"I really don't think you should even own a computer."

[Nakajo]

I'll say it again: Mandatory New Computer User Classes! Write your Congressman now!

In my county, it is a requirement to take 2 computer classes at least in order to graduate high school. One of the required ones is on how to operate a computer and basic Windows programs (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)

Best idea ever.

[Ducky Dew]

My parents are both in their 60s and are quite computer literate. They may not know how to get behind the GUI to do anything, but they can get around XP just fine to do what they need to do. Beyond that they know to ask my oldest or myself for help and listen very well so walking them through things over the phone is usually fairly painless.

What never fails to amaze me, and sometimes irk me as well, is when the teachers seem amazed that my youngest knows as much as he does. Ok, yes, he has light cerebral palsy and a bit of a speech impediment. Yes, he takes special ed classes because he cues much better with verbal styles than written. However, he's had his own computer since he was 8, and at 11 now is quite competent. Because he WANTS to learn, he wants to know, and I very rarely have to show him anything more than twice for him to get it down cold.

Computer idiots, and those that fly them well, range across all ages. I was helping in a real estate office once two days a week. One of the agents, a very respected and apparently intelligent woman in her mid 30s, called me at my regular job in a panic because her printer wouldn't work. I went over to the office (we partnered w/ them, our mortgage/building co. w/ their real estate co. so I went back and forth a lot), previous experience having taught me to never try and walk this woman through anything, just fix it for her and save myself the headache.

The problem? The printer was unplugged from the wall.

[technical.angel]

You don't understand though. This woman took ten long-ass minutes to figure out she had XP, which led me to believe she had no idea what VISTA was, let alone would not have been smart enough to know to request XP over VISTA.

I learned a really simple trick to find out what someone was using.

"Bottom left of your computer screen. Do you see a gray start button, green start button, or a blue circle?"

[sms001]

"Bottom left of your computer screen. Do you see a gray start button, green start button, or a blue circle?"

jumpin' jehosaphat!!! How easy is that!!??? When I think of all the times I've had to talk people through RIGHT clicking "My Computer" (Which isn't always available anyway....) or the long route through the control panel...... Obviously doesn't always work with heavily skinned OSes, but I bet it works 99.999999999% on those who don't know what OS in the first place.

Thanks.

(Now if you can just get me those 4.7 hours of my life back.....)

[earl colby pottinger]

Will not work

I learned a really simple trick to find out what someone was using.

"Bottom left of your computer screen. Do you see a gray start button, green start button, or a blue circle?"

Your customers must not suck much. If I tried that I would get.

1) Computer screen, what that? Oh, do you mean the TV?

2) It's square and red. Or I don't see any button as the customer stares at the bezel of their monitor.

3) Can you say that again? I forgot the choices.

4) What the $&&!@#. I told you, I have Windows 2006. NOW FIX IT!

5) I'll call back when I get home and can take a look.

[Bright_Star]

It surprises me that in this day & age that someone would not have basic computer skills. Seems to me that if you don't have basic computer skills then your ass shouldn't be anywhere near a computer. You'd be better off with a calculator.....lol.

[freaktard]

Seems to me that if you don't have basic computer skills then your ass shouldn't be anywhere near a computer.

I wish somebody would tell my mother-in-law that!

[scruff]

"Bottom left of your computer screen. Do you see a gray start button, green start button, or a blue circle?"

Be careful though, you can have XP runnning in 'classic windows mode', so you get a grey start button instead of the green one.

My last job, when we upgraded to XP, IT set eveyone up automatically in 'classic' mode, to cut down on the number of paniced users alarmed by something new.

[technical.angel]

jumpin' jehosaphat!!! How easy is that!!???

You're welcome!

There is a key combination that will open up system properties. I'd have to ask what it is again. I know it involves the Windows key. If course, asking many lusers to press more than one key at a time is asking for trouble.

Your customers must not suck much.

Well, I do deal with college students.

Be careful though, you can have XP runnning in 'classic windows mode', so you get a grey start button instead of the green one.

Well, I DO deal with college students. If they don't know what OS version they're using, they don't know how to change their windows mode.

[Naaman]

Well, I DO deal with college students. If they don't know what OS version they're using, they don't know how to change their windows mode.

I always found that users managed to change the most obscure settings without knowing what they were doing

[sms001]

There is a key combination that will open up system properties.<snip>to press more than one key at a time is asking for trouble.

[Window Key] + [Pause/Break key]

It's actually what I usually use personally, but stay away from over the phone. There are WAYyyyy too many keyboards out there for me to try to zero someone in on a key they may have never used in their life And yup - key combos are HARD! Your way probably works more than often enough to make it primary from now on.

[carlyn]

I've worked with some people, both young and old, who "get it" right away, and some who fail to grasp the same point no matter how many ways I try to drive it home. I'll admit that younger folks are generally more receptive to learning computers (and other technological things, for that matter), though.

Without a doubt, the "dumbest" computer user I've personally dealt with to date is in her early 20's. Unfortunately, she is employed by the 2nd-dumbest computer user, who is in her 50's ..
they come in all shapes and sizes.
Not to be sexist: there are several runners-up who are male. Currently, the 2 women hold the top spots because of their unbelievable hissy fits over mistyped email addresses and how we somehow "hijacked" their computers so their email would not go out.

[technical.angel]

I'll admit that younger folks are generally more receptive to learning computers (and other technological things, for that matter), though.

I saw this quoted in carlyn's post and had to add my 3 cents.

I didn't have any of these computers for kids that they have nowadays. The coolest bit of technology I had when I was growing up was an Etch-A-Sketch. OoOo. But, even back in elementary school, we had a computer lab (Oregon Trail!!). My sophomore year of high school was one of the first few years to offer Typing on computers rather than typewriters.

So, basically, the "younger" folks have grown up with technology, thus they have a better foundation with it than those whose idea of a computer was a pile of metal that filled up a few rooms and used punchcards.

[AriRashkae]

I saw this quoted in carlyn's post and had to add my 3 cents.

I didn't have any of these computers for kids that they have nowadays. The coolest bit of technology I had when I was growing up was an Etch-A-Sketch. OoOo. But, even back in elementary school, we had a computer lab (Oregon Trail!!). My sophomore year of high school was one of the first few years to offer Typing on computers rather than typewriters.

So, basically, the "younger" folks have grown up with technology, thus they have a better foundation with it than those whose idea of a computer was a pile of metal that filled up a few rooms and used punchcards.

Tangent: Sounds like me (Oregon Trail rules!). I recently read a book (I'd have to dig it out of the moving boxes) about a woman who worked Printer Room back when they used tapes and the computer took up half the room. Was very interesting. As is watching the history of SpaceFlight or some such, and seeing the behemoths used for computations.

[JustADude]

So, basically, the "younger" folks have grown up with technology, thus they have a better foundation with it than those whose idea of a computer was a pile of metal that filled up a few rooms and used punchcards.

They've done huge studies about it, and they call it "Native/Alien Learning". If you grow up with the concepts in every-day life, you get the details of it worlds easier than if you're introduced to the foundations later in life. I think the cut-off point for Nativism is somewhere in the mid-20s.