Have been enjoying all kinds of computer or board games and toys - every form can be very successfully done, none can be put down as unsuitable. Of storytelling games, Shenmue for Dreamcast was one of the most impressive games to experience. It was epic thanks to the seriousness of approach to the story simulation and talented implementation.

For newcomer I would pass one of my netbooks with default OS, most likely Acer Aspire One variant of Linpus (actually growing to act so).
It has best simplification of interface, I have seen so far. To be warned, on the harder side there are adding your own applications to interface (sadly, Skype was not there) and limited choice of international input methods built in (though main variants are supported out of the box, sure, my specific).

Also EeePC was not bad, at all, regarding interface of Linux variant - you have even choice of switching between simplified and not.

If not these, I would recommend Ubuntu today (effectively focused distro), though have preferred SuSE some time before, also to consider.

Web community may be, mail handling - is not:

$ nslookup
> set type=MX
> geoCities.com
Server: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
Address: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx#53

Non-authoritative answer:
geoCities.com mail exchanger = 1 a.mx.mail.yahoo.com.
geoCities.com mail exchanger = 1 b.mx.mail.yahoo.com.
geoCities.com mail exchanger = 1 c.mx.mail.yahoo.com.
geoCities.com mail exchanger = 1 e.mx.mail.yahoo.com.
geoCities.com mail exchanger = 1 f.mx.mail.yahoo.com.
geoCities.com mail exchanger = 1 g.mx.mail.yahoo.com.

Authoritative answers can be found from:
geoCities.com nameserver = ns3.yahoo.com.
geoCities.com nameserver = ns4.yahoo.com.
geoCities.com nameserver = ns5.yahoo.com.
geoCities.com nameserver = ns1.yahoo.com.
geoCities.com nameserver = ns2.yahoo.com.
a.mx.mail.yahoo.com internet address = 67.195.168.31
b.mx.mail.yahoo.com internet address = 66.196.82.7
b.mx.mail.yahoo.com internet address = 74.6.136.65
c.mx.mail.yahoo.com internet address = 206.190.54.127
c.mx.mail.yahoo.com internet address = 209.191.88.254
e.mx.mail.yahoo.com internet address = 67.195.168.230
f.mx.mail.yahoo.com internet address = 98.137.54.237
g.mx.mail.yahoo.com internet address = 98.137.54.238
ns1.yahoo.com internet address = 68.180.131.16
ns2.yahoo.com internet address = 68.142.255.16
ns3.yahoo.com internet address = 121.101.152.99
ns4.yahoo.com internet address = 68.142.196.63
ns5.yahoo.com internet address = 119.160.247.124
>

It takes sophistication and bravery to send message with such return address, doesn't it?

Hey, that's where people of the world learned to code HTML, some even with embedded Java applets. That was web for the people time.

I would not want to work for a company, that can't stand that little bit of my creative punk attitude.
Therefore there is geoCities address in my CV next to the solid list of known technologies - in fact, it proved to be
more persistent, than one of current ISP.

Very correct summary.

There were also concerns about enormous possibilities for corrupt misuse of funds for that pretentious attempt. Personally, I am supporting expressed view and concerns of the Ministry.

OTOH, they have nothing against the benefits, that OSS can provide with - just within the mainstream of world development. Ideas of supporting national developers, creating central repository for national OSS are supported in general.

Ponomarev emphasizes, that Internet, Unix had roots in governmental programs, therefore market-only processes are insufficient, especially when such market in Russia is missing. He may be partially right, still - I would qualify his vision ungrounded.