He has only had his brand new computer for about 6 months...its the first one he has EVER used and it took my little brother and I many trips to his house to teach him what to do and how to use it and fix things he messed up and make sure him and his comp were protected online.
So that said the main things he uses it for is Craigslist and forwarding emails. His sister sends TONS of junk chain letter emails but then also some cute ones through and he of course forwards them ALL to me, my little brother, my mom, my uncles and many of my cousins...most of which just delete them all because so many are junk. No one complains much besides my mom because this forwarding makes him happy so we are good with that. Well today he sent me this one and I just had to share...LOL!

I've noticed most elderly people really aren't interested in today's technology. My step dad reminds me on an almost daily basis how much he hates computers, the internet and most electronics in general. I tell him its all for convenience but he says it has made the world lazy and has been the cause of too much crime, which is true but its how you use the technology that matters. Its not the devices fault for how it was used. He does like TV though.

I love technology but I believe in using it for good. Too many people exploit and abuse what is available to them in the world and use it in such selfish ways. This is what has given technology a bad name. That, and other things too.

I'm glad your grandpa likes his computer. Show him how to get to Youtube and I'm sure he will like it that much more. I recently watched news anchor bloopers and mess ups and now I love my PC so much more for giving me a way to access such entertaining content.

Your grandpa is having a lot of fun. He enjoys all those jokes and such and since laughter is good, he may enjoy a longer life span.

I also think you really got to give it to the elderly generation for diving in, using computers.

There are still yet today, many people, even younger than me, that won't dare touch a computer.
Usually, they make excuses that actually make no sense.

I recall a guy that was out here some years ago, (logger) that cut my trees down for the pond area
I was preparing for. We were talking one day and something brought up the subject of computers.
He said he does not use computers, never has used a computer and never will use a computer. I
said 'why not?' and he just shook his head. That man was probably only in his late 30's or early 40's.

If you have never used a computer, never accessed the internet, then how do you know you would
not like it?

I think some people are simply afraid of the technology. Afraid they would not be able to learn it.
Or afraid that it is really difficult to learn.

valerie wrote: Your grandpa is having a lot of fun. He enjoys all those jokes and such and since laughter is good, he may enjoy a longer life span.

I also think you really got to give it to the elderly generation for diving in, using computers.

There are still yet today, many people, even younger than me, that won't dare touch a computer.
Usually, they make excuses that actually make no sense.

I recall a guy that was out here some years ago, (logger) that cut my trees down for the pond area
I was preparing for. We were talking one day and something brought up the subject of computers.
He said he does not use computers, never has used a computer and never will use a computer. I
said 'why not?' and he just shook his head. That man was probably only in his late 30's or early 40's.

If you have never used a computer, never accessed the internet, then how do you know you would
not like it?

I think some people are simply afraid of the technology. Afraid they would not be able to learn it.
Or afraid that it is really difficult to learn.

I think it has a lot to do with where and how you were raised. Also, my mom and step dad despise the internet and computers because they hear on the news all the time of all the bad things happening from it instead of the good. For people who haven't used it before and then hear a lot of bad about it before using it will be highly reluctant to use it. My mom bought a laptop, but only because she has to use them at her job and also said she wanted another place to store pictures from her camera. She hardly ever uses it though. She turns it on for 5 minutes about once or twice a month.

I agree that people may base their decision in part on how they were raised. I was raised around computers. When my mom met my dad (step dad) I was 8 and he was trading stocks on an old apple using DOS...hahaha!! About 10 years old I started with dos and I remember you could put in simple math equations and get answers...ssshhh do not tell them I knew that...LOL! My stepdad also made a few games for me to play back then...I thought it was the coolest thing ever.
I do have a few friends that have never touched a computer and do not ever want to and they are also the ones who do not even get online on their cell phones except to download ringtones...hahaha!!!

Heather

High five to your grandpa! My 84 year old aunt started when she was 80. She only uses it to play solitaire and keep in touch with us via Skype. She doesn't know how to open her e-mail and doesn't want to know either. Install Skye for him, he will be telling you the jokes instead of e-mailing them!

ParadisePlum wrote: High five to your grandpa! My 84 year old aunt started when she was 80. She only uses it to play solitaire and keep in touch with us via Skype. She doesn't know how to open her e-mail and doesn't want to know either. Install Skye for him, he will be telling you the jokes instead of e-mailing them!

That is funny about solitaire because that is another thing my grandpa does on his computer. That was the first thing he learned to do and any time we go visit him solitaire is always up on his screen even when he is not playing it...LOL!

Heather

Wow, 82 and into computers? And yeah like said, most elderly believe books and by-hand writing is the best form of media and dislike technology with the exception of TV. I have a 70 year old grandmother working at a medical laboratory, where her everyday job duties demand the use of a computer to key in information, and she recently bought a computer for her own leisure at home. I showed her must of everything hot about the internet and now there she is on the time she has to spare at home, logging into Facebook to talk with family and friends across the world and watching YouTube videos of church services and places she grew up when she was young. Every now and again, she calls me up over the phone and asks for advice and stuff. I think it's cool.

Oh yeah, I communicate and have for years, many people that are in their 80's and 90's.

There use to be a sweet little lady, almost 95 years old, that would send me emails all the time.
She'd forget she ask me how to do such and such and ask me again.

There was another lady, and I can't remember her name (if you are out there, Hello!), she was
in her 80's and lived in California I think...well she lived some where that was more of a desert
area. We'd talk on the phone once in a great while. She had.....not crows....what are they called..
ravens. Very very cool lady and I always enjoyed talking with her.

You know, there are so many people I have met over the years online, I'd just love to meet in person.
I'm sure I never will and some have even passed on. I just hope I get to meet them on the other side.
Wouldn't that be cool! Sit on a cloud and chat about the old earthly days.

Heather,
Congrats to your grandpa... I know alot of elderly that do not even like any of the new/newest technology.. Hats off to him!!

I was telling my now passed uncle who was in his 80's that I did a google search for his house and seen it with the street names ect ect and seen the pic of his house, and he said oh do it again and see if you see me waving,,LOL I was rolling with laughter as he really thought that I could do that..

There are streams that run 24/7 in some major areas of large cities.

It's been some years ago but there was one in New York that was so cool to watch...especially back then
because I don't think youtube even existed at that time. You could see close up of people going in a theater,
in a McDonalds, in super markets, etc.