at the end.
      4. This ensures the editor launches upon login.

    Regarding enabling Caps Lock by default, you can modify the keyboard settings

    Reply

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