Do people get too old to handle nu technology?
 

My wife has a silly little job, her own business, and runs a volunteer organization. Along the way she's using three computers and a laptop, and tends to keep all of her documents on a little thumb drive which she looses once or twice a year. This weekend I set her up with Google docs and she had to create a document with screen shots and it totally kicked her ass. Hours later I discovered she secretly installed Windows Office behind my back and did "the old way".

Do people reach an age where they cannot handle doing something new?

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Efv4EjFxH...00/old+dog.png

:stoned

ADG

Hmm, something about new crypto-currency technology and old people not understanding it...

Well, I remember my parents having a problem setting the freaking clock on the old school top loading VCR.... And my in-laws, well, their TV system kicks their ass.

I'm more worried about me getting like that.

think this is all a myth. had a old family member learn how to install webcams and ims to talk with all her friends back in the ol'UK in.. 2002-5?

:2 cents::2 cents::Oh crap

I think people in general like to stick with what they know and what feels comfortable to them. No matter what the age is. Most people I know would barely know how to install MS Office or use a thumb drive.

When I was young (and even now) I learned everything by breaking it. Software, computers, websites, scripts, you name it… I learned the most when I intentionally/accidentally broke something and then went back to fix it. I have found that older people do not like breaking things, it's too risky.

Depends on the person. Gf's grandpa tried to turn on our tv on the counter. It was the microwave

it depends on the person, when they dont want to learn it, they will never learn it. if they want to learn it, they will. don't push towards it.

i guess the best thing to do is sync the thumbdrive up with dropbox or something like that, every time she plugs it in

there are things i simply refuse to use and/or learn

Don't know whether it's due to age, or just that enough is enough already. I simply can't be bothered with a lot of the shit that's out there.

Some things just work better for others. That is why there are lots of different types of software and apps, along with OS and devices.

The answer to that is actually yes... not "cannot handle" but rather "becomes increasingly resistant to change" - Take advertising for example. Mainstream tv. They never target ages over a certain number. It's 40 i think. Basically by that age, your toothpaste is your toothpaste. Your car is your car. Your shaving cream is your shaving cream. Your ketchup is your ketchup and so on. Your habits are your habits. Your routines are your routines.

That's how I learned Linux :thumbsup

-- Bill

yes indeed. it's a proven fact and it's related to neurons losing elasticity thus having less adaptability to new learning (my wife is a psychology doctor and this is her specialty, so I hear this song like every fucking day)

No it's just not staying current is the problem. New tech just doesn't come BAM on the scene. It creeps in at a digestible rate.
Ds

There was a window of about 4 years where I did not want to shoot pics digitally. After 25 years of shooting film, I just didn't "want" to.
Once I did, and got used to it..."FUCK FILM"!
Old habits die hard, man.

I think it's just people don't want to deal with all of the bullshit

Me for example, could I figure out how to use a smartphone? Of course. Would it be useful, not at all. Fuck a smartphone.

I'm that way now... I don't even want to figure out a bunch of new shit... my phone and TV and bd player are all clever enough as it is... even cars.. and cameras will do shit I could care less about..

Same here. I was about 15/16 when I got my first computer. I remember getting my first couple of virus' and Gateway Tech support were the first ones who taught me out to re-install my OS. It went on from there.

But I disagree with that..... My car is not my car. I am 44. I used to drive nothing but sports cars; The notion of me driving a truck made me laugh. At age 42 I bought my first truck, 4x4, loved it. I also just bought a jeep - love that too.

I try new things all the time.

I was that way for a while and I had to force myself to change. Now I am always looking for new things to help make my life easier.

I understand that or are an exception to the rule. That does lot mean the rule is not generally true. It does not apply to everything. I'm sure you and AARP will doing some business soon and their advertising will be intended for you. But if you look at 99% of what is advertised on tv after 6pm, it's not targeting you. It's targeting younger people - that's because as a general rule, people over a certain age have preferences and are more resistant to change or experimentation.

Try getting my 65 year old mother away from her Nintendo Wii or her Kindle Fire! And my Dad with his mobile phones!

I hear ya'. :thumbsup

My 75yr old father knows more about computers than most kids these days. He got into computing on the ground floor back in the day...his first system was a PC-XT - and he's progressed with new systems every few years ever since. He does stuff with Coreldraw that'd blow your mind.

The older you get the dumber you get...human body degenerates...