Welcome one and all to Good bits and What Bytes, a blog about tech and life...and just how practical one or the other is for one and the other.
Let me preface this post by saying for part-time work, I help senior citizens get around their computer system. One of the senior citizens is my dad. He always wanted a computer for the longest time and had always asked me to help him get one or help him around one when he got it so he can get on "this internet thing". I may misquote him, but I do it for illustration. He asked what he needed so I told him everything that he needed. Three times over the course of a month.
So, a few years ago, my sister (bless her heart) got my dad an iPad. He's gotten quite proficient at it. He uses it for what I call computer-scrapbooking: when somebody uses their device for nothing but recording memories. He's quite adept at it and is able to actually e-mail his videos and pics to all of his family members. But let there be a network problem, and it's all over.
One time while I was visiting, a Verizon tech (not really a tech if you ask me, just somebody with a really heavy tool belt, glasses and a proficient skill of nodding and speaking bs) had come to the house to help them with their wireless (my dad had called them the week before this visit). The tech basically said he had to call the home office to get it fixed. Huh? (My dad runs DSL. I'm begging he gets cable soon.) You can't fix it? Nothing in your toolbelt buddy? It was going to cost my dad extra, but my dad was happy to reset the router about twice a day to avoid the extra cost. So Verizon sucks. That wasn't my point, my point was that he had ANOTHER tech come by when I wasn't there (he has no choice being he lives 5 hrs away from me) to get the network fixed again. He couldn't get back into his e-mail, or connect to the network or anything. So he called me:
Dad: "Hello, son?"
(He always asks that even thoughm 1. the only son he has and 2. It's my number and nobody answers it but me)
Me: "Hi Dad. What's up?"
Dad: "I can't get my e-mail. The tech guy came by and gave me a new internet and everything and it shows I'm connected but I don't think I'm connected."
Me: "Open up Safari."
Dad: "How do I get to Safari?"
Me (perplexed because he's opened Safari before): "Look for the thing that looks like a compass and tap on it."
Dad: "That thing?" (as if I could see it.)
Me: "Does it look like a compass?"
Dad: "Yes"
Me: "Tap it"
Dad: "OK, it's saying that there's an error connecting to the network."
Me: "OK, go to your settings."
Dad: "I'm already there"
Me (perplexed at his proficiency all of a sudden): "Ok, what does it read."
Dad: "WiFi is off."
Me: "Slide it on."
Dad: "Just slide it?"
Me (perplexed because he's done this before too): "Yes."
.....
Needless to say, we went back and forth on what to do and he eventually had to reset his e-mail password because he couldn't remember it (because everybody in my family who are NOT techies set up everything with completely different passwords which he has written down in random places around the house). He's now up and running.
Lesson #1: If you have a family member who is tech prone and understands the user experience, let THEM handle things.
So he's back in happy user mode and I'm happy he's happy because he shares the best memories.
Another senior citizen I help is completely boggled by the idea that a cellphone can take a picture, send it to her e-mail and she can send it somewhere to get it printed! For recent generations, this isn't completely mind boggling, but to the non-tech senior citizen it is both enriching and amazing. She still hasn't grasped the idea and can't retain much on how to save attachments, but that comes with practice. Her computer is a much older computer and I asked her if she'd like one with the ergonomic accommodations of helping her get around. She said "Honestly, I'm thinking of getting a tablet."
I'm thinking that may be a good idea.
If you have any questions regarding ANYTHING regarding technology, give me an e-mail at eggbrainworks@outlook.com and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction.
Logging off...it's me, eggBrain.
