Seniors And Technology Get A Bad Rap

[Sparcdude]

I saw something in another forum recently where the poster was saying that "Grandma and Grandpa will get confused over using text messaging and posting", or words to that effect. I was somewhat - make that very - offended by that. Just because you're at a certain age (I'm staying away from the "O" word), you don't know how tech works? I know youngsters that don't have clue, too.

Maybe I'm being overly sensitive, but I've been working in the tech field for over 40 years and I know plenty of other "seniors" that may not be in the tech field, but they know how to take advantage of it. I won't go into boring details on my career as it's interesting to me, but will bore the crap out of everyone else!

But my question is this:

If you are of a certain age, do find that some people think you can't turn on a computer? And how do you refrain from beating them into submission?

 

[Waning Embers]

If you are of a certain age, do find that some people think you can't turn on a computer?

I've never owned one outside of a cell phone. Just never caught my interest. Let the young call me old, they'll get their turn.

 

[renfield]

I’ve programmed in assembly language, written a simple operating system, built my own hardware and continue to code for personal projects. Yeah, tech scares me.

Most of the people making those generalizations don’t know how to do anything more than install the latest privacy stealing app on their devices. Their statements don’t upset me, I feel sad for them.

They are too dumb to realize that time catches up to everyone.

 

[didimauw]

As much as it frightens me, I do my best to stay not too far back in the tech world.

But some of the stuff my ten year old teaches me about it.... Is not helping my ego ...

 

[Waning Embers]

As much as it frightens me, I do my best to stay not too far back in the tech world.

But some of the stuff my ten year old teaches me about it.... Is not helping my ego ...

My little boy was doing 3D pixel modeling and animations on his tablet when he was 3. Even his older sisters were stunned.

 

[bullet08]

Don't bother me at all. They don't know me, and I don't know them. By looking at Apple products that they use, I'm positive they have no clue what file system is or how to find it.

 

[Servant King]

Interesting question. I find that young people today are just as technologically inept as the ones of a more advanced age (also trying to avoid putting a number on it, but you get the idea). All they know is the smartphone which, to me, is irresponsible use of technology, or rather, allowing the technology to use YOU. I'm 37, my wife is 47, and we both find that there's a pretty narrow are range in which we find the savvier tech users to be (generally speaking, of course!). Older than that, by and large they never got exposed to it very much due to when they grew up and were of working age, and younger, as I mentioned, it's all apps, buzzwords, and overall a very dumbed-down interface. More often than not, I find that people in their 20s would stare at me like I had alien antennae if I asked them to point out on an internet browser where the URL was located.

I myself don't even have a cell phone, so if there's anyone who would understand the concept of "bucking the age trend," it's me.

 

[Sparcdude]

Don't bother me at all. They don't know me, and I don't know them. By looking at Apple products that they use, I'm positive they have no clue what file system is or how to find it.

OK - I use Apple products. Still have my Mac Plus from 1986, which still works!

When people ask my why I use Apple, given that I'm a UNIX (not Linux) guy, I just tell them "When I get home, I want to work WITH my computer, not ON it"

 

[georged]

If you are of a certain age, do find that some people think you can't turn on a computer? And how do you refrain from beating them into submission?

Funny but true:

I was a senior IBM systems programmer who headed a team which developed massive search engines before Google & etc. existed. I also taught advanced machine language "tips and tricks" classroom-style to incoming and established staffers. It was as heavy duty as commercial computing was at the time, anywhere. Fifty million dollars worth of water-cooled mainframes cranking 24/7, doing cutting edge stuff as efficiently as possible (it was a product, not research).

Fast forward 30 years. Except to pass one along like at restaurant table, I've never even touched a smartphone. Wouldn't know how to turn it on or off if my life depended on it. Ditto social media apps & related.

Meaning, those who think I can't turn on a computer are right. But the assumption they'd doubtless make about WHY would be completely wrong.

 

[boston]

I'm no Luddite, but I have no problem letting the kids help me with tech. Some of it is stupid confusing.

 

[bullet08]

OK - I use Apple products. Still have my Mac Plus from 1986, which still works!

When people ask my why I use Apple, given that I'm a UNIX (not Linux) guy, I just tell them "When I get home, I want to work WITH my computer, not ON it"

You know what you're doing, that's fine.

How many young kids know where their music is on their iPhone? Too many Apple users say crap like "It's on Apple. I don't need to know."

Yes, I used Mac and PC along with IBM System/3 since early 80s. Programming on punch machine. Don't mean much now days when my phone is more useful than what they were.

 

[ashdigger]

Boomer.

 

[hawky454]

Funny but true:

I was a senior IBM systems programmer who headed a team which developed massive search engines before Google & etc. existed. I also taught advanced machine language "tips and tricks" classroom-style to incoming and established staffers. It was as heavy duty as commercial computing was at the time, anywhere. Fifty million dollars worth of water-cooled mainframes cranking 24/7, doing cutting edge stuff as efficiently as possible (it was a product, not research).

Fast forward 30 years. Except to pass one along like at restaurant table, I've never even touched a smartphone. Wouldn't know how to turn it on or off if my life depended on it. Ditto social media apps & related.

Meaning, those who think I can't turn on a computer are right. But the assumption they'd doubtless make about WHY would be completely wrong.

Have you ever seen Halt and Catch Fire? I imagine it was based on the time period you spent at IBM. Really great series!

 

[BarrelProof]

Boomer.

What’s up?

 

[warren]

I keep current on the knowledge I require for health and my photo work My daughter was an IT back in the day. I value her opinion when it comes to security. Otherwise, I keep u with what I need. I go seamlessly between PC and Apple. I think the lad, cited in the OP was speaking his mind, however weak it is and, not from a point of knowledge. Ignorance knows no age boundary. Neither does intelligence and learning.

 

[mso489]

I had a bad introduction to digital technology, beginning at work with an off-brand PC, and again with misrepresentation by a major brand in buying a PC for home use years later, such that multiple state atty. generals had to intercede and get customers paid back.

Mind you, this while using devices daily throughout the work day, and later at home. So I can make use of devices, but am not a happy user. Added to which, I don't think that way, and haven't been "trained" by the machines to enjoy puzzling out getting what I want from them.

I've known plenty of people ten, fifteen, twenty years older than I who did better to extremely well with technology, although often with the help of younger generations.

So I guess I'm part of the problematical minority who didn't grow up with digital equipment and often evade its use and any new applications. Instead of enjoying the video-game-like challenge of teasing out the desired end result, I just get frustrated and angry. Give me back my quill pen and parchment.

I'm an active, curious, imaginative person, but one thing that depresses me is trying to do something new on a digital device. It's a total downer.

 

[augiebd]

I am of a certain age having not grown up with computer technology that was available to the masses. To my knowledge, I’ve never experienced anyone assuming I can’t use a computer. That is the way it should be, whether I can use one or not. By the way, my computer skills are probably more than what I need for my professional and personal needs.

 

[Sparcdude]

I hope this doesn't get into a Mac vs PC vs whatever. Those wars are long over. The bottom line is if it does what you want, when you want, that's good enough. My point is that I find it somewhat presumptuous that yunguns think that older folks don't know technology.

I take a perverse pride in knowing the B language and writing machine code by hand (I couldn't afford an assembler back then) among other arcane and obsolete things. I'm just wondering what others think about being sterotyped technologically- wise. I find it discouraging and sad at the same time.

And having said that...

 

[warren]

I'm just wondering what others think about being sterotyped technologically- wise.

I work hard not to stereotype or classify people about anything. Well, except for my cynical outlook about humans in general with regard to their general behavior.

 

[sablebrush52]

My father was definitely of that "pre digital" world, but then again, he could do cube roots in his head with no difficulty. He had a long career in aeronautic and later aerospace as an engineer, a career that spanned the B-17 to engineering life support systems for Apollo and the Shuttle. In his mid 80's he designed a miniature reactor to power a pacemaker. Pop took to computers like they were extensions of his mind, but he never got so deeply into them that he gave up living in the here and now. He found them computationally slow.

I'm a semi literate. When I had to connect Unix based graphics machines into a network I learned enough Unix to be able to do that and wrote whatever commands I need to get things to function back then, including developing a working color management system before commercial ones were available. I was more often working with far more capable people, just setting the contours of what tools we needed them to create.

My coding knowledge is less than rudimentary compared to real programmers. My career spanned the changeover from photo chemical processes for creating visual effects to digital, and I set up some very klugey macros that would allow graphics computers that worked in one specialized language to talk to others that used a different specialized language. At least it worked... Basically, I was IT before there was IT.

So working with computers as a slightly advanced user isn't foreign to me and never intimidated me. There have been a few occasions where one of my son's friends found out that "gramps" could fix systems fuck ups where they were clueless.

My involvement is pretty limited these days. This forum is about all the social media I use and the rest is communication and entertainment.