Why are there so few of us?
One reason I have so few friends with whom I can discuss my passion for the internet and all other things geeky is that too few of my friends near, at or beyond my age are interested in technology.
This all came about well after they became adults and were focused on raising a family and building a career. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to computers while in the Army in the 70s, so my interest has been building for 30 years.
Too many people my age have no interest in social networking, no idea how to make their computer work the way they want it to and no deep interest in the web at all. They say, "I'm too old to get this" or "The internet is for teenagers".
How do we get older folks interested and engaged with the internet? What can we do to make the web a fun and productive place for them?
This all came about well after they became adults and were focused on raising a family and building a career. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to computers while in the Army in the 70s, so my interest has been building for 30 years.
Too many people my age have no interest in social networking, no idea how to make their computer work the way they want it to and no deep interest in the web at all. They say, "I'm too old to get this" or "The internet is for teenagers".
How do we get older folks interested and engaged with the internet? What can we do to make the web a fun and productive place for them?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anita on -
I am in a similar situation, got into computing a long time back and have an enduring passion for it that few of my friends share. But I don't think that age is all that much to do with it. One of my neighbours, a young woman in her 30's, has worked as a programmer for 15 years. But once the working day is over, she switches off and has no interest in the internet or technology of any kind.
My teenage son and his horde of friends are all into online gaming, MSN and FaceBook, but purely as consumers. They see no need for them to delve any deeper. In fact, THEY call ME a geek!
So it goes, some people are happy enough to use technology as and when it comes to them, and are prepared to wait until the learning curve is shallow enough for them to clamber aboard with little or no effort :) I have no problem with this approach at all; surely a major benefit of technology is in making things easier or more accessible to the majority.
What we, as early adopters and technophiles, can do to help make the web a fun and productive place for everyone else, is to carry on signing up for beta tests and giving our feedback on new ideas so that developers can continue to innovate.
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Permalink Reply by Bruce Wagner on -
I think that there are more older people online than you may realize...
For example, the average age of Twitter users is much older than those of Facebook, etc.
Also, as the web, and web tools, become easier to use.... and more intuitive... The web will be a friendlier, easier, and more familiar place for users of all ages.
For example, as platforms such as Google Wave become the norm.... People will be communicating easily... in super productive new ways.
Hopefully, everyone will be as familiar with using Wave.... as they are with using Email today...
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Permalink Reply by Bruce Wagner on
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Jack, you've been into computers your whole life, haven't you...?
Do you think there's a difference between people who've ALWAYS been geeks..... and just got older....
And older people who are just now beginning to get into computers.....?
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