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Old 03-12-2015, 01:40 AM
 
Location: Manhattan
664 posts, read 803,921 times
Reputation: 526

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Quote:
Originally Posted by silibran View Post
My biggest technological complaint is with our TV remote, which I find hopelessly difficult.
What the hell is it about remotes???

I have a friend who just spent $20,000 on a soup-to-nuts audio/visual entertainment center ... TV and stereo totally integrated ... and STILL he needs three remotes!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by silibran View Post
And I also have to say that Netflix has been a disappointment. Most of the movies they offer are dreck.
Ditto.

Same with Hulu.

I think when we departed from our VCRs and DVD players, we were hoping that this wonderful world of "online" movies would vastly exceed -- or at the very least, equal -- the number of wonderful old titles we were used to perusing at our local video rental shops.

Sadly, so far, it has not turned out that way.
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Old 03-12-2015, 02:16 AM
 
Location: Washington state
6,974 posts, read 4,833,805 times
Reputation: 21748
I guess I could consider myself in the 'old' category, but I decided not to be scared of technology because of what I saw one day while working at Kinko's. This little old lady who had to be at least 80 (or older) came in to type something up and print it out. I set her up on the computer and told her if she needed any help, she could ask me or the other computer aide. That lady just sat down and proceeded to do all her work with no help at all, even with the printing, which for some strange reason everyone had problems with. When she was done, she got her printout, paid us, and left. My next customer was a 20 something who couldn't do anything on the computer and threw a tantrum every time he had to call for us for help because of course, it was all the computer's fault.

But I think it depends a lot on the person, too. My dad was 70+ when he got his first computer and he took to the internet like a duck to water. My mom won't touch one. I wasn't on a computer of any kind until I was over 40 and I jumped in with both feet - didn't even test the waters. I love computers.

Cell phones, not so much, but then I really don't need one.
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Old 03-12-2015, 02:16 AM
 
1,844 posts, read 2,417,578 times
Reputation: 4501
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowsnow View Post
This should be a feel good thread for all of us! 'We', collectively speaking, are pretty much cutting edge compared to lots of folks out there. We are lucky. Technology helps us every day. For the most part, we are still learning and growing.

I wonder if there will come a day when I suddenly become too old to be interested or change/adapt to what's new out there? I hope not and I am planning on fighting it! Still learning my new Android so I can't go over the hill yet! And I just finished extending my wired and wireless network. Works much better now!

Recently, I have mentioned the new person in my life, SO's cousin. He relocated from NYC to Vegas. He is seriously, with just a few exceptions, a throwback to the 1980's. He is in his 60's but to me he seems 'older' than my mom was in her mid 80's.
I get somewhat uneasy when anybody makes comments about others, in a quest to bolster their technology stature. Your coz sounds pretty sensible, knowing what I know.

I've got creds. I limit my tech consumption, and when I use it, I'm behind four layers of encryption.

I do everything I can to avoid snail mail as well. Now that we know the USPS tracks source and destination addresses of everything you send through snail mail, it's not privacy-enhancing.

Social media? Only if you want every keystroke surveilled, aggregated through metadata and consolidated, so as to make your identity more detailed, hence valuable. Facebook sells everything you post on it. Doesn't matter if it's behind your privacy wall: if you look at the ts and cs, they own every keystroke you enter.

I'm thinking we don't understand how much of a target we make ourselves by jumping on the tech bandwagon. We know who's selling. We just don't know who's buying. Frankly, it rubs me the wrong way that some anonymous fat cat is profiting from my profiles.

Compute and memory are now so inexpensive that reconstructing every aspect of your life, down to your bank accounts and credit card security codes, costs less than $30. Given that a nice, fresh identity good enough to get a passport goes for $300, that's a good ROI.

The people who understand the risks use cash, speak face to face, avoid Android and strive for transportation anonymity. They take public transportation and pay in cash for the ride. Not saying that I advocate those measures to that degree - hard to do in DC Metro. But there IS a reason why some Luddites are the way they are.

If you use the www a lot, I'd suggest getting a private VPN; encrypting your hard drive and your email; use PKI - better yet, make use of temporary email accounts. Anybody with whom you have regular communication? Suggest they do the same. Those measures make you a harder target.

In sum, there's a case to be made that your coz has his head screwed on right.
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Old 03-12-2015, 10:24 AM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,353,463 times
Reputation: 35862
H'm..reading these comments I think many people are confusing "fear" with "choice." If someone does not choose to do something it doesn't mean they fear it. They simply may not need to do or don't want to. It's not your mom saying "Eat your spinach, it's good for you." Spinach was good for you when you were a kid but adults don't need to be told they must have the latest and greatest gadget when they can get along perfectly fine with alternatives.

In the '50's the term "planned obsolescence" was coined. That so holds true today. I still run Windows XP as my OS platform. From what I have heard what replaced it was junk. Then came along Windows 8.1 which was a sloppy fix. Soon we will have Windows 10 to fix the fix. Why? I remember when people could buy computers and mess with the innards if they wanted. But most people don't want to. They want to buy something and use it and that's that. But they can't.

I find it interesting that if you go to a computer store like Best Buy, along with your computer they want to sell you a contract with a full repair service company called "Geek Squad" for which you have to pay a fee every month. Are they that certain their product will fail that "Geeks" need to be standing by ready to jump in and save the day? Shouldn't computers be perfected enough by now that this is not necessary?

What other devices necessitate this need? We buy warranties, sure, but that's a one time thing just in case maybe something will go wrong with your fridge or stove. The Geeks sound to me like anticipation of disaster.

"Planned obsolescence" at it's finest. Throw your phone away after a couple of years because the new one is better. Better how? Faster, prettier, cooler? For sure more expensive.

TV's. Remember when you brought one home, turned it on and watched it? Now you practically have to take a class on how to use it.

Perhaps many older people reject this whole electronic scam because they are wise enough to know when someone is trying to do a number on them. They look at the entire picture with suspicion so they reject at the concept of buying into the need for every electronic device that comes on the market especially when there is an alternative.

Good for us. I don't object to the use of electronics only the pushing of devices or expensive upgrades of those devices on people who do not want or need them. As long as my 15 year old analog TV, 6 year old clam shell cell phone (I have an even older one but Verizon won't support it any longer) and 10 year old computer still work I will still be using them. They do what they are supposed to do. And that's just fine with me.
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Old 03-12-2015, 11:24 AM
 
Location: CT
3,440 posts, read 2,512,540 times
Reputation: 4639
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowsnow View Post
This should be a feel good thread for all of us! 'We', collectively speaking, are pretty much cutting edge compared to lots of folks out there. We are lucky. Technology helps us every day. For the most part, we are still learning and growing.

I wonder if there will come a day when I suddenly become too old to be interested or change/adapt to what's new out there? I hope not and I am planning on fighting it! Still learning my new Android so I can't go over the hill yet! And I just finished extending my wired and wireless network. Works much better now!

Recently, I have mentioned the new person in my life, SO's cousin. He relocated from NYC to Vegas. He is seriously, with just a few exceptions, a throwback to the 1980's. He is in his 60's but to me he seems 'older' than my mom was in her mid 80's.

He does use a cellphone. But when it comes to paying the bill, he will travel by bus to the store and pay an extra dollar to pay it in person and get a receipt. He is disabled and walks with a cane so this trip will take him at least a couple hours. And it will be painful too. Plus the bus costs money. So I showed him it takes less than 10 seconds to pay a cell bill online and you get a confirming text and an email receipt within seconds. Will he do it? I think not.

He still buys stamps, checks, and mails his bills. Then he checks with each company every month to make sure they received his payment. Really? I don't think I have done these things for decades. Everything is online.

He loves the library. And he goes there in person to check out books. And carries them home on the bus. I showed him how I do it. I virtually go to the library and download what I want to read. Sometimes I read a book on the computer, and sometimes I will put the book on my Android or Nook so it's portable. The look on his face was pure deer in headlights. Just the idea totally befuddled him.

He loves music. Growing up in NYC and living there all these years gave him the opportunity to actually see almost all his favorite artists. He has an extensive collection...wait for it....on vinyl. He has never owned a CD. He actually has a turntable and plays records. So I showed him my ipod. SO introduced him to his collection of CD's and the wonder of Bose speakers. And burned him a CD.

Maybe the most confusing part of this is that he is our contemporary and it's like talking to your grandparents. I have no idea if he can be dragged into this millennium but I'm going to try. I built him a laptop out of spare parts I had lying around. I guess a new challenge for me will be trying to teach him how to use it.

How can anyone reach 60+ in this day and age NOT be computer savvy? He has never bought anything online either.

Take a minute to think about what technology does for us every day and be thankful we aren't like this guy! Just being able to access and use things online, like this forum, from our armchairs, is a great gift. Till I met this guy I took most of it for granted. I think I will start paying more attention!
I haven't read the whole thread yet so I don't know if someone already covered this, but here goes. To you or me (I'm in my 60's), we probably grew up and had our careers in technology based industries, so we've been exposed to the evolution of integrating technology into our lives and we're comfortable with it. But some people are insulated from it, or they don't want to relinquish some control of their lives to a computer. To us, it's a tool and we've invested the time and money into learning how to use the tool, they don't see enough value in the investment. Kind of like a guy who uses an old hand saw, he cuts a piece of wood every now and then, but rather than invest in a brand new super duper cordless saw, the hand saw works and its good enough for him. I think further down you mention you put together a computer and want to teach him how to benefit from it, maybe that's like putting a square peg in a round hole, technology may not fit nor does he want it in his life. Until he sees a benefit to his lifestyle, he may be perfectly happy with his hands on approach, he trusts it, he's comfortable with it, no need to change what works for him. BTW- my mother is 84, I had gotten her a PC and she started getting into emailing and some online gaming, but of course she started clicking on everything and every couple of weeks I had to go straighten out her registry or something. I finally bought her a Chromebook, can't download bad stuff to it, Google keeps the OS up to date automatically, and she loves it, no problems and if she has an issue with something I can log onto her instance from my computer and fix it from wherever I am. Maybe offer your cousin that option?
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Old 03-12-2015, 09:23 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,648 posts, read 28,516,169 times
Reputation: 50473
I had a surprise yesterday in Staples when I went to order something from their catalog. The clerk asked me to enter my name and address onto a touch screen. I couldn't do it. I type the way we were all (boys AND girls both) required to learn in 8th grade typing class. This big Staples screen needed you to hit the pretend-"keys" with one finger.

It was so frustrating. The screen was huge and I kept putting my hands over it to type but my hands weren't as big as this screen. Now I'm afraid I wouldn't ever be able to text either if that's how you have to type, with one finger.

Yes, the clerk had to enter my name and address for me. I hated it!!!!!!
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Old 03-12-2015, 11:23 PM
 
Location: A Yankee in northeast TN
15,994 posts, read 20,986,750 times
Reputation: 43370
Quote:
Originally Posted by Minervah View Post

I find it interesting that if you go to a computer store like Best Buy, along with your computer they want to sell you a contract with a full repair service company called "Geek Squad" for which you have to pay a fee every month. Are they that certain their product will fail that "Geeks" need to be standing by ready to jump in and save the day? Shouldn't computers be perfected enough by now that this is not necessary?

What other devices necessitate this need? We buy warranties, sure, but that's a one time thing just in case maybe something will go wrong with your fridge or stove. The Geeks sound to me like anticipation of disaster.
Just a bit of a side note, but a good bit of what the Geek Squad does is not fixing 'broken' computers, but rather repairing the bungled mess some owners make with their viruses and trojans and messing about with things they don't know how to use properly.
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Old 03-13-2015, 12:07 AM
 
11,181 posts, read 10,489,756 times
Reputation: 18618
Interesting that so many posters here are equating smartphones with number of minutes allotted to talk time. For most smartphone users, that's not important.
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Old 03-13-2015, 11:20 AM
 
1,959 posts, read 3,092,325 times
Reputation: 6146
I do find it amusing how advertisements come up after I purchase something or look at something on line. For my own amusement and to mess with profiling, I go on a mis-information campaign. I will "shop" for car parts, tractor parts, men's underwear, anything that I absolutely would not buy. I may google information about British subs during WW2 - again something I am absolutely NOT interested in. Then it's amusing to see how the pop up ads change. I'm not worried about safety from computer use since I have 2 identity theft insurance policies and not even remotely worried about someone showing up at my front door. Regardless of the ads that come up, I only purchase what I want, when I want, etc. I LOVE the computer for many reasons which include TV, Rhapsody, news, weather, social life, shopping. I can sit around in my pajamas all day with no makeup, drinking coffee and be greatly amused on my own terms.
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Old 03-13-2015, 12:31 PM
 
Location: Cody, WY
10,420 posts, read 14,545,889 times
Reputation: 22016
Quote:
Originally Posted by LivingDeadGirl View Post
I do find it amusing how advertisements come up after I purchase something or look at something on line. For my own amusement and to mess with profiling, I go on a mis-information campaign. I will "shop" for car parts, tractor parts, men's underwear, anything that I absolutely would not buy. I may google information about British subs during WW2 - again something I am absolutely NOT interested in. Then it's amusing to see how the pop up ads change.
Almost all search engines ''personalize'' search results. This means that different people do not see the same results. Results are not primarily based upon relevance.

I recently made a discovery that has improved my search results to an extraordinary degree. I discovered an anonymous search engine. Since it has no memory of search history, results are the same for everyone and are based strictly on relevance. I suggest trying it. Search a topic with your current search engine. Then search on DuckDuckGo. I believe that after a few searches you'll be sold.

If you strive for the ultimate in privacy you may download the TOR browser which allows access to .onion websites. Although DuckDuckGo does not advertise it in any way they have a mirror website in the onion world. DDG does not search the darknet itself; rather it searches the clearnet from the darknet. It's like watching while being invisible.

BTW, don't be afraid of the dark net. Animal abuse and porn are generally forbidden on message boards.

https://duckduckgo.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_Duck_Go

https://www.torproject.org/

DuckDuckGo .onion address (only accessible from TOR):

http://3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion/ (cut and paste is required)

To
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