Seniors And Technology Get A Bad Rap

[Briar Tuck]

I retired from an IT career, primarily software development, but also some QA, tech support, and many years in management. I'm thankful to rarely have anyone ask me to fix their computer these days. I now get to ask my wife questions about iOS and let her figure it out or look it up. Life is good.

I also don't get offended. Maybe I'm too old.

 

[Zack Miller]

Yeah, but can young people use a rotary phone?

 

[sham]

I tend to agree with the generalizations, with a few stipulations.

I am actually of the opinion that my generation (millennials) is generally the most proficient with tech. There seems to be a trend where many of the older generations grew up learning tech in a cycle where things were too quickly surpassed by subsequent technology. Think dot matrix printers and punch papers for programming. Much of this experience has become completely irrelevant when it comes to using current tech.

Most of my peers have had a more advantageous start in the world of modern tech. I was born before handheld cellphones were a common place for every individual, and by the time I graduated high school, all my peers had an iPhone 4. Its no secret that its easiest to learn and ingrain topics as a youth. My generation was able to to see the transition from no phone to smart phone, and windows 95 to windows 11. The smart phone and the windows computer are quintessential to modern tech, and being able to learn from ground 0 to current tech during youthful years makes me think millennials will have the highest aptitude towards these systems.

The interesting thing about the subsequent generations is that I actually think that they will take a step back in technological aptitude. Sometime 8-10 years ago, practical tech use really started to change as it became commonplace for all individuals to own a full-screen smart phone with hordes of social apps. Kids growing up right now don't really interact with tech in the same way that previous generations were able to. Instead of using the tech, the tech is just there as an entertainment provider, all forms of media have adopted really predatory algorithms for maintaining engagement.

The generalizations definitely don't apply to everyone. I've always been interested by this topic.

BTW, I work in IT, but I aspire to one day be clueless when it comes to current tech. I think the hyper-growth of the handheld entertainment industry is rapidly degenerating our population.

 

[pappymac]

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.

As someone who has used Mac computers since 1986, I can agree with you about most people having no clue what a file system is or how to find it. In my opinion, that's because Mac operating systems have always made it easy to organize your files. The younger generations just know how to find files easily without worrying about which directory the files are in. It sort of like people being able to drive a car without a clue on how the engine works.

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.

"Very dumbed-down interface" is a good way to describe modern operating systems - in my opinion of course.

One of our daughters is a elementary school teacher. She has no concept of what it takes to keep a Mac or PC in good working condition from a software standpoint. I'm constantly reminder her to keep the computers she use updated with the newest operating systems. The same with her cell phone and tablet devices.

It's a "use it until it breaks and then replace it" mentality that has absolutely nothing to do with whether it's an Apple, Android, PC, Mac, Unix or Linux device.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I can say for certain that all of my grandparents who were born in the 1930's-1940's completely rejected computers, practically wouldn't even look at a computer screen. TV was fine, but when it came to using a web browser there was zero engagement.
From what I could tell it was mostly a willful rejection.
It didn't matter what kind of computer you sat them down with, grandma said the screen hurt her eyes (which may have been partially true), and whether it was mouse or touchscreen they clumsily prodded at the machine but didn't give any real effort to learning a new interface.

 

[Arthur Frayn]

Think Seniors get a bad rap? Try being a Sophomore.

(starts confusedly poking at his Jitterbug).

 

[pappymac]

I tend to agree with the generalizations, with a few stipulations.

I am actually of the opinion that my generation (millennials) is generally the most proficient with tech. There seems to be a trend where many of the older generations grew up learning tech in a cycle where things were too quickly surpassed by subsequent technology. Think dot matrix printers and punch papers for programming. Much of this experience has become completely irrelevant when it comes to using current tech.

Most of my peers have had a more advantageous start in the world of modern tech. I was born before handheld cellphones were a common place for every individual, and by the time I graduated high school, all my peers had an iPhone 4. Its no secret that its easiest to learn and ingrain topics as a youth. My generation was able to to see the transition from no phone to smart phone, and windows 95 to windows 11. The smart phone and the windows computer are quintessential to modern tech, and being able to learn from ground 0 to current tech during youthful years makes me think millennials will have the highest aptitude towards these systems.

The interesting thing about the subsequent generations is that I actually think that they will take a step back in technological aptitude. Sometime 8-10 years ago, practical tech use really started to change as it became commonplace for all individuals to own a full-screen smart phone with hordes of social apps. Kids growing up right now don't really interact with tech in the same way that previous generations were able to. Instead of using the tech, the tech is just there as an entertainment provider, all forms of media have adopted really predatory algorithms for maintaining engagement.

The generalizations definitely don't apply to everyone. I've always been interested by this topic.

BTW, I work in IT, but I aspire to one day be clueless when it comes to current tech. I think the hyper-growth of the handheld entertainment industry is rapidly degenerating our population.

I guess I'm one of your stipulations (and proud of it). I'm 70 years old. Started out as a photojournalist in 1975 when everything was typed on IBM Selectrics and we had to process and print our own b/w film. I also learned how to shoot video using a reel-to-reel portable tape deck with a camera that was attached by a cable.

One of the things constantly drummed into my head back then was the importance of staying up to date with the latest technology. I jumped at the opportunity to advance from manual and electric typewriters to using a TRS-80 to CTOS, BTOS and then to DOS.

As one of my old mentors used to say, "You don't grow old until you stop learning something new."

 

[rmbittner]

I’m 61—don’t know where that puts me on the “old” spectrum—but I love technology and have been comfortable with it since I first installed a memory card in my Tandy 1000.

My in-laws, though, are in their mid-80s…and they are lost when it comes to their iPhones and iPads. My father-in-law uses his iPad exclusively for solitaire and reading obituaries. My mother-in-law cannot remember how to delete junk texts, the difference between Sleep and Off, or how to save photos from text messages. She sends private texts to our family group chat…and on and on.

Everyone in the family helps them, and we are all happy to do that. But they use their devices for very specific things; they are not integrated into their lives as they are for the rest of us. So they don’t remember how to do a lot of things. (It would never occur to my mother-in-law to Google a question or to ask Siri anything.)

So…in my experience, the stereotypes have the ring of truth.

 

[sham]

I guess I'm one of your stipulations (and proud of it). I'm 70 years old. Started out as a photojournalist in 1975 when everything was typed on IBM Selectrics and we had to process and print our own b/w film. I also learned how to shoot video using a reel-to-reel portable tape deck with a camera that was attached by a cable.

One of the things constantly drummed into my head back then was the importance of staying up to date with the latest technology. I jumped at the opportunity to advance from manual and electric typewriters to using a TRS-80 to CTOS, BTOS and then to DOS.

As one of my old mentors used to say, "You don't grow old until you stop learning something new."

"You don't grow old until you stop learning something new." I like that philosophy.

My wife would be a stipulation for millennials. Born in the generation that I would consider to be most proficient with modern tech, yet is utterly clueless with anything electronic (barring kitchen appliances, thank God).

 

[Deano]

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?

My wife was a tech and she died at 60. So us oldies are not as dumb as the pups think. I just wish l had listened to her more when she was telling me her geeky stuff.

 

[Deano]

Yeah, but can young people use a rotary phone?

None of my grandkids can read a faceclock.

 

[trouttimes]

My father is 95. He is on his computer or his iPad hours each day. I’m 67 and I’m comfortable in all platforms. People who choose to be left behind, irritate me. Knowledge is out there if you want it. Don’t blame age on ignorance. If you don’t, want to be comfortable with modern technologies, fine. Your choice. Just don’t blame your age and not being able to keep up. I would bet these people always had a hard time keeping up even when they were young.

 

[sablebrush52]

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"

That the debate between Apple and PC is still going on is another mark agianst the existence of intelligent life on Earth. Both have their uses, strengths, and weaknesses. I've used a variety of OS's and configured hardware, and they all do what I need done. Get over it.

 

[sablebrush52]

One of our daughters is a elementary school teacher. She has no concept of what it takes to keep a Mac or PC in good working condition from a software standpoint. I'm constantly reminder her to keep the computers she use updated with the newest operating systems. The same with her cell phone and tablet devices.

But never early in the release cycle. Early is when you become a guinea pig for the developer since release is how they quickly discover all of their fuck ups at your expense.

I was a beta tester for Adobe as well as one of their Photoshop Gurus in the '90's. Various versions of betas often came with some cool ideas that were dropped from the final product, but also with some bombs that could take down your OS with surprising ease. My reward for putting my workstation at mortal risk was a free copy of the app.

Version 3 was the first version where Photoshop offered layers, a seminal step in making the application much more useful. Some of the early Betas could crash your machine in surprising and maddeningly erratic ways. In the end it obviously worked out, but Adobe forgot one thing when they published a release. They forgot to remove the kill code that came with every beta. The kill code would render the software unable to open after a preset date.

So when Adobe released 3.0 to all across our great land, they did so with a literal time bomb ticking away. Far across America, in design studios, artist's studios, ad agencies, graphic businesses far and wide, at the stroke of midnight of December 31st, the app shut down, never to rise again. The gnashing and wailing , and rending of sack cloth was impressive.

Adobe quickly issued a free update, Photoshop 3.0.1, which killed the kill code.

End of line.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

What I gather from the comments is, Boomers are tired of successive generations making wild generalizations based on stereotypes about their generation while simultaneously making wild generalizations based on stereotypes about said successive generations.

Does that about sum it up?

 

[mso489]

I was interested when an intern at work who was definitely tech savvy was dumfounded by the request to Fax something. Technology has a thousand little niches. I scorn Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but my post count on Forums is fairly high. Such is life.

 

[LOREN]

I’ve been trying to answer this for the last hour but just realized I was using my old typewriter.

 

[anotherbob]

I do have to say I have noticed that people over a certain age do often times have trouble shaking the notion that using the wrong input could break the computer. Which makes sense because you could cause a huge mess back when they learned to use computers. You still can but that's all on the back end now. It's funny helping people like that do their computer things usually involves reassurance. They ask should I press this, you say yeah that's it. Repeat till done. Less not sophisticated by and more traumatized by it.

 

[pappymac]

What I gather from the comments is, Boomers are tired of successive generations making wild generalizations based on stereotypes about their generation while simultaneously making wild generalizations based on stereotypes about said successive generations.

Does that about sum it up?

Pretty much.

On another note.
I was just in the grocery store and in line behind a woman who looked to be in her 30s. She couldn't get the card reader to work. Kept putting it in and then taking it out.

Finally the cashier told her, "Your putting it in upside down. It has to be chip up and at the top when inserting."

I thought it was hilarious.

 

[Arthur Frayn]

What I gather from the comments is, Boomers are tired of successive generations making wild generalizations based on stereotypes about their generation while simultaneously making wild generalizations based on stereotypes about said successive generations.

Does that about sum it up?

That's some Inception level analysis right there.