Youngsters not happy oldies going online

[AEM]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Youngsters not happy oldies going online
By Martha Irvine January 29, 2008 06:00 AM

THE older generations are moving in on the hi-tech, online world and the under-30s are not impressed.

Scott Seigal was awakened one morning by a mobile phone text message.

It was from his girlfriend's mother.

His friends' parents have posted greetings on his MySpace page for all the world to see.

And his 72-year-old grandmother sends him online instant messages every day so they can better stay in touch while he is at university.

"It's nice that adults know some things,'' says Seigal, 18.

He especially likes instant messaging with his grandmother because he is "not a huge talker on the phone".

Increasingly, however, he and other young people are feeling uncomfortable about their elders encroaching on what many young adults and teenagers consider their technological space.

Long gone are the days when the average middle-aged adult did well to simply work a computer.

Now adults have Gmail, upload videos on YouTube, and show off the latest hi-tech gadgets.

Young people have responded, as they always have, by searching out the latest way to stay ahead in the race for technological know-how and cool.

They use Twitter, which allows blogging from one's mobile phone or BlackBerry, or Hulu.com, a site where they can download videos and TV programs.

They customise their mobile phones with various faceplates and ringtones.

And sometimes, they find ways to exclude adults – using high-frequency ringtones that teenagers can hear but most adults cannot, for instance.

Nowhere are the technological wars more apparent than on social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, which went from being student-oriented to allowing adults outside the college ranks to join.

....</div> http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,...5014239,00.html

 

[pegs]

I always felt weird as hell when my ex's mom used to text me every once in a while. Meanwhile, my parents are dumb as hell when dealing with texting/computers (my mom's gotten a lil better)...example: my mom didn't know where to plug in the mouse to her laptop. Had no clue about the USB. haha

 

[Dumpy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 30 2008, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I always felt weird as hell when my ex's mom used to text me every once in a while. Meanwhile, my parents are dumb as hell when dealing with texting/computers (my mom's gotten a lil better)...example: my mom didn't know where to plug in the mouse to her laptop. Had no clue about the USB. haha</div>

Pegs, without knowing your ex's mom, I've got to defend older people. It's not that we're dumb, just that we have WAY more stuff to focus on. The nuances of modern electronics is just mostly irrelevant. Most of this stuff is just irrelevant and spending time to learn how to use it is just time misspent.

 

[ghoti]

I agree.

Oldsters like cpawfan should go back to their punch cards and slide rules.

 

[pegs]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jan 31 2008, 09:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 30 2008, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I always felt weird as hell when my ex's mom used to text me every once in a while. Meanwhile, my parents are dumb as hell when dealing with texting/computers (my mom's gotten a lil better)...example: my mom didn't know where to plug in the mouse to her laptop. Had no clue about the USB. haha</div>

Pegs, without knowing your ex's mom, I've got to defend older people. It's not that we're dumb, just that we have WAY more stuff to focus on. The nuances of modern electronics is just mostly irrelevant. Most of this stuff is just irrelevant and spending time to learn how to use it is just time misspent.
</div>

Eh, ya, I see what you're saying.

I still find it somewhat funny when my parents can't figure out something as easy (and useful) as a cell phone. I mean, it took me ~5 minutes to figure out how to use my new cell phone. My dad got his a while ago, and he still doesn't really know how to use it.

I just don't really get why some things seem so easy for youngins and so difficult for older people.

 

[pegs]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Jan 31 2008, 09:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agree.

Oldsters like cpawfan should go back to their punch cards and slide rules.</div>

And their "home computers"

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

All you gtfo of my interwebz.

 

[Dumpy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 31 2008, 09:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jan 31 2008, 09:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 30 2008, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I always felt weird as hell when my ex's mom used to text me every once in a while. Meanwhile, my parents are dumb as hell when dealing with texting/computers (my mom's gotten a lil better)...example: my mom didn't know where to plug in the mouse to her laptop. Had no clue about the USB. haha</div>

Pegs, without knowing your ex's mom, I've got to defend older people. It's not that we're dumb, just that we have WAY more stuff to focus on. The nuances of modern electronics is just mostly irrelevant. Most of this stuff is just irrelevant and spending time to learn how to use it is just time misspent.
</div>

Eh, ya, I see what you're saying.

I still find it somewhat funny when my parents can't figure out something as easy (and useful) as a cell phone. I mean, it took me ~5 minutes to figure out how to use my new cell phone. My dad got his a while ago, and he still doesn't really know how to use it.

I just don't really get why some things seem so easy for youngins and so difficult for older people.
</div>

I don't know how to use the features on my cell phone--I just don't give a shit. Yippee, it understands what i say if I talk to it, and I can program single-digit pre-sets. It's just a waste of energy to even worry about it. I did learn how to text last year, though. I don't see the attraction.

Although there is defeinitely a difference between old people wiho TRY to learn how to use something and can't, or just throw up their hands and give up because it is too hard. It isn't too hard; it just isn't worth the trouble. When you're young, everything new is worth learning solely because it is "cool." When you're old, you ask yourself first: what does it do for me? If the answer is "nothing," then we'll probably pass. I don't know how to upload music to my MP3 player, either. My wife learned how to do it, and that's good enough for me. That reminds me, I should ask her to add some albums tonight.

 

[pegs]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jan 31 2008, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 31 2008, 09:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jan 31 2008, 09:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 30 2008, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I always felt weird as hell when my ex's mom used to text me every once in a while. Meanwhile, my parents are dumb as hell when dealing with texting/computers (my mom's gotten a lil better)...example: my mom didn't know where to plug in the mouse to her laptop. Had no clue about the USB. haha</div>

Pegs, without knowing your ex's mom, I've got to defend older people. It's not that we're dumb, just that we have WAY more stuff to focus on. The nuances of modern electronics is just mostly irrelevant. Most of this stuff is just irrelevant and spending time to learn how to use it is just time misspent.
</div>

Eh, ya, I see what you're saying.

I still find it somewhat funny when my parents can't figure out something as easy (and useful) as a cell phone. I mean, it took me ~5 minutes to figure out how to use my new cell phone. My dad got his a while ago, and he still doesn't really know how to use it.

I just don't really get why some things seem so easy for youngins and so difficult for older people.
</div>

I don't know how to use the features on my cell phone--I just don't give a shit. Yippee, it understands what i say if I talk to it, and I can program single-digit pre-sets. It's just a waste of energy to even worry about it. I did learn how to text last year, though. I don't see the attraction.

Although there is defeinitely a difference between old people wiho TRY to learn how to use something and can't, or just throw up their hands and give up because it is too hard. It isn't too hard; it just isn't worth the trouble. When you're young, everything new is worth learning solely because it is "cool." When you're old, you ask yourself first: what does it do for me? If the answer is "nothing," then we'll probably pass. I don't know how to upload music to my MP3 player, either. My wife learned how to do it, and that's good enough for me. That reminds me, I should ask her to add some albums tonight.

</div>

Haha, that's definitely an interesting viewpoint to me. I'm sure I'll understand when I get older. Right now, everything new and technological that comes out seems interesting to me...but I guess that'll change when I get older.

Today, in my Database Design & Implementation class, my teacher started talking about how sooner or later we'll get to the point where there's something better than today's computers around. And I couldn't help but to let my mind stray away from what she was talking about and think-wow, that really might happen in the future. And I'm not too sure if I'll be excited about it, or pissed that today's computers will then become somewhat obscelete.

Right now, I love computers the way they are, and they feel extremely easy to use, and I feel like I can do so much computers. But what if that all changes, and some new thing comes out that makes Hard Drives, RAM, USB, ROM, mouses, hell maybe even LAN practically useless? I was thinking, how old will I be when that happens? Will I be able to make the transition? Will I still use computers the way they are right now?


Hm. Well, sorry with all this mindless rambling, I just thought it related to the topic, and figured that's possibly the way you felt (or my parents felt) when computers first came around, or when cell phones became popular.

 

[Dumpy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 31 2008, 10:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jan 31 2008, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 31 2008, 09:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jan 31 2008, 09:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 30 2008, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I always felt weird as hell when my ex's mom used to text me every once in a while. Meanwhile, my parents are dumb as hell when dealing with texting/computers (my mom's gotten a lil better)...example: my mom didn't know where to plug in the mouse to her laptop. Had no clue about the USB. haha</div>

Pegs, without knowing your ex's mom, I've got to defend older people. It's not that we're dumb, just that we have WAY more stuff to focus on. The nuances of modern electronics is just mostly irrelevant. Most of this stuff is just irrelevant and spending time to learn how to use it is just time misspent.
</div>

Eh, ya, I see what you're saying.

I still find it somewhat funny when my parents can't figure out something as easy (and useful) as a cell phone. I mean, it took me ~5 minutes to figure out how to use my new cell phone. My dad got his a while ago, and he still doesn't really know how to use it.

I just don't really get why some things seem so easy for youngins and so difficult for older people.
</div>

I don't know how to use the features on my cell phone--I just don't give a shit. Yippee, it understands what i say if I talk to it, and I can program single-digit pre-sets. It's just a waste of energy to even worry about it. I did learn how to text last year, though. I don't see the attraction.

Although there is defeinitely a difference between old people wiho TRY to learn how to use something and can't, or just throw up their hands and give up because it is too hard. It isn't too hard; it just isn't worth the trouble. When you're young, everything new is worth learning solely because it is "cool." When you're old, you ask yourself first: what does it do for me? If the answer is "nothing," then we'll probably pass. I don't know how to upload music to my MP3 player, either. My wife learned how to do it, and that's good enough for me. That reminds me, I should ask her to add some albums tonight.

</div>

Haha, that's definitely an interesting viewpoint to me. I'm sure I'll understand when I get older. Right now, everything new and technological that comes out seems interesting to me...but I guess that'll change when I get older.

Today, in my Database Design & Implementation class, my teacher started talking about how sooner or later we'll get to the point where there's something better than today's computers around. And I couldn't help but to let my mind stray away from what she was talking about and think-wow, that really might happen in the future. And I'm not too sure if I'll be excited about it, or pissed that today's computers will then become somewhat obscelete.

Right now, I love computers the way they are, and they feel extremely easy to use, and I feel like I can do so much computers. But what if that all changes, and some new thing comes out that makes Hard Drives, RAM, USB, ROM, mouses, hell maybe even LAN practically useless? I was thinking, how old will I be when that happens? Will I be able to make the transition? Will I still use computers the way they are right now?


Hm. Well, sorry with all this mindless rambling, I just thought it related to the topic, and figured that's possibly the way you felt (or my parents felt) when computers first came around, or when cell phones became popular.
</div>

the thing is, if you've already gotten entrenched in the way you run your life with current technology, you won't see the point in learning about something new--especially when you have children to worry about, bills to pay, got to run your house, have to put out fires at work.

a lot of newer technology is simple to use and the trick is just to become aware of its existence--but some is a pain and doesn't add any utility over the previous process. We've also gone through the growing pains of the newer technology--for instance you have no idea what a pain it was to burn your own CDs when the technology was first available. I've also already learned how to use backup tapes, zip drives, etc. It's just one new technology that doesn't add any utility. [flash drives DO add utility, but a monkey could use them]

let me ask you--do you like vista and the new version of word, or do you hate it? I HATE it. I still miss word perfect and Lotus.

 

[pegs]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jan 31 2008, 10:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>the thing is, if you've already gotten entrenched in the way you run your life with current technology, you won't see the point in learning about something new--especially when you have children to worry about, bills to pay, got to run your house, have to put out fires at work.

a lot of newer technology is simple to use and the trick is just to become aware of its existence--but some is a pain and doesn't add any utility over the previous process. We've also gone through the growing pains of the newer technology--for instance you have no idea what a pain it was to burn your own CDs when the technology was first available. I've also already learned how to use backup tapes, zip drives, etc. It's just one new technology that doesn't add any utility. [flash drives DO add utility, but a monkey could use them]

let me ask you--do you like vista and the new version of word, or do you hate it? I HATE it. I still miss word perfect and Lotus.</div>


I prefer XP. Seems like a waste of money to me to get Vista. I've tried it a tiny bit on my friend's computer and have had to use it for the past couple weeks on my family's upstairs computer. And I don't really see what's all that great about it--there's nothing special I can tell other than using flash drives to speed up the computer.

And as for the new version of Word - that's a joke, haha. I think EVERYONE hates it. I have not met 1 person who has said anything good about the new Word. Word 2003 was awesome.

 

[Dumpy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jan 31 2008, 11:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jan 31 2008, 10:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>the thing is, if you've already gotten entrenched in the way you run your life with current technology, you won't see the point in learning about something new--especially when you have children to worry about, bills to pay, got to run your house, have to put out fires at work.

a lot of newer technology is simple to use and the trick is just to become aware of its existence--but some is a pain and doesn't add any utility over the previous process. We've also gone through the growing pains of the newer technology--for instance you have no idea what a pain it was to burn your own CDs when the technology was first available. I've also already learned how to use backup tapes, zip drives, etc. It's just one new technology that doesn't add any utility. [flash drives DO add utility, but a monkey could use them]

let me ask you--do you like vista and the new version of word, or do you hate it? I HATE it. I still miss word perfect and Lotus.</div>


I prefer XP. Seems like a waste of money to me to get Vista. I've tried it a tiny bit on my friend's computer and have had to use it for the past couple weeks on my family's upstairs computer. And I don't really see what's all that great about it--there's nothing special I can tell other than using flash drives to speed up the computer.

And as for the new version of Word - that's a joke, haha. I think EVERYONE hates it. I have not met 1 person who has said anything good about the new Word. Word 2003 was awesome.
</div>

but now you have to learn how to do everything on the new word even though you like and are used to the old word. And you've got the new word at home and the old word at work. And in four years Microsoft will just change it again, anyway. why spend the time on it? when I was in college I knew all the shortcut codes on Wordstar 2000, but that was the first word processing program I knew, so I had to learn about it. Diminishing returns--it stops being worth the time after awhile.

 

[Dumpy]

Incidentally Peg, you know there are 12-year-olds out there who think that Vista and the new version of Word are just the coolest thing, are learning everything there is to know about them, and will compare all computer software to them for the rest of their lives. You, on the other hand, are just scoffing at them and trying not to spend more time than you have to learning how to use it.

It is starting--you're on your way to becoming a grumpy old man. Congratulations!

 

[cpawfan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Jan 31 2008, 09:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agree.

Oldsters like cpawfan should go back to their punch cards and slide rules.</div>

I'm into the modern stuff. I just swapped my 8 inch drives for a pair of 5 and 1/4 inch drives

 

[Kid Chocolate]

i asked ghoti a math question once and he busted out an abacus.

 

[speeds]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MyNetsForLife @ Jan 31 2008, 09:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>All you gtfo of my interwebz.</div>

Yes, do not want! They r stealz my bandwidth.

 

[Dumpy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Feb 1 2008, 10:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Jan 31 2008, 09:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agree.

Oldsters like cpawfan should go back to their punch cards and slide rules.</div>

I'm into the modern stuff. I just swapped my 8 inch drives for a pair of 5 and 1/4 inch drives
</div>

please, please tell me you're serious. I have a floppy disk and I have no idea what, if anything, is on it. I suspect I've saved it for a reason.

 

[pegs]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Feb 1 2008, 10:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Incidentally Peg, you know there are 12-year-olds out there who think that Vista and the new version of Word are just the coolest thing, are learning everything there is to know about them, and will compare all computer software to them for the rest of their lives. You, on the other hand, are just scoffing at them and trying not to spend more time than you have to learning how to use it.

It is starting--you're on your way to becoming a grumpy old man. Congratulations!</div>

Yay! I'm becoming a grumpy old Nets fan.

 

[AEM]

I'm just glad to hear that nobody's using data punchcards anymore.

 

[cpawfan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Feb 1 2008, 12:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Feb 1 2008, 10:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Jan 31 2008, 09:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agree.

Oldsters like cpawfan should go back to their punch cards and slide rules.</div>

I'm into the modern stuff. I just swapped my 8 inch drives for a pair of 5 and 1/4 inch drives
</div>

please, please tell me you're serious. I have a floppy disk and I have no idea what, if anything, is on it. I suspect I've saved it for a reason.
</div>

I do have some in storage

 

[Chutney]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Feb 1 2008, 12:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Feb 1 2008, 10:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Jan 31 2008, 09:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agree.

Oldsters like cpawfan should go back to their punch cards and slide rules.</div>

I'm into the modern stuff. I just swapped my 8 inch drives for a pair of 5 and 1/4 inch drives
</div>

please, please tell me you're serious. I have a floppy disk and I have no idea what, if anything, is on it. I suspect I've saved it for a reason.
</div>
Porn...?

 

[AEM]

^ Those naughty flapper girls

 

[Kid Chocolate]

It's a picture of Dumpy and John Hollinger crunching numbers in their Speed-o bathing suits.

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Feb 1 2008, 10:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Incidentally Peg, you know there are 12-year-olds out there who think that Vista and the new version of Word are just the coolest thing, are learning everything there is to know about them, and will compare all computer software to them for the rest of their lives. You, on the other hand, are just scoffing at them and trying not to spend more time than you have to learning how to use it.

It is starting--you're on your way to becoming a grumpy old man. Congratulations!</div>
I compare everything to Windows 3.1

I feel old

 

[AEM]

I miss 3.1... I kept it on my old desktop when '95 came out for a while

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

I remember playing Reader Rabbit on 3.1
Those were the days.

 

[AEM]

Heheh, Reader Rabbit. Anyone remember Rocky's Boots?

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

Was I even a sperm then?

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

http://www.warrenrobinett.com/rockysboots/

 

[AEM]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MyNetsForLife @ Feb 1 2008, 07:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>http://www.warrenrobinett.com/rockysboots/</div>

That takes me waaaaayyyyy back.