My MOTHER was given an eMachines T1440 (1.4GHz Celeron).  I took it for awhile, formatted the hard drive and restored the system from the RESTORE disks (Win XP Home and other stuff), installed SP2 and all Updates, and delivered it to her yesterday.  This is mom's first experience with Win XP.  She had previously used Win 98SE.  

Obviously, getting the Win XP updates is going to be a much slower process with a dialup connection.  And, it really slows down any other Internet activity with the computer while the updates are downloading.  I also think this process may be confusing to mom, who is 81 years old.

So, I left Automatic Updates TURNED off.  And, I'm thinking maybe I'll leave it that way and then guide her through getting updates about once every 3 months.  She normally turns the computer off at night but could leave it on overnight to get the Updates, or maybe just do it during the day while she's doing other things.  

Another option might be to just bring to my place once every 6 months or so and get all the updates via my DSL connection.  

Actually, I'm not too worried about her not staying current with Updates.  Her main Internet use is email; she does not do very much web surfing.  I elected to use Windows Firewall rather install some other firewall.  AVG anti-virus is installed; that's what she had been using with Win 98SE.  I also installed Spybot S & D and CCleaner, and will occasionally remind her to run them, same as with Win 98SE.

Just thought I'd post this for some discussion, if anyone cares to comment.  

If you live close by...you may want to stop in occasionally to see if she is keeping everything else up-to-date.  Waiting every three to six months to do updates is not recommended...you're asking for trouble...even if she is only using it for e-mail.

You, more than anyone should know that if she is going to be on the Internet...regardles if she is just using email...

1) Windows Updates
2)  Antivirus/Spyware Updates
3)  Firewall Updates

And any other software she may use may require updates...

If you wait 3 - 6 months to do updates...you'll find yourself doing the same thing you've just got finished doing.

Better safe than sorry!  Good Luck!I think she will be fine only updating every 3 months, it takes Microsoft a month to get their own act together.
I hope you set her XP to traditional mode and activated the Spybot advanced mode protections.
(Did you install the new Spybot patch?)Well, Saviour, I agree with the general view of what you're saying.  She first started using a computer in Dec 1999 when she received her first computer, the Win 98SE machine she was using up to this point.  No updating of Win 98SE for many months; as you know, Microsoft support for it has ended.  

In the beginning, it took awhile to get her to understand how to use the anti-virus software she had installed at that time.  Once or twice, during the first two years, as I recall, she got a virus in her computer and, on one occasion, I did format her hard drive and reinstall Windows.  I believe SOMEONE else also once formatted her hard drive and reinstalled Windows.  Besides the early problem with viruses, she did pick up a few undesireable things, such as a browser toolbar, that she had no idea how she obtained, but a re-formatting has not been necessary for the last 2 or 3 years.

Still, she only lives about a half hour's drive from me.  And, yes, I probably should make a point of making sure her computer is updated more frequently. Quote

I think she will be fine only updating every 3 months, it takes Microsoft a month to get their own act together.
I hope you set her XP to traditional mode and activated the Spybot advanced mode protections.
(Did you install the new Spybot patch?)