Are you out of the loop when it comes to modern technology?

I consider myself lucky that I helped to raise my now 30 something nephews or I wouldn't even be as tech savvy as I am, the types of jobs I did never involved using a computer. I still have my flip phone too and it does everything I need it to, I refuse to change just for the sake of changing (although texting on it is painful). I won't give up my landline either, nobody has been able to back up the assertion that I would be saving money and I like to be able to actually hear what is being said!
Social media? Nope, not interested. Although I find it really annoying that many organizations have a Facebook page as their only web presence and visiting without logging in is difficult. And WHY does every google search I do now try to lead me to Pinterest??

I have a desktop, and prefer it. I-pads have poor keyboards; anyone who's typed for years can tell you that a keyboard should not be flat; it needs to be angled.

Texting on a small phone is for the birds. I've had carpal tunnel syndrome and tenosynovitis in my hands or wrists and don't want to go through that and therapy for it again.

There's another issue and that's what we've done at work. Paralegals used to have secretaries, but eventually they as well as attorneys did their own typing and to a certain extent drafted their own documents, then often gave it to secretaries to "clean up" and reformat.

Anyone who's worked on multi-page documents knows the value of a really good sized screen with a good keyboard. I can't imagine any secretary being comfortable preparing a 20+ page LLC agreement or 30 - 40 page reciprocal easement agreement for a commercial real estate project and enduring the discomfort of a laptop or I-pad.

So I think we we're using now is in a large part a reflection of what we've used over the years as we segued from manual to electric typewriters, and then into computers.

Further thoughts: I now understand how parents feel when they're faced with changes of which they don't approve, or aren't comfortable or don't feel worthwhile.

Our parents especially faced significant challenges, from the Depression and then WWII. Even though we've lived through various "wars" or regional confrontations, they aren't like the World Wars.

Every time I watch a WWII movie, I become unsettled thinking of what the English and French, the Dutch, and other conquered peoples endured, how much they sacrificed, and how terrifying their lives must have been.

They proved their mettle. They don't have to do it again by becoming computer savvy and learning how to communicate on tiny devices - they probably had to learn Morse Code, which was probably in many cases a life saving knowledge. I don't think there's anything about learning how to navigate FB, Instagram, Twitter or any of the other social media forums that comes even close to the value of knowing Morse code.

As an American I've never had to worry about my home being bombed. Although there were practice raids for a Soviet nuclear attack, it's not the same as hearing an air raid siren and dashing down into a shelter.

I remember scrambling for shelter during practice nuclear attacks. They were unsettling, and frightening. It was hard to conceive of being in America and being subject to a Soviet nuclear attack.

I think those kinds of events remained in the minds of those who experienced them, just as those who've experienced being in the path of tornadoes, hurricanes, N'Easters, and wildfires remember the fears experienced.


So when I hear people lauding FB, Instagram, and others, my response is kind of "ho hum." WHY do I need to be concerned about using or knowing how to use them? I need more knowledge of how to fix my car, to fix my broken frig, to recover the kitchen floor, replace a leaky sink, and really practical things. Social media is just fluff to me.

our cable co. just forced all customers to switch to digial tv.
and you needed a box(4) for each tv. and they charge for each box.

this made me very angry at first. CAUSE I JUST WANT TV.

I don't need a complex remote (one with 200 buttons) and I don't need my channels all changed up. for example channel 41 is now 1203.

my husband had a hard time at first tying how to connect the boxes because they came without instructions. and each box you had to call a help line to get connected.

the boxes are stupid. sometimes they don't work in sequence with the tv. so if you turn on tv. , the box doesn't turn on. so you have to get up and push the button on the box.

I have the tv on all day because im alone and I like to. but after 4 hours the tv turns itself off.

and while I watch tv, I hear my cable company (commercials) brag on how great it is.

so my bill is more, I cant see the little buttons all squeezed on the remote. and the picture doesn't seem like a big deal. and they give you only one remote per TV.

I told my husband if we were any older we would be struggling bad. I feel for older people trying to figure this stuff out.

and my other choices with another company didn't seem like a good thing either.

Lol, I do facebook only to keep in touch with friends and relatives. I pretty much just scroll thru. The rest of the stuff listed I know what it is but not interested in it. I went for years not having a phone. Had my flip now Smart phone. I got rid of my desktop and got a laptop. Hated those cords. My LT is about nine yrs old now.

Wally, I agree with you, watching TV has become so darn complicated. I was happy with just old fashioned basic TV as I was always able to find something to watch especially on PBS.

Before remote control I got a lot of exercise getting up off the sofa to turn on the TV... again to change stations... again to change the volume. And to watch TV was free !! And the TV wasn't the size of a picture window. It wasn't that long ago I was happy watching a 25" tube TV.

My sig other pays extra for the sport bundles so now the monthly fee just to watch TV was the same amount that my ex-hubby and I paid for our first apartment rental.... [sigh].

My Dad was so confused after having antenna TV for all those years, then moving into senior living and experiencing cable for the first time. So he only watched those stations that had the same channel numbers that he had at home, he never channel surf. And the remote they had was not elder friendly.

I hate remotes! They've become so elaborate and even the AC has one. I have Windows 7 on a nine year old desktop with a huge monitor, and since getting "Ad Remover" for Chrome, no ads, no viruses, almost never slows down - guess where a lot of that stuff must have come from? Actually, I wrote my first book on a new laptop, but 6 years later only use it for watching movies on You Tube, connected to the large TV with an HDMI cord (techie enough when I want something!), Smart phone was husband's castoff, since he needed a better one for work; no FB or any of the others. The newest thing I do like is Roku, tho I find a lot of the programs/movies too racy; there are Christian and family friendly stations, though, so enough to watch; between that and YT, don't have to pay for cable. See, make tech stuff work for you, not you work for it, just as the rest of you said.

LOL about the remotes, I couldn't agree more! The TV in the nursing home lounge has 3 (or 4?) remotes and is hooked up to various devices so changing the channel is a specialized skill not shared by most of the staff, which is why they almost never show anything but the movie channel.

If you find your cable confusing and you live close to any urban area might I suggest an antenna? The new digital over the air signals are amazing, and free! Unfortunately I am too far from the city to pick up anything easily :(

In my opinion, I think having a cell phone allowing incoming and outgoing calls wherever you are (hospital, outside walking, grocery store, etc.) and a computer allowing access to the internet is mostly what is needed to "keep up" on any relevant level. The benefit of social media such as facebook is for you to post your current status and friends remain updated by accessing your page. This means you never actually need to pick up a phone and call anyone with your current events or send emails. This could be good or bad depending on your perspective. As for businesses who only post on a Facebook page, I always think they are trying to save money by not having an actual web page since facebook has no cost to them. However, if businesses do have a facebook page or twitter account, whatever they post should be kept current with updates, solicit feedback from their "followers", and have great looking graphics for visual appeal. If not, people just tune out. (I am in a technical field by the way.)
As for the flat screens with electronic keys, they aren't meant to type out novels, only quick chats or to look up things on the web quickly. I still like my laptop with the large screen for viewing and the actual keys to type stuff. I think you are doing fine.
This is an interesting topic.

I'm going to gamble on rechanneling this thread for something that's been annoying me more and more about tech devices. And that's the privacy invasion facilitated by use of such devices, specifically the operating systems for computers, and the TOS and indemnifications required to use these devices.

MS has become so much more aggressive about invasion. Privacy has been compromised to the point that it almost doesn't exist.

WIN 10 is the most invasive system I've used. The novel 1984 if I recall was directed toward a Big Brother government, but tech device manufacturers and suppliers have taken the lead and found ways to intrude in ways that government can't. Tech devices are loaded with TOS and private policies cleverly crafted by attorneys to allow retention of data far beyond basic necessity for legal compliance.

I've railed before against these kinds of privacy invasions. data gathering and the commoditization of personal information. And I'll continue to do so as I despise these offensive and aggressive intrusions into my life, and the lives of people who must agree to accept shrink wrap TOS and privacy terms just to use the devices.

And there abuses, and in at least the case of one specific computer manufacturer, these abuses haven't been properly addressed or resolved.

Now medical people are creating portals by which personal information is made available, theoretically for patients, families, other medical pros, and related interested parties.

I've read that theft of medical information is becoming more lucrative than theft of financial information. Anyone remember the Anthem hacking?

I've been asked every time Dad was in the hospital, or I was, if I want to sign up to use their Patient Portal. I always ask what level of security they've created, and to explain what systems they're using to protect our data. The nurse or aide, or whoever it was who asked, never has any answers, except perhaps the vague "oh, I'm sure it's safe."

Never has there been any suggestion to have an IT person come and explain their system and alleged security. I did ask once to speak to am IT rep, but my request was just fluffed off, and the comment was that it would just be noted that I'm not interested in participating.

When Chase was hacked, the culprits reached the 6th or 7th level of security....I don't recall which now. One of the Chase bankers told me that names were obtained, but no account or financial information was. Chase spends millions on security.

Is it realistic to think that doctors' practices, or hospitals, are going to spend millions as well? And is it realistic to think that given financial constraints on hospitals that they're even going to consider that, or hiring a team of tech experts to create a system that's even close to the level of security a private sector company can?

Yet the medical field has so much information, not just the basic identifying information, but highly personalized medical information. I've periodically wondered if the robo calls hawking medical devices are just part of the aggressive telemarketing and junk call industry, or if someone has actually seen some aspect of my medical file.

Our lives are no longer private, and tech devices played and continue to play a major role in this privacy invasion.

I have a smartphone and iPad. We have a desktop computer but can’t say the last time we used it, it’s likely very outdated. I don’t know all my phone is capable of and am glad of it, never want to be that person who can’t look up from the phone and see the world. My children are young adults and are far more computer and tech literate than I am...far more...they practically cut their teeth on technology whereas I wasn’t raised with it being such an integral part of life (but then again, I can spell with out spell check!) I don’t do social media, for people of my age I’ve found that Facebook is largely a way to say “see, my life is better than yours” and I’ve just never felt any need to get into that rat race of comparing and trying to win at all that. It’s just noise to me. Do I really need to know that someone I went to school with enjoyed a great sub sandwich on their trip to wherever?! But I do think we’d all be wise to learn more computer skills, they’re ever changing and here to stay. As none of us knows what life may throw at us it’s always good to have current skills, and I’m talking to myself here....

GardenArtist, whenever at a doctor's office and they ask me to sign up for the portals, I usually just say "yes" not to be bugged, but I never sign up any more. Tried it once, and I just wasn't interested. One less thing to write in the booklet I have for my ID's and passwords.

Oh, speaking of data gathering, just today while at the office someone was working on this high tech looking metal thingee that was on the easement section of the front lawn of the neighboring building. Boss went out to talk to the repairman. Turns out that strange looking thing with what looks like a small solar panel was gathering radio usage data of the cars crossing in front of a busy highway.

One thing I have been hearing now are those "answering" devices that one can have on their coffee table. Alexis and others. I don't have one, I can look up answers myself... keeps the brain active \o/. Well, there is something about how maybe those devices are listening to their owners.

Tacy, thanks for that helpful information. I should have figured that out by myself, if my mind was functioning right...duh. Outsourcing is much better than in house, in this case.

Daughter, your post made me laugh. From what I've heard, TMI seems to characterize some of the social media interactions. Yes, who cares what someone ate for lunch.

Your point though that we need to have (and I would add basic for business) computer skills is well taken. From my experience, databases were some of the hardest for acclimation. Law firms used them for entry of time, and they were cumbersome, not "intuitive" and certainly not designed for law firm users. It was a nuisance every time I had to enter time.

And frequently when I call businesses, I'm told I have to wait b/c the screen has closed and the user has to open it again, or has to switch to another screen to provide additional information.

But word processing, especially WordPerfect, was a godsend for legal use, just as word processing systems were before computer use replaced manual typing. WP's superior systems, its red-lining especially, revolutionized the delivery of documentation to clients and greatly enhanced the productivity of secretaries, paralegals and attorneys.

It especially streamlined production of agreements. Instead of copying an earlier document, users had only to check the firms' data bases and pull up the specific clauses they needed, merge personal data from the client intake forms, and create a new document that way.



FF, I'm assuming that the solar panel was attempting to determine the number of cars with radios on? I suppose that could be for safety purposes....who knows? Cell phone usage would be a better measure; if it determined the number of people talking while driving, maybe the local community would consider (if financially feasible) more video monitors at intersections.

I feel the same way about Alexis and the other talking machines.. If it could scrub the floor (or better yet, the toilet), mow the lawn, repave my driveway, paint the walls, or cook meals, it would have some valued use for me. The Farmer's Almanac provided good insight into reading the weather. I don't think Alexis can check specific trees to see which leaves are upturned, which they do as a storm moves in. Squirrel activity to me is more predictive of the onset of winter than a talking computer device.

Brains are not designed to be hand fed; they need to be kept active, just as muscles do.

One of the things I find so bizarre is that so many people are relying on GPS that they actually CANNOT read a map!




Computers have revolutionized the way business are run and maintained. And that's great. It's the social applications that I think are less valuable. And I never will understand why people share so much personal information, nor will I understand how they can participate in social media w/o even bothering to read the TOS and privacy policies. Perhaps ignorance is bliss.

Some of it just baffles the h--l out 0f me. I watch people texting as second nature. Cell phone conversations on buses just drive me up a tree. Often thought of jammers but they're illegal.

GardenArtist, my Dad taught me to read a map when I was a kid. Years ago people use to complain that their GPS was stolen from their cars. I use to joke that if my GPS was stolen, that means I was kidnapped :P

Dad taught us how to read maps as well. I couldn't help thinking of this thread today when I had to pick up a rental while my chariot was in for repairs. The rental company's entire system was down, every single branch was literally dead in the water.

The staff didn't know who had contracted for pickup. They couldn't tell how many cars needed to be available; and the phones were jammed, probably with others like me who had to wait 15 minutes to get through to someone to find out where my pickup ride was.

By the time I did get through, and finally got the rental, it was 2 hours later. I was ready for a nap by then.

And to add an almost bitter contrast to this, the car I got was a new one, with all the bells and whistles, and a 200 +/- page manual. It has something called Sync, camera for back-up (not all that new), and I can't recall what else right now. I actually got bored reading it.

But with all this technology, the overwhelming feeling of being in the car was like being in a coal mine. The entire interior was black; every rental I've had has had a black interior. It was disorienting; I felt trapped in a dungeon.

If I put my sunglasses on, I couldn't see the screen well enough to read the gauges. I was tempted to stop at a camping store and get a hat with a light on it.

I thought to myself that I hope I don't encounter someone driving one of these things and fiddling with the gadgets while doing so. That car is an accident waiting to happen. But it can't....despite all the bells and whistles, the car doesn't even have a paramedic function. A real person has to come and rescue the driver.

My car dealer offers a shuttle service when you take your car in for repairs but instead of a dedicated bus they will take a car off the lot, in my experience it is generally something similar to what you are already driving they hope might catch your eye. But do I really want a touch screen on my dash, with my old car I can feel to change the radio or fan or temperature without taking my eyes off the road,

My repair shop offers that service as well, but I'm almost on the other side of the county and they don't drive that far. Too bad, because I don't want to switch repair shops; this one is absolutely the best.

There was one really good feature that I would have liked to have had: apparently it's a motion detector or sensor that alarms when the car is too close to another object, such as a car being driven by someone texting while driving.

Wouldn't you still have to look at the gauges/dials, etc. in order to change something? One thing I noticed is that the dashboard is beginning to resemble a HUD; there are probably 3 - 4 times as many gauges and dials as on my existing car. If I pressed the wrong thing....well, I'm not sure what would happen - chaos maybe?

Whatever happened to K.I.S.S., when it comes to newer devices it seems to be the opposite of that. All this intuitive crap and pre sets on everything from toasters to automobiles is only helpful if you never want something outside the norm. Up, down. On, off. Why do I need a manual to accomplish that?

That's one reason I am hanging onto my 22 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee... the gauges are so simple. The vehicle has everything I need. My sig other also has a 22 year old Jeep Cherokee and has no plans to buy newer. From advertisements the dashboard for these new cars one would need a pilot's license to figure out.

GardenArtist, HUD statement?  If yes, right on.

Plus my car yearly property tax is like $10.00 because of the age of the vehicle. Buy new, the tax would be hefty.

cwillie, I agree with you about the K.I.S.S. At work my boss was wondering if I wanted the upgrade version of a software, I looked at it and said NO quickly. The version I was using was good enough for me. That new format was too busy and would take longer for me to figure out how to use. And if I used the software only once a month, I probably would need to re-train myself :P

As someone who enjoys using and learning about the latest and greatest advances in technology, I am most certainly out of the loop. I even got my certification as a computer maintenance and repair technician years ago. It scares me how clueless I can be at times considering how involved I am and the fact that I am only in my 20s.

My issue lies with how rapidly technology is changing. There are constantly new products being introduced often annually for many companies. That's not to mention all of the software updates that get churned out nonstop. Just when you are becoming familiar with the way something works, a new update comes out and you are back to square one.

I don't have the answer on how to combat this. Things are just going to continue to be updated more and more often. A part of me actually enjoys seeing how fast technology is improving and advancing, but I can't help but fear I will eventually fall further and further out of the loop until things become way too advanced for me.

You all are lucky. Wait until you've been hacked 3 or 4 times like I have. Best advice. If your screen goes blank or a strange voice starts telling you to call a #, DON'T DO IT. Shut it down and immediately notify someone you trust. Hackers are definitely trying to get into your system. It might be expensive but you can avoid further damage if you disconnect entirely. Believe me, I learned the hard way. Inconvenient as all get out but they love to prey on seniors.

CW, yes, I'm totally in support of KISS. It just makes common sense.

FF, Head Up Display, as in fighter jets.

You have to pay property tax on your vehicle? Wow. That's a new one for me. We have annual fees, although I suppose they're a form of tax.

Caregiverology, MS is guilty of churning updates, although some of them really do seem necessary when they interface with other programs. But the nonsense and the silly applications they keep downloading for WIN 10 are a waste of space, and reflect the arrogant presumption that I want that junk on my computer.

I think a critical aspect is being left out of all of this generation of new adaptations, new gizmos, and more. And that's that they need to serve a useful function, which to me is more important than providing activities for spare time. Being outside or doing something natural and healthy is better for leisure activities than playing with tech gadgets.

And one of the major problems of the upgrades is the lack of product and user documentation, in hard copy. We have to spend OUR time to research and use applications to make them worthwhile.

I was thinking the other day of the auto "upgrades" decades ago, when fins would change shape and length, and annual changes in cars were mostly cosmetic. There have been some good upgrades since then, but there's still focus on adaptations that to me are frills...if they don't upgrade safety, mileage, and basic factors, I think the bells and whistles are just a waste of money.

Cats, is your anti virus, anti malware, etc. system kept up to date? What security program are you running? Being hacked must be so frustrating - unsettling, upsetting, frightening to feel so vulnerable...

Cats, I hear a strange voice telling me that it's okay to eat chocolate, even when I'm trying not to. And sometimes another strange voice tells me it's okay to sleep in and get up later, or just spend the day reading.

These strange voices are the good kind.

By choice, I don't do facebook, instagram, snap chat, nor watch tv. I think all this is overrated, and keeps people from living life. It keeps people from actually communicating or visiting as they use to. The art of letter writing is gone. I try and keep it alive. It's almost as if society is reverting back to hieroglyphics.
Funny how society thinks your kinda weird if you do not conform to technological "progress."

Worries from a 20 something about being unable to keep up with the changes makes me feel a little bit better, it's not just my brain atrophying then?

We were once on the cutting edge with a home computer, dial up internet and Windows 95 - it's laughable how quickly you can be left behind. Remember when software came with paper manuals? Windows for Dummies books? That horrible noise when connecting to dial-up, and then not being able to use your phone and internet at the same time? When our boys were in school they wouldn't accept a hotmail email address because hotmail was dodgy, instant messaging on your desktop was cool. lol

I think of the turn of the last century when some people were driving sleek roadsters, some were still using their model T's and the hopelessly out of date old timers were still hitching the horses.

I remember my Ex watching our middle daughter texting - predictive text, goodness, wasn't that fun? - and speculating aloud about how long it would be before humans evolved to have prehensile thumbs with two extra knuckles. That was back in the nineties.

What comforts me is that in spite of how widespread ICT is, and how sophisticated it already is, surprising people don't know how to use it either. Company directors. Marketing gurus. I would say world leaders except apparently sometimes they do get the hang of it [deep breath, people].

Yesterday two engineers came to deal my t.v. which has been misbehaving, apparently since an upgrade to the transmitter back in March or something - I wouldn't have noticed the missing channels if the BBC hadn't put key bits of Wimbledon on them, idiots. They started to explain. I stopped them and told them that when it comes to television, I want it to work and I have no interest in understanding how. And you know what? Not only did these two young men not laugh at me or get exasperated, one said "I think we all feel the same."

Reminds me of a lovely exchange on a radio comedy, set in a therapist's office...

Beleaguered MP: ... oh, did I mention I'm on Twitter now?
Therapist: No, Richard, you didn't. I'd have lost sleep.

CW, about the appliances. A good friend had invited me and another woman to her country house for the weekend. Sunday was GF's gym morning, so off she went asking us to put the casserole in the oven at eleven or so. No worries!

When she came back at noon we were both still staring at the oven trying to see where the On switch was.

We're all going to have Pavlovian responses to

fax machine tones deeeeeeee-diddleliddleliddleliddle-deeeeeeeee

dial up tones baaaaahhhhhhhhhm squeak squeak paaaaaaa

Not to mention the Nokia arpeggio and the Apple chord.