Techno wrinklies

looksee

I've noticed a few times recently that if an older person was using a mobile, of a couple it was usually ma yakking away and pa ignoring the whole scenario. So I wonder who are the most technologically minded of, say, the over 60s, men or women?

If you, or yore ma and/or pa, or grandparents are over 60ish would you fill in the poll to say who uses mobiles and who is computer literate. By computer literate I mean able to send an email/create a document etc.

I've already done the 'yore ma' bit and there's no atari jaguar because you wouldn't want to confuse anybody.

Thrill

I've noticed that some over 60's can text as well as anyone but when it comes to computers they are a bit baffled. Not all mind you.

biko

I had to show mum how to use the text feature on her phone but since then she's texting quite a lot.

Sam Vimes

my dad is computer literate in name only. i've had to show him how to attach something to an email about ten times. here's how a normal computer session goes:


*warning pops up*

him: what do i do?

me: what does the warning say?

him: "press ok to continue". so what do i do?

me: what do you think you do?

him: i don't know

me: do you think you might press ok?

him: i don't want to break it

etc
etc
etc

Kolodny

My 87 year old grandfather has a pc at home and both he and my gran email me regularly. My gran (88) also has a mobile although she doesn't really use it all the time for calls, I think she's just reassured by having it with her if she goes for a walk or goes shopping alone. They recently bought a digital camera too as they go on day trips quite often and like to send pictures to the family. They're both quite handy with technology really.

seamus

I find that it's more often a case of "don't want to learn" as opposed to "can't learn". And it's not confined to the over-60s either. I know plenty of 20-somethings with technophobia.

I find in a general sense that women will moan about it being too complicated and, "I'm just not able", whereas men will say, "Ah I'm far too old to learn this now", and "Sure why would I need to learn when you can do it for me".

pred racer

seamus wrote:

I find in a general sense that women will moan about it being too complicated and, "I'm just not able", whereas men will say, "Ah I'm far too old to learn this now", and "Sure why would I need to learn when you can do it for me".

Seamus, i see you know my parents I couldnt have put it better myself!especially Sure why would I need to learn when you can do it for me"

Edit: And If i charged for putting credit in mobiles I'd make a fortune :-)

AlmightyCushion

pred racer wrote:

And If i charged for putting credit in mobiles I'd make a fortune :-)

I used to work in tesco and if I had a cent for every wrinkley that asked me to put thier credit in for them I'd give Bill Gates a run for his money.

luckat

Couldn't agree more. Many conservative people, some of whom are old, don't want to learn about new technology.

One of the reasons people might ask someone younger to put their credit cards in for them is that their eyesight may not be as good as it once was, by the way.

Kazooie

I'm ashamed to say it but my mam can't change the channel on the tv. If we're leaving her in the sitting room before half 7, someone has to "Set it for Coronation street", before we leave. And she teaches Kids. She knows how to text though.

AlmightyCushion

luckat wrote:

One of the reasons people might ask someone younger to put their credit cards in for them is that their eyesight may not be as good as it once was, by the way.

Nah it was definately because they couldn't work the thing.

tSubh Dearg

My grandfather will be 84 later this year and he's just gotten his first computer and was set up with email the other day.

Nala

I work in a supermarket that has self scan checkouts and a lot of the customers that use them are pretty old. Now obviously i dont know how many old people use them compared to regular checkouts as i only see the ones that come down to me. But they are generally willing to give it a shot. They're usually easier to deal with too because they're willing to admit they're a bit shy about technology, we get a lot of 20/30-something know-it-all types that stare blankly at the "Start" button.

jellie

the thread title made me think of grannies jumping about to techno music

Black Swan

One of my grans in Galway loves her desktop PC, plays cards all the time over it (yuk!), and emails her friends a lot (but never deletes old emails, so they go on and on forever, screen after screen!).

Our man in Havana

Blue_Lagoon wrote:

One of my grans in Galway loves her desktop PC, plays cards all the time over it (yuk!), and emails her friends a lot (but never deletes old emails, so they go on and on forever, screen after screen!).

Next time your there, press ctrl A delete!