Reply to: Getting my mum up to speed with computers

[Support Monkey]

I always tell people who want a computer/laptop/tablet of that kind of age, or anyone with little experience get yourself down to your local library and get on a course, their normally taught by people with a bit of patience and you can work at your own speed, they can pick up the basics and then they will have more confidence with their own equipment. and they get to go out and mix with other people, much better than you spending your time teachine them. "this is a mouse" "this is a keyboard"

[MarillionFan]

Put her in contact with Suity's mum. She's all over the web.

That websites not registered yet.

[Old Greg]

He dodged that by being only an Apple user...

My mum thinks I work in computers, but my VAT FRS category says otherwise. My brother is a 'proper' computer person.

[Troll]

If you want to be a 24 hour support service. The most important thing it that you do the set up but your sibling does the support.

He dodged that by being only an Apple user...

[Mich the Tester]

I went through this (painful) experience with a parent - key point I would suggest is install a remote desktop so you can see what they are typing and discover things about your parents you didn't really want to know.

ftfy

[Old Greg]

I went through this (painful) experience with a parent - key point I would suggest is install a remote desktop so you can see what they are typing as it is a completely new language to them and trying to convey / understand over a telephone call is frustrating gto both parties - think this will preclude a tablet though

HTH

If you want to be a 24 hour support service. The most important thing it that you do the set up but your sibling does the support.

[Troll]

I went through this (painful) experience with a parent - key point I would suggest is install a remote desktop so you can see what they are typing as it is a completely new language to them and trying to convey / understand over a telephone call is frustrating gto both parties - think this will preclude a tablet though

HTH

[vetran]

what you need is a requirements workshop -SUITY!!!!!!

[Ticktock]

So she can use email, and she can do shopping.

What else does she want to be able to do / do you think she should be doing? It might be that a new device would make things easier, it may be that she just needs a bit of help / another way of explaining things.

[Old Greg]

A tablet is an idea and the "can't bork it" part is good, but she would still need a computer for writing the odd letter and possibly some online banking type stuff. Her XP laptop has started warning about end-of-life and the thought of trying to guide her set up with not just a new laptop, but W8, isn't ideal

Chromebook? Haven't looked at it in detail but thought about it for my mum.

[d000hg]

A tablet is an idea and the "can't bork it" part is good, but she would still need a computer for writing the odd letter and possibly some online banking type stuff. Her XP laptop has started warning about end-of-life and the thought of trying to guide her set up with not just a new laptop, but W8, isn't ideal

[Qdos Contractor]

Perhaps get her a tablet instead; there's a lot less nonsense functionality and it seems 'beginners' can use them very quickly.

+1

My mum had a nightmare with computers but is fine with an iPad - and she can do everything she needs to do on it. It's far more intuitive for people who have little experience with computers.

[vetran]

Kindle fire HD, she will be up & running in minutes. Mrs V is a bit of a technophobe but she loves her Kindle tablet.

Get it on broadband and it just works.

[Old Greg]

My mum is about 70 and pretty bright, but despite using email and so on at work before retiring, she's never really "got" computers. She can do a few things by rote but you can tell talking to her that she really doesn't understand basics like what a website is, and this lack of fundamental understanding means she doesn't know enough to use her brains to figure things out, she just gets stuck and then sort of paralysed in case she does something wrong.

We live far away so I can't go and help her out, I wondered what advice anyone can offer? I suggested she might take a course but I think she was a bit offended and thought I was saying she was too stupid to understand... she believes that she's actually quite good on computers because she can send an email or buy something on Amazon. I'm sure with just a little understanding, she'd quickly catch on and find the web a much more useful resource.

Ta.

Put her in contact with Suity's mum. She's all over the web.

[Mich the Tester]

My mum is about 70 and pretty bright, but despite using email and so on at work before retiring, she's never really "got" computers. She can do a few things by rote but you can tell talking to her that she really doesn't understand basics like what a website is, and this lack of fundamental understanding means she doesn't know enough to use her brains to figure things out, she just gets stuck and then sort of paralysed in case she does something wrong.

We live far away so I can't go and help her out, I wondered what advice anyone can offer? I suggested she might take a course but I think she was a bit offended and thought I was saying she was too stupid to understand... she believes that she's actually quite good on computers because she can send an email or buy something on Amazon. I'm sure with just a little understanding, she'd quickly catch on and find the web a much more useful resource.

Ta.

Perhaps get her a tablet instead; there's a lot less nonsense functionality and it seems 'beginners' can use them very quickly.