View Full Version : Old people and technology
gettin2dizzy
07-12-08, 04:46 PM
Anyone had olds trying to grasp technology in a rather unusual way?
A few of my own:
I told my grandma I'd send her an email when I went away. She told me to phone her first to tell her I'm sending one so she could put the computer on- otherwise she wouldn't get it!
My dad uses 'text speak' acronyms (lol, btw etc) but doesn't seem to realise they have to be established. DYFMUFAGOG? may well be 'do you fancy meeting up for a game of golf' ... :rolleyes:
DYFMUFAGOG? may well be 'do you fancy meeting up for a game of golf' ... :rolleyes:
I got that, it was easy :rolleyes:. then again im young! :smt019
I do know what you mean though got step mums dad a dvd player and dvd's plugged all in checked was all working, etc. Showed him how to use it tv channel changed automatically etc. Left him to it, a couple of days later phone call. DVD player isnt working, go round and check put in all his dvd's we got him all work. Puzzled he comes through "oh..... i put them in with the shiny side up" :smt043
Bluepete
07-12-08, 04:53 PM
Like this? (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RuQBS5uGeV0)
Dangerous Dave
07-12-08, 04:56 PM
My old man is ranting and raving about Blu-ray, he's only recently started changing over to DVD.
I got that, it was easy :rolleyes:. then again im young!
Must be my age. I read it as "Do you fancy meeting up for a good old g*******"?"
Not something I'd expect my dad to be asking, but who knows what goes on in a 78 year old pension-gimmer's mnd.
Gene genie
07-12-08, 05:08 PM
never a good combination i find.
Must be my age. I read it as "Do you fancy meeting up for a good old g*******"?"
Not something I'd expect my dad to be asking, but who knows what goes on in a 78 year old pension-gimmer's mnd.
:notworthy:
fizzwheel
07-12-08, 05:22 PM
Mine are banned from having a computer or anything resembling one. Life is much easier that way.
CoolGirl
07-12-08, 05:25 PM
I get around the problem by having a 12 year-old with me at all times. i lent him out to another old lady on the train the other day - he dialled a number on her mobile phone for her.
Hey Coolgirl, I've got a chimney needs sweeping, any chance of a borrow???
my folks and their pc woes are the bane of my like.
He'll say "this box of text popped up, should I click on it?"
to which I tend to reply, "what did it say?"
the answer usually goes, "dunno, I didn't read it. Thought I'd ask you"
I wouldn't mind if it was only once or twice but it's a constand stream and when I sit with him and make him read it he knows what to do anyway!:smt072
Mine are banned from having a computer or anything resembling one. Life is much easier that way.
I know what you mean, every week there some new to "Ask Richie about"
how to resize photos for email, emailing with pop3... and how to post photos on threads.
the list goes on...
The lastest thing i've told them is to press F1 and read what is says... that seams to have done the trick for a while now.
missyburd
08-12-08, 09:34 AM
My mum got a new laptop last Christmas with Vista on it...I had to spend so much time showing her how to turn it on, how to use the mouse pad, I even had to get it out of the box for her, she was so worried about breaking it! EVERY single time she wanted to use it I was called in from wherever I was to sort it out, she'd panic over every little box that came up, eventually she got the hang of the "x" cancel button!
It annoys me that because I'm at uni and familiar with computers they think I'm a whizz at all things technical, when actually its just Microsoft I'm familiar with and even then it's basic #sigh# :lol:
Also she will not learn to text on her phone, she just about managed to work out how to call people but for the first few months I kept getting loads of missed calls when she meant to ring my dad :rolleyes:
Dangerous Dave
08-12-08, 09:38 AM
It annoys me that because I'm at uni and familiar with computers they think I'm a whizz at all things technical, when actually its just Microsoft I'm familiar with and even then it's basic #sigh# :lol:
+ 1, I have a computer at home and this automatically makes me the computer expert in the family. If only they knew how many times I have to ask the miss' how to do something...
Miss Alpinestarhero
08-12-08, 10:44 AM
It annoys me that because I'm at uni and familiar with computers they think I'm a whizz at all things technical, when actually its just Microsoft I'm familiar with and even then it's basic #sigh#
+1
Even when I was at university, I would have my parents ringing me to ask how to do X, Y, Z or explaining in immense step-by-step detail how to do things. Half the time it was impossible to sort out a problem because of (a) how they decribed it "its opened up and another thing has opened up on top and waont go away and keeps flashing" (which actually meant a pop-up blocker):rolleyes: and (b) its hard working things out when you cant see it..!
Even now I have to help my dad do all his typing, emailing, adding attachments, photos etc for his Judo Club. I might as well be the club secretary :lol: Although I must say my mum is pretty good now and barely requires my help. She can even buy things off the internet :shock: lol
Maria
missyburd
08-12-08, 10:51 AM
+1
Even when I was at university, I would have my parents ringing me to ask how to do X, Y, Z or explaining in immense step-by-step detail how to do things. Half the time it was impossible to sort out a problem because of (a) how they decribed it "its opened up and another thing has opened up on top and waont go away and keeps flashing" (which actually meant a pop-up blocker):rolleyes: and (b) its hard working things out when you cant see it..!
Exactly! Mum would ring me, usually at most inconvenient times for the same reason, oh the stress that laptop's caused me!
We don't have the net at our house which is just as well, I'd never get a moment's peace with that one! :D
Miss Alpinestarhero
08-12-08, 10:56 AM
We don't have the net at our house which is just as well, I'd never get a moment's peace with that one! :D
Lucky..! Ive had my dad ask for help at 11pm at night once... :smt072
Maria
Oh dear, I am that old person
When I have PC problems I usually call my eldest daughter. She's the one who worked as a programmer for BT and now heads up an IT department for Tesco. Thing is, she knows almost bugger all about Microsoft products or systems, but she blags her way through it with me.
missyburd
08-12-08, 11:11 AM
Oh dear, I am that old person
When I have PC problems I usually call my eldest daughter. She's the one who worked as a programmer for BT and now heads up an IT department for Tesco. Thing is, she knows almost bugger all about Microsoft products or systems, but she blags her way through it with me.
Ah but there's your excuse, it's part of your daughter's profession so in theory she shouldn't mind too much and you know that you're asking her with a very good chance of getting the problem solved. Although admittedly it is far more convenient there being one in the family :-D
I just get asked because they have no one else to ask but you need lots of patience with my ma and unfortunately patience is not a virtue I possess. As a result we both end up severely stressed out by the end of the phonecall :rolleyes:
_Stretchie_
08-12-08, 11:17 AM
familiar with computers they think I'm a whizz at all things technical, when actually its just Microsoft I'm familiar with and even then it's basic #sigh# :lol:
I know EXACT:LY what you mean, I used to work for Fujitsu Services. And I'd get calls from family and friends asking me about computers and cameras... I mean CAMERA'S???? That's FLIPPING FUJI !!!!!
Ask any of the mofo's they'll tell you, Mac99 calls me a techno-tard. I can turn them on and use office products and because of that people think I can bypass security features and install polly-google flexed mother chunker boards and increase dongles??!?!? I don't even know how to find out what my IP address is :' (
Rant over... That felt good..
missyburd
08-12-08, 11:34 AM
I can turn them on and use office products and because of that people think I can bypass security features and install polly-google flexed mother chunker boards and increase dongles??!?!? I don't even know how to find out what my IP address is :' (
PMSL I love that post! Yeah same here, I tend to rely on YC for all my techy queries and he always appears to be patient with me! So you see I'm an old person too really :-D
Ask any of the mofo's they'll tell you, Mac99 calls me a techno-tard. I can turn them on and use office products and because of that people think I can bypass security features and install polly-google flexed mother chunker boards and increase dongles??!?!? I don't even know how to find out what my IP address is :' (
Oh I can do all that bit and know what all those bits are :rolleyes:, my problem is simply typing a coherent sentence half the time.
_Stretchie_
08-12-08, 11:48 AM
Oh I can all that bit and know what all bits R :rolleyes:, my problem is typing a simply the time half coherent sentence .
Oh yeah.. I see what you mean :cheers:
hindle8907
06-12-09, 09:54 PM
its not just old people ...!!
some of the things you come across working in a I.T Department are just plain stupid ...
ring ring,
" my printers not printing"
Have you checked to see if there is paper in the printer,
no i will check ...arhhh yes its empty.
Well its not going to print is it without paper u Stupid T**T
there are manny more !
speedplay
06-12-09, 10:08 PM
My mum has just grasped texting on the mobile shes had for the last 8 years now.
She can now do hi, yes and no.
Bless her.
Biker Biggles
06-12-09, 10:10 PM
This thread is so old most of the technophobe coffin dodgers will have died by now.
I saw G2D and thought oh great he's back!!!!!!!
Dave20046
06-12-09, 10:24 PM
brick walls and heads
hindle8907
06-12-09, 10:45 PM
lol my nan had her number tapted to the back of her phone .. becuase she didnt know how to use the address book
Dave20046
06-12-09, 10:52 PM
lol my nan had her number tapted to the back of her phone .. becuase she didnt know how to use the address book
as do both of my grand parents.
My grandma has her numbers she needs taped to the back also.
I have them working their address book, texting, dvd recorder, sky and sky plus!
But their texting is comical, they don't understand spaces yet...
Sally I know where your coming from.
I also have to back up my parents passwords and log in's...
also have a full email contacts list.
just in case the millennium bug was a bit late...
http://website.lineone.net/~farrago2/rlcsite/stories/mdb/graphics/mbug.gif
arr well I've told them that fast forward & That Dr Who is now Real and their are now living in 1809...
I've just got this Birthday present... sent in a time capusal...
http://rlv.zcache.com/millennium_bug_1809_tshirt-p235061877165279276qw9y_400.jpg
xXBADGERXx
07-12-09, 05:02 AM
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c382/DigeratiPrime/holy_thread_resurrection_batman.jpg
Littlepeahead
07-12-09, 09:53 AM
My mum still has a video, not Sky+. But when I asked if she could record something for me she no, as she wasn't going to be at home to press the record button. When I said it would be repeated she then siad that also wouldn't work as she didn't want to watch the show and the video can only record what she is watching. Which kind of defeats the point of having it.
My six year old nephew however is getting a mobile for Christmas and last week when I said I had some photos to show him asked me to email them to his personal email account!
timwilky
07-12-09, 10:09 AM
I have been struggling with a nearly blind mother and the digital switch over.
For the past few weeks I have been having to go down to see her and retune her tv. Last week when analogue was switched off, it was a nightmare, she had inadvertently pressed the source key on her remote and gone onto analogue and got nothing. She is so blind she needs to know what button does what as she cannot read the control.
This switchover has been a nightmare. Why the hell they didn't do it as a big bang instead of dragging it out over a couple of weeks.
gettin2dizzy
07-12-09, 12:08 PM
I saw G2D and thought oh great he's back!!!!!!!
I hear he's been spotted lurking again recently ;)
xXBADGERXx
07-12-09, 12:35 PM
I hear he's been spotted lurking again recently ;)
Yeah , I wondered if you were ok as I hadn`t spotted you in a while . Even considered putting up a thread to see if you had been incapacitated whilst out on the BMX or something , in a caring/concerned for an orger kind of way , then you turn up and snaffle that nice bit of guitar gear before I could get there and I thought "That Bas**** is alive and well" :smt043
gettin2dizzy
07-12-09, 01:26 PM
Yeah , I wondered if you were ok as I hadn`t spotted you in a while . Even considered putting up a thread to see if you had been incapacitated whilst out on the BMX or something , in a caring/concerned for an orger kind of way , then you turn up and snaffle that nice bit of guitar gear before I could get there and I thought "That Bas**** is alive and well" :smt043
Cheers :thumbsup:
If you heard how badly I play you'd be even more annoyed :smt043
xXBADGERXx
07-12-09, 02:18 PM
<-----------Sits down with legs crossed and fingers pinched on Yoga position and recites the word "Gooosefarber" over and over in a soothing fashion
slark01
07-12-09, 02:34 PM
My parents are both in their 60's and are quite good with technology. My mum has her own PC, whilst my dad has a laptop. They use their mobiles like pro's and TXT speak better than I do. Sky+ is a piece of cake for them and my mum has been learning the keyboard for 2 years now. It's not often that I have to deal with anything as they have pretty much got everything sussed.
The wife on the otherhand is useless with anything to do with computers, even so she uses them everyday!
Ste.
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