Do you know anyone under 50 that has never been on the internet??

uncle_sam_ie · 09-02-2014 12:29PM #1

The other day a neighbor came by and asked for my help. He just bought a tablet pc and wanted to know if I heard of the internet and how to get on it. It was kind of comical. He had some notes someone wrote down for him. I had to explain that he needed to sign up to an ISP first to get on. I spent the next 20 mins teaching him how to navigate the net on my pc. I know loads of people over 70 that have never seen a webpage but someone in there 40's in 2014 surprised me.

Menas · 09-02-2014 12:31PM

Yes, my three year old son.

hfallada · 09-02-2014 12:32PM

I know my family in the west of ireland had a computer and took it out of the box and put it back in after a few hours. They could hack how slow dial up is. But they go mobile broadband last year and now use the internet now.

But if I had to use dial up, I would be bothered with the internet

Menas · 09-02-2014 12:33PM

Back in the 90s my mum went to the software section of a local shop looking to buy the internet for me for christmas. Poor dear thought she could get it on a 5.25" disk.

Will I Amnt · 09-02-2014 12:33PM

I know someone who is not long turned 40 who couldn't understand how it was possible for her to log in to her email from my PC.
"But the emails are in my laptop"

Cantremember · 09-02-2014 01:20PM

No I don't. I know lots of people under 50 who think they invented it though.

jonnny68 · 09-02-2014 01:36PM

Yeah I know a couple of people actually, they just never bothered with it.

Each to their own and all that!

The Backwards Man · 09-02-2014 01:39PM

Lots of people. The internet isn't as important or as crucial to existence as some would have you believe.

I avoided all interaction with cyberspace from I left college in 1998 until 2007. Didn't do me any harm.

Pyridine · 09-02-2014 01:40PM

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Back in the 90s my mum went to the software section of a local shop looking to buy the internet for me for christmas. Poor dear thought she could get it on a 5.25" disk.

That's ridiculous!! EVERYONE knows the internet is in a little black box!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTBsm0LzSP0

amdublin · 09-02-2014 01:49PM

My sisters father in law told her he is on the internet* and showed her is email address written on a piece of paper.

*I know this is technically true but it is just his phrasing that is funny

I did some voluntary work showing older people how to use computers and the internet. A lot of people think that the google homepage is "the internet" which is an understandable assumption for an newbie to make I suppose. Again just funny

DEFTLEFTHAND · 09-02-2014 01:51PM

Sure half the country are still clueless, Europe used to say that Ireland were 20 years behind in everything, "the land that time forgot". Whether it be fashion, trends or tech advancement. Inda and co like to sell this tech savy image of Ireland, It's all to do with the skills and talents of the Irish nothing to do with Corporation tax rate and skilled foreign bilingual labour. :rolleyes:

phasers · 09-02-2014 02:05PM

Nope, my parents are pretty clueless about it but they can go on, google stuff and use youtube. They both just got smartphones this year so they're gradually getting better at it, but mainly they stick to funny cat videos.

uncle_sam_ie · 09-02-2014 03:59PM

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Yes, my three year old son.

That's actually a good thing.

I see a lot younger with smartphones put into their hands to keep them busy.

Menas · 09-02-2014 04:04PM

amdublin wrote: »

I did some voluntary work showing older people how to use computers and the internet. A lot of people think that the google homepage is "the internet" which is an understandable assumption for an newbie to make I suppose. Again just funny

I did some voluntary work with Age Action helping oldies use their computers and tablets. It really is rewarding work. Some of them are so determined to learn this new skill and get really in to it.

Arthur Beesley · 09-02-2014 04:08PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Sure half the country are still clueless, Europe used to say that Ireland were 20 years behind in everything, "the land that time forgot". Whether it be fashion, trends or tech advancement. Inda and co like to sell this tech savy image of Ireland, It's all to do with the skills and talents of the Irish nothing to do with Corporation tax rate and skilled foreign bilingual labour. :rolleyes:

Europe eh? Europe sucks.

caustic 1 · 09-02-2014 04:09PM

Yes I have a friend who detests it and hardly knows how to log on.

Galwayguy35 · 09-02-2014 04:17PM

Yeah, my brother.

DoozerT6 · 09-02-2014 04:27PM

Will I Amnt wrote: »

I know someone who is not long turned 40 who couldn't understand how it was possible for her to log in to her email from my PC.
"But the emails are in my laptop"

No matter how many times I explain this to my mother, she still thinks this

Grandeeod · 09-02-2014 04:36PM

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Yes, my three year old son.

Not good enough. My now 6 year old was tablet, smart phone, laptop literate at three. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Grandeeod · 09-02-2014 04:39PM

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

That's actually a good thing. I see a lot younger with smartphones put into their hands to keep them busy.

They would be idiot parents. There is no harm teaching young kids how technology works.

MadsL · 09-02-2014 04:40PM

My Dad, in his 80s does a good job of email and surfing, but I have finally got him to stop asking "what is your email number?"

janvankul · 09-02-2014 04:43PM

My mate is 37 And never used a computer in his life.

He's a painter too which might explain things

Menas · 09-02-2014 05:02PM

Grandeeod wrote: »

They would be idiot parents. There is no harm teaching young kids how technology works.

Except when parents use technology as an alternative to actual parenting.

Grandeeod · 09-02-2014 05:14PM

I agree. Parents buying their kids a tablet so they can sit in a pub as the kid plays senseless games or watches pointless videos. However I set out to teach my daughter how these appliances work and what they are really for. I had little choice as I use them for work and she got curious at an early age. But its great now when she wants to help, by switching on my laptop and opening software that I need to work with. She can even monitor work emails on her mothers tablet when we are out and tells us an email has arrived. Nothing wrong with this once they realise that "computers" aren't just about games and more games and videos.

My parents are in their late 60s and completely computer illterate. I live abroad and they refused point blank to get a laptop/tablet/internet. They are missing out on so much of their grandchilds life through facebook photos, Skype etc. Meanwhile I have neighbours of the same age, who have taught themselves and joined the whole tech thing to keep in touch with family thousands of miles away. My parents expect telephone calls, letters and printed photos to be posted back! Its like the ****ing 80s!

CelticRambler · 09-02-2014 05:29PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Sure half the country are still clueless, Europe used to say that Ireland were 20 years behind in everything, "the land that time forgot". Whether it be fashion, trends or tech advancement. Inda and co like to sell this tech savy image of Ireland ...

If you think Ireland is 20 years behind, you should try living in France. Most French websites :cool: most are still being built on Dreamweaver 1.0 or Frontpage 1.0, complete with scrolling marquee banners. If not, then they're entirely Flash-based with no html back-up. Contact pages rarely give anything more than their office opening hours and a Mappy map (so you can call in) but if they give a working e-mail address, you have to 'phone them up afterwards to tell them you sent a message ... and then they tell you they'll reply to you by post. :mad:

Now if you think that's bad, our local tourist board has a deadline for submitting "what's on" info: mid November. Yep, one deadline for the whole year - because what goes on the website is copied from the material they publish in their paper catalogue. :eek:

Or there was that time I asked if could upload Mass times to the diocesan website. "But why would anyone want to look on the internet when the times are pinned to the noticeboard outside the church?" The head of the parish council (a retired admiral, no less) even went so far as to tell me that there was no electronic version of the information ... even though I'd just been given a page hot off someone's MS Word printer.

If your French is up to it, have a look at the desperate entries for this year's "Young Entrepreneur" competition here (and look at the age range too ...)

To give him some credit, Enda's really not that far off the mark.

PizzamanIRL · 09-02-2014 05:34PM

I've never been on the internet.

I'm over 50 though.

MRnotlob606 · 09-02-2014 05:38PM

A fas Instructor recently told me that during one of his night classes and older man was using the computer mouse on the screen !

SCOOP 64 · 09-02-2014 05:44PM

You have to admire anyone who's reach the age of 50 and hasn't got a clue how to use a computer, and don't give a dam they don't.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 09-02-2014 05:51PM

I've a mate who's 48 next month and has never used the 'net.

"I don't trust that thing" he'd often say lol.

Grandeeod · 09-02-2014 05:55PM

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

You have to admire anyone who's reach the age of 50 and hasn't got a clue how to use a computer, and don't give a dam they don't.

Yeah. The kind who ****ing annoy the hole off you to book flights or order obscure DVDs.:rolleyes:

Paddy Cow · 09-02-2014 07:39PM

Will I Amnt wrote: »

I know someone who is not long turned 40 who couldn't understand how it was possible for her to log in to her email from my PC.
"But the emails are in my laptop"

DoozerT6 wrote: »

No matter how many times I explain this to my mother, she still thinks this

Reminds me of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj5HdGjvXcE

Do you know anyone under 50 that has never been on the internet??

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