Older Generations Using the Internet

[jgh7]

At age 29, my survivng grandparents are in their 80's. They have never partaken in the internet or smartphones or any of the like. Their technology ended with the t.v. and the typewriter. And that's perfectly fine to me.

There are numerous posters here in their 60's and 70's (not sure about the 80's and onward). For some reason it brings a sense of happiness and being impressed to see those posters using a more "unique" feature of the internet (a debate forum rather than just basic google searching stuff).

Now these posters may think I'm actually insulting them. They may think I'm suggesting that their minds should not be able to handle this technology. Please, I am not suggesting anything of the like. I know that these older generations are some of the most intellectually keen posters and debaters on these forums.

What I'm saying is that I find it interesting that they have happily taken on the journey of the new technology that is the internet whereas many other older generations have done the opposite and completely avoided it.

My own mother who is 59 avoided the computer entirely her whole life. She has just recently in the past few years started to enjoy and master her smartphone, but not without great aid from myself and others. Honestly, she's terrified of learning new technology

If the older generations (60 and onward) care to comment, what was the experience like for you learning about computers and the internet. Did you approach it with excitement, fear, wonder? I learned about the computer as a young kid, and the internet became popular also while I was rather young, so it was just natural for me (things are easier to adjust to when you're really young).

I often wonder what the next big technology advancement in computers (or something else) will be, and if I'll be willing to partake in it, or if I'll be averse to it and perhaps fear learning it like my parents and grandparents before me.

[OnceConvinced]

I always loved computers. I kind of see cell phones as the next big thing now, even though they are computers really.

Cell phones I was very resistant to at first. I despise telephones. Avoided getting one for as long as I could until I got on the dating scene a few years ago and women were asking why I didn't have one.

So now I do and really miss it when I don't have it. And now I'm getting into apps. How cool are they? Save me so much time.

[Zzyzx]

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[Replying to post 1 by jgh7]

At 29 you are the age of my grandchildren (though I am not a typical grandfather in any respect). They have children who are probably not far from reproductive age (I do not keep track of or in touch with people based on genetic relationships -- but might appreciate knowing when I reach the great-great category in a few years).

Putting that into perspective, my first exposure to computers was during the 1960s -- when they occupied an entire room, used reel-to-reel tape systems, and were programmed with punch cards. Computer time was valued in thousands of dollars per hour. The PC was a decade or two in the future.

In a geology study I used an early computer mapping program from an obscure journal that required one full box of punch cards for the program and another full box for my data. The room-sized computer ran for HOURS but did produce exactly the map needed (to prove a professor wrong).

I "dropped out" of computer use for a few years after leaving the university, then reentered in about 1985 with an Apple IIE and and soon an IBM 260.

Phones, smart or otherwise, are not appealing -- partially due to hearing loss and partially to big hands that do not work keys well except on a large split keyboard. However, I keep a cell phone with minimum cost yearly access plan. My first cell phone was a Motorola "Brick" (Google if unfamiliar) in the early 90s.

This may not answer any questions -- but may give some indication that people pushing 80 (76 specifically) need not be regarded as pre-computer or dinosaurs.