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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Gah!!! Old People Should Not Be Allowed to Use Computers!!!!
Gah!!! Old People Should Not Be Allowed to Use Computers!!!!
2005-06-21, 10:49 PM #1
There should be a minimum requirement for the chair to keyboard interface. Granted some elderly are quite competent with computers but this is very rare.

Chair to Keyboard Interface Requirements:

If you are over the age of 40 and do not have a minimum of 5 years experience with computers please do not setup DSL yourself. If you are a longtime user of AOL please terminate yoursef. If you still insist on installing DSL yourself please acquire the local stinky kid, he can easily set this up.
MithShrike: First Mateneer
Pimpin' Yerba Mate Drinker
2005-06-21, 10:54 PM #2
I'm guessing your dad/mom's trying to set up DSL, and making a mess of it and you're getting frustrated.

Actually, I just got done setting up a static ip address on my dad's laptop, cause he rebooted his computer and it stole my ip address. Oddly, my dad was fairly compliant throughout the whole process. But it's quite a task to explain to someone like that how ip addresses work and what port forwarding is (which is why I didn't want to change my ip address), etc.

Anyway, it's like pulling teeth. But it's all done now. :D
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Lassev: I guess there was something captivating in savagery, because I liked it.
2005-06-21, 10:58 PM #3
i like when people try to use the gift registry at work, they instantly ht the monitor when there is a mouse and keyboard assuming in touch based, then ask for help when the screensaver clearly says

"push any key to begin" ......
whenever any form of government becomes destructive to securing the rights of the governed, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it
---Thomas jefferson, Declaration of Independance.
2005-06-21, 11:01 PM #4
hehe, then you can tell them something like, "It's one of those "old fashioned" ones with buttons and such."
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Lassev: I guess there was something captivating in savagery, because I liked it.
2005-06-21, 11:15 PM #5
Elderly aren't as bad as airheaded girls with INCREDIBLY HIGH pitched voiced chewing gum over the phone requiring your assitance in "fixing" their computer. I swear, some form of computer competancy must be required before anyone can plug their computer into the network jack at CSUSM's dorms.

And yes, I do work at the school's help desk. I seriously believe I'm immune to 64% of torture devices having worked two years there.
Code to the left of him, code to the right of him, code in front of him compil'd and thundered. Programm'd at with shot and $SHELL. Boldly he typed and well. Into the jaws of C. Into the mouth of PERL. Debug'd the 0x258.
2005-06-21, 11:27 PM #6
Yeah, it's not as bad as people who think they know what they're doing. My mom 'thinks' she knows what she's doing and I'm asking for 10 kbps (out of a 60kbps upstream) for an overhead so I can game online. Well, she refuses to give it, even though all she does is download warez, the reason being because she says 'there should be plenty enough bandwidth' and that we have a 512kilobyte upstream...I had to explain to her the difference between a byte and a bit.

*sighs*
D E A T H
2005-06-21, 11:30 PM #7
Old people should be limited to lemon parties, eh?

I'll rather tolerate an old person who doesn't know much of computers than any annoying kid or teen.
Star Wars: TODOA | DXN - Deus Ex: Nihilum
2005-06-21, 11:39 PM #8
No I take escalations for a certain ISP... A lot of the customers choose self-install because it doesn't cost $200. Every once in a while the idiot peons below me will send up an old lady who can't type or has used AOL exclusively. Using IE is just too advanced for some of these people. Or color coding. I mean come on! The ethernet cable is yellow and the USB is blue... you'd think they could plug blue to blue or yellow to yellow. No... these nincompoops just can't grasp that certain things go together.
MithShrike: First Mateneer
Pimpin' Yerba Mate Drinker
2005-06-22, 12:18 AM #9
My grandma uses her laptop only to write letters. We set it up so that Word starts automatically when Windows loads.
Sorry for the lousy German
2005-06-22, 12:22 AM #10
Quote:
No I take escalations for a certain ISP... A lot of the customers choose self-install because it doesn't cost $200.
Hmm, $200 for a tech install? SBC DSL perhaps?

Quote:
My grandma uses her laptop only to write letters. We set it up so that Word starts automatically when Windows loads.
Lol, old people are so cute in a simple-minded sort of way sometimes.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Lassev: I guess there was something captivating in savagery, because I liked it.
2005-06-22, 12:31 AM #11
Lol, we're gonna own when we get old......those of us that havent gotten there already:D
666, The Number of the Beast.
664, The Bloke Next Door.
Matt Bonner, The Lebron Killer
2005-06-22, 12:45 AM #12
Quote:
Originally posted by Fett 316
Lol, we're gonna own when we get old......those of us that havent gotten there already:D
nah, there will be some new tecknology that we dont undersatnd. it's inevadable
Laughing at my spelling herts my feelings. Well laughing is fine actully, but posting about it is not.
2005-06-22, 2:31 AM #13
I always find if annoying when my father turns on the computer and complains that the computer is booting up to slow by saying "I thought we upgraded from dial up! Why is it so slow?". I can't help but smack my fore head whenever he says that because no matter how many time I explain to him the difference between a modem and a computer boot up, he still says the same damn thing. :mad:
The cake is a lie... THE CAKE IS A LIE!!!!!
2005-06-22, 2:34 AM #14
Perhaps he does it to annoy you.


Quote:
Originally posted by Sarn_Cadrill
Lol, old people are so cute in a simple-minded sort of way sometimes.


My grandma is the youngest 92 year old I know.
Sorry for the lousy German
2005-06-22, 3:53 AM #15
My grandpa is ok with computers, but lately he's been having what sounds like spyware/virus trouble. My dad's been trying to get him to install VNC so he can remotely fix it (VNC > talking over phone) but gramps hasn't gotten around to following his directions and downloading it and all. :rolleyes:

2005-06-22, 3:56 AM #16
My dad is 42, and has been around computers almost all his life. He grew me up on computers (Put me in his lap when he worked / played games) and it seeped it. Computer was the first word I could spell correctly (Other than cat / dog / dismemberment, and my own name of course.)

I don't think he's one of those elderly people, of which you speak.
"Jayne, this is something the Captain has to do for himself"

"N-No it's not!"

"Oh."
2005-06-22, 7:28 AM #17
Old people pretty much shouldn't be allowed to use any technology. But at least it doesn't endanger others' lives when they use computers, unlike when they drive...
Stuff
2005-06-22, 7:31 AM #18
Ooh, generalization.
Star Wars: TODOA | DXN - Deus Ex: Nihilum
2005-06-22, 8:16 AM #19
Please. Old people and adolescent girls have nothing on English majors.
the idiot is the person who follows the idiot and your not following me your insulting me your following the path of a idiot so that makes you the idiot - LC Tusken
2005-06-22, 8:30 AM #20
Yeah, I agree with the whole elderly and girl issues. I also agree that an elderly person is more agreeable than a 15-year-old girl. I know of many times when the girl asks you to help, and when the process takes longer than five minutes she gets frustrated and believes she can fix it because it's "her computer" and I "don't know how it works". Old folks will let you handle the work because they either trust you to not screw up, or they're too tired, or they forget how to do it. It's kind of nice.:D
"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."
2005-06-22, 8:36 AM #21
Ah, young people smack their heads when they encounter old people screwing up with technology. But the old people have it worse... they're smacking themselves in the heads while they watch young people screw up more important things such as school and life in general. ;) :p
2005-06-22, 8:56 AM #22
I do tech support for a broadband company, and I must admit, it requires much patience if you plan on staying semi-sane. I get people who call in and don't even know how to make the cursor on their screen move or how to even click the mouse. If they can't use a Mac on their own, I usually ask them to have someone who is more tech savvy to call me back. I basically treat them as if they speak a language that our company doesn't support.
2005-06-22, 9:26 AM #23
My dad believes that since we got road runner, his single player Mahjongg game runs faster.
America, home of the free gift with purchase.
2005-06-22, 9:38 AM #24
There's lots of people out there of all ages who are "technologically challenged." You can divide these people into two categories: Group A: People who are more or less normal, but stuff that beeps throws them off, or Group B: People who have the same difficulties in various other fields. If there doesn't seem to be any physical or psychological problem with a member of Group B, then they are either unlucky or are too stubborn to come to grips with reality. It's usually not their fault.
"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."
2005-06-22, 2:06 PM #25
My dad doesn't touch the computer. My mom does.. but only to check email, play solitare, and get online.

Though, see seemed to believe because I don't use the Yahoo browser that came with the DSL, that she almost cancelled the internet because she thought she was paying for the browser or something...
"Nulla tenaci invia est via"
2005-06-22, 7:22 PM #26
I had a great experience with one old lady. I used to teach her how to use her computer when I was working with the Community Access Program. She was slow at first, but constantly practiced everything I showed her. When I would go back the next week, she'd have mastered something new.
I also got milk and cookies when I visited her.:D

Just because they're old, doesn't mean they can't learn anything new. Old people are fine with things if they aren't afraid to delve right in.
2005-06-22, 7:27 PM #27
When i worked at apple I used to talk to all kinds of old people every day.. 99% of them didnt even know how to operate their computer past the mouse and keyboard. I evenhad to explain how to use both of those to several people. Funny thing is, 100% of them (yes every single one), had the top of the line model computers. The ones that cost 5000.
2005-06-22, 7:30 PM #28
Quote:
Originally posted by DSettahr
Ah, young people smack their heads when they encounter old people screwing up with technology. But the old people have it worse... they're smacking themselves in the heads while they watch young people screw up more important things such as school and life in general. ;) :p

Oh snap!
Code to the left of him, code to the right of him, code in front of him compil'd and thundered. Programm'd at with shot and $SHELL. Boldly he typed and well. Into the jaws of C. Into the mouth of PERL. Debug'd the 0x258.
2005-06-22, 7:31 PM #29
Some of the most brilliant people I know aren't the greatest when it comes to technology. Just because they might not be so adept at that one thing doesn't mean they're morons.

I don't think my friend's a moron because he's had to ask me for help with Word. He doesn't think I'm a moron because I'm not up on my neuroscience like he is.
2005-06-22, 8:57 PM #30
Quote:
Originally posted by Wolfy
Please. Old people and adolescent girls have nothing on English majors.


This man speaks truth.
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