Why Computers Frustrate Older Adults

Science Daily ^ | 3-17-2007 | University Of Alberta

[blam]

"There-right there! That's the kind of hate of old folks that's been displayed throughout this thread!"

I AM an old folk.

[blam]

"You should get a mouse for your laptop, a cordless one would be the best. "

I got a GE brand for Christmas.

[Eroteme]

Isn't that the truth! I've resorted to telling these offenders (who are not just seniors) that my domain server program proxy protocol firewall parameter automatically rejects e-mail addressed to more than 3 recipients. So if they want to send me anything, the e-mail needs to be separately addressed to me and any previous headers have to be stripped out. I'm now 98% FW:FW-free, and no feelings have been hurt in the process.

[Eaker]

My mouse only has one button.

Now git yerself out and clean the cement pond.

How did Mason sleep at the Keep?

[Eaker]

What are you talking about?

We old folks can fix computers.

The younger ones have to replace them.

My kids could no more network a few computers than skin a coon.

[humblegunner]

How did Mason sleep at the Keep?

He breathed all night long.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

These issues are real.

I make some nice extra money each month by doing basic admin tasks for some older folks who love their computers but just don't know how to do some stuff.
I also teach them something different each time and answer any questions. The cash is good and they are tickled pink to have their own "geek squad" to call on.

LogMeIn.com is a Godsend.

[James W. Fannin]

Thanks for the link.

[Dov in Houston]

I guess I am not the only person who noticed the hateful remarks regarding us old folks.

Thank you

And not for you GATOR NAVY but for the old folk haters. Great Granpa here just spent the day teaching one person how to use the Kodak camera, another youngster how to convert from Vista to Linux, and than I helped a friend recover from a trojan virus.

I'm so scairt of these computers that I am going to go get some rest.

Us old folks are still of value.

[GATOR NAVY]

I hate to tell you Dov, but I was joking in my response to blam. I didn't see the hate or bias you were talking about either.

I understand what you're saying about the "fear" of computers not applying to all older folks. My parents are both computer savvy. They're not afraid of technology. And apparently you're not either.

But I think you overreacted with the hate towards old folks remark.

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

I've only been messing with computers since 1955, when we had to wire an IBM Card Programmed Computer to do engineering problems. Screens of any size were a long way in the future.

You've got me beat (by a little) but I remember FORTRAN II and Hollerith 80 column punch cards. Running one program at a time in "batch mode" was the only way to go. Taking your output deck to the line printer to get your results (then back for more debugging!)

When I got my first Radio Shack Model 1 I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Inside a couple years I was running "compiler BASIC with single key ISAM" on the 48K of available memory (although there was an alternate bank of 64K that you could switch in 32K at a time!)

I blush when I think of the power sitting on my desk now!

Regards,
GtG

[knarf]

One up on ya', yungstah ..

"If I'm 25 and you are 30, are you an older adult?"

Born Feb 29, 1948 .. I'll be my own older adult, or younger man in a month or so.

heeee hee hee (old man cackle)

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Some problems with computer for older people (things I found out while teaching my mom to use her computer):

1) Large Fonts: You can set your display for Large Fonts, but the young idiots writing the code don't test their code for Large Fonts so important text and controls don't always appear on the screen. Thus you have to revert back to normal fonts which older people have greater trouble seeing.

2) Screen Resolution: You can set your display for 800x600 which makes icons bigger and easier to see. But once again the young idiots writing code don't test it for this screen set-up. So once again things don't show up in web browsers. If you go to a finer resolution then everything shows up, but it is much smaller and harder to see.

3) For a long time all of the buttons and controls on computers were the same color. Either because it was cheaper or it made the computer look more chic. Older people have trouble distinguishing which button is which and which cable goes where when everything is the same color. Dell fixed this a while ago with color-coordinated cables and connectors, but there is still much that could be done to make computers more accessible to older folks. How about an ON button labeled ON rather than '1/0'?

[blam]

"How about an ON button labeled ON rather than '1/0'?"

No kidding.

[Cvengr]

I suspect Dov in Houston isn’t over 24. What tips his/her hand is the statement he/she didn’t see any old folk raping or stealing. The older people get doesn’t imply less criminal behavior, rather they are simply matured,..some in righteousness, others in unrighteousness. Believe me, the older people get, the more cognizant they are of those they never previously had suspected of anything heinous.

[Cvengr]

Dov’s response reminds me of a couple from Minnesota who decided they wanted to winter over in Florida and stay at the same hotel they had honeymooned in some 20 years earlier. Because of their hectic schedules, coordinated travel schedules were difficult, so the husband flew out on Thursday with his wife to follow on Friday.

Upon checking into the hotel, he discovered a small PC on the desk in his room and decided to send a quick email to his wife, but inadvertently left out one letter in her email address, but away it went over the web.

Elsewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband’s funeral, who had been a minister and had just been called home to glory after a recent heart attack.

Upon returning to her home, she decided to check a few emails, anticipating various condolences from loved ones before she went to bed. Moments later she let out a scream and feinted to the floor.

Her son came running in, seeing his mother on the floor, with the PC on and email displayed, read the following:

To: My Loving Wife
Subj: I’ve Arrived!

I know you’re surprised to hear from me.
They have computers here now and you’re allowed to send emails to loved ones.

I’ve just arrived and checked in.
I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival here tomorrow.
Look forward to seeing you then.
Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.

Sure is freakin’ hot down here!

[MarkL]

I know quite a few guys over 50 who can still code in C++ and assembler quite easily. There aren't that many young people who can do that any more.

Heck, I'm only 45, and I remember when "Green Cards" were green, instead of yellow, and what BALR does (no, in this case it's not shorthand for a Balrog!)

Mark

[MarkL]

Egads, did I really say that crap?

It must have been a really bad day, after some really bad support calls.

Sorry to anyone I offended!

Mark

[no-s]

Wow, I remember using a 5100 when I was a kid.

[no-s]

as far as #1 and #2 go, Every time we get a new release of our software, I enter in bugs for these things. One engineer was notorious for marking my bugs “not a bug”, and when pressed for an explanation, suggested that users just sit a little closer to the screen...