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guiding my parents remotely on how to use software is so difficult. I have to be very specific, like I have to say click the button about 2 centimeters to the

guiding my parents remotely on how to use software is so difficult. I have to be very specific, like I have to say click the button about 2 centimeters to the right board of the monitor. I understand the design pattern of an ui. even I'm new to a software I know where to find what I need. but to them, every new ui is completely new. For example, they still can't tell when to double click on a button/icon, when to single click. I gave up on educating them, all I hope is a simpler way to provide remote support. there used to be a remote desktop app called crossloop, which shut down after its company got purchased. it's very easy to use, once run, it generates a code and just enter the code on my side, I can take over their desktop. the closest solution now is chrome remote desktop, but guiding my parents through app store to install it is a long pain process and they can't remember where to find the app next time. I thought about recreating crossloop myself for people with the same need. But I talked to my friends, they don't seem to share the same pain. And I thought the market for this will shrink as the newer generations are more familiar with computers.

neilsharma 10y ago
For a moment, I thought we had the same parents. My mom doesn't know when to single vs double click, and both my parents lack the ability to visually parse through a screen's worth of buttons, links, and text quickly. Looking for a specific thing to press is like playing "where's waldo." Hmm, i was thinking about building a chrome extension that can highlight the link/text-field you want to click on. You either can ask it what you want to do (ie: add to cart, bookmark the page, comment, up vote, share, etc), and it would highlight the action on whatever website you're on. Sometimes I just want to build a chrome extension that standardizes and simplifies the UI on every commonly used website, even if that means cutting their functionalities, but that would be a silly thing to do. I hear you about newer generations knowing how to use these things. But then I think that my parent's generation will be around for another 30 years, esp since lifespans are increasing. Sure, their demographic may literally be dying off, but that's the richest 10-20% of the population that is crippled using technology. Crossloop seems interesting -- I'm seeing old links to it still hosted on cnet and other software download sites. What about smartphones? Do your parents struggle with them? How do you help teach them?
- billconan 10y ago
  Yes, my father just complained to me that his iphone is full of photos. he doesn't know how to back up those photos.

neilsharma 10y ago

For a moment, I thought we had the same parents. My mom doesn't know when to single vs double click, and both my parents lack the ability to visually parse through a screen's worth of buttons, links, and text quickly. Looking for a specific thing to press is like playing "where's waldo." Hmm, i was thinking about building a chrome extension that can highlight the link/text-field you want to click on. You either can ask it what you want to do (ie: add to cart, bookmark the page, comment, up vote, share, etc), and it would highlight the action on whatever website you're on. Sometimes I just want to build a chrome extension that standardizes and simplifies the UI on every commonly used website, even if that means cutting their functionalities, but that would be a silly thing to do. I hear you about newer generations knowing how to use these things. But then I think that my parent's generation will be around for another 30 years, esp since lifespans are increasing. Sure, their demographic may literally be dying off, but that's the richest 10-20% of the population that is crippled using technology. Crossloop seems interesting -- I'm seeing old links to it still hosted on cnet and other software download sites. What about smartphones? Do your parents struggle with them? How do you help teach them?

billconan 10y ago
Yes, my father just complained to me that his iphone is full of photos. he doesn't know how to back up those photos.