4 ms·

We don't need better tech for kids, we need better tech for the elderly. Kids can learn anything. Elderly can really struggle with today's tech.

by gkop 10y ago

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
soneca 10y ago
I agree. I have plans to create a site with animated gifs explaining from the most basic things in computer interface. Things i see my 70yo parents struggling to achieve/understand: - how to close/minimize/maximize/open a window. - right click, left click common outcomes - enter a site URL - Google use - save files - navegate through local files Etc Edit: I know "I have plans" is worth nothing, but I am unemployed right now and on a carreer change. Once I have better financial stability I plan to pursue this more effectively.
- DashRattlesnake 10y ago
  > I agree. I have plans to create a site with animated gifs explaining from the most basic things in computer interface. I remember my family's first Mac (an SE) came with a bootable disk with some simple interface tutorials like these.
- tsumnia 10y ago
  To get you to think a little more outside the box - do elderly need "computers" or "connected devices"? My dad tossed his laptop once he learned his iPad. Just something to think on. Specific "gestures" can change with tech - just like 20 years ago when my parents learned how to use a mouse was different. How do you get elderly people to intuitively use a device?
canadian_voter 10y ago
No money in tech for the elderly. They require more support, rarely upgrade and they die sooner. Kids require no support, constantly upgrade and become lifetime customers.
- bello 10y ago
  I'd argue the opposite. Since no one is catering to them and they're frustrated with all the new technologies they don't understand, the elderly would pay a premium for accessible solutions that bring them value (they're in the stage when they're spending money, not really trying to save). It's an 'unsexy' problem, and the average young developer/product person can't quite grasp the challenges the elderly have, but it's a significant, severely undeserved market. If you're (thinking of) working in this space, feel free to shoot me an email and bounce ideas; I've been thinking about this domain for a while.
  - canadian_voter 10y ago
    Personally, I'd target older wealthy folks with the most intuitive UI yet created: people. Give them a tablet with one big red button, no controls. They press the button, they connected to a real person. They tell the person what to do, it gets done. If the singularity hits before all your customers are dead: fire all your workers and replace them with AI. If you don't feel like rolling out a custom piece of hardware, maybe you could piggyback on something most elderly people already own: a land-line telephone. Voice only, but probably good enough.
    - dflock 10y ago
      This seems like a good idea, but it would have high labour costs, I would think? It's also going to cross over into health and social care, therapy and support for lonely seniors almost immediately. Your call center staff are not going to be adequately trained/prepared/certified for that.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
eliben 10y ago
Did you actually go into the link? This is tech for parents, not for kids. Yes, "when we were young" we didn't have this. Long live freedom! But "when we were young" we also didn't have two-click-access to pedophiles and sleazy porn-ad websites on every corner.
rabboRubble 10y ago
Amen. There was another thread here where I went on a rant about the MS Office Ribbon. I had whatever number of years under my belt with the previous UI, and the Ribbon is awful. This change did illuminate something for me: UI change is a bitch as you get older. When you learn how to do something one way, then the common way changes and you are forced to deal with it, that change is bumpy. I have two tricks for my parents: - Gave them 1Password as a gift and I begged them to just try it for 2 weeks. Once Dad got the hang of the auto-fill and Mom realized she could share bank passwords, they are 100% on board with a password manager. - When I teach my Mom how to do something on the computer, I often have her put her hand on the mouse / keyboard, then rest my hand on top of hers and click / type through her fingers. This way she can feel how to touch the device. Half the battle with touch screens or special operations is an unusual touch operation. Most times, I show her something this way ONCE and she gets it because she felt what I was doing.

We don't need better tech for kids, we need better tech for the elderly. Kids can learn anything. Elderly can really struggle with today's tech.

by gkop 10y ago

We don't need better tech for kids, we need better tech for the elderly. Kids can learn anything. Elderly can really struggle with today's tech.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

soneca 10y ago

I agree. I have plans to create a site with animated gifs explaining from the most basic things in computer interface. Things i see my 70yo parents struggling to achieve/understand: - how to close/minimize/maximize/open a window. - right click, left click common outcomes - enter a site URL - Google use - save files - navegate through local files Etc Edit: I know "I have plans" is worth nothing, but I am unemployed right now and on a carreer change. Once I have better financial stability I plan to pursue this more effectively.

DashRattlesnake 10y ago
> I agree. I have plans to create a site with animated gifs explaining from the most basic things in computer interface. I remember my family's first Mac (an SE) came with a bootable disk with some simple interface tutorials like these.
tsumnia 10y ago
To get you to think a little more outside the box - do elderly need "computers" or "connected devices"? My dad tossed his laptop once he learned his iPad. Just something to think on. Specific "gestures" can change with tech - just like 20 years ago when my parents learned how to use a mouse was different. How do you get elderly people to intuitively use a device?

canadian_voter 10y ago

No money in tech for the elderly. They require more support, rarely upgrade and they die sooner. Kids require no support, constantly upgrade and become lifetime customers.

bello 10y ago
I'd argue the opposite. Since no one is catering to them and they're frustrated with all the new technologies they don't understand, the elderly would pay a premium for accessible solutions that bring them value (they're in the stage when they're spending money, not really trying to save). It's an 'unsexy' problem, and the average young developer/product person can't quite grasp the challenges the elderly have, but it's a significant, severely undeserved market. If you're (thinking of) working in this space, feel free to shoot me an email and bounce ideas; I've been thinking about this domain for a while.
- canadian_voter 10y ago
  Personally, I'd target older wealthy folks with the most intuitive UI yet created: people. Give them a tablet with one big red button, no controls. They press the button, they connected to a real person. They tell the person what to do, it gets done. If the singularity hits before all your customers are dead: fire all your workers and replace them with AI. If you don't feel like rolling out a custom piece of hardware, maybe you could piggyback on something most elderly people already own: a land-line telephone. Voice only, but probably good enough.
  - dflock 10y ago
    This seems like a good idea, but it would have high labour costs, I would think? It's also going to cross over into health and social care, therapy and support for lonely seniors almost immediately. Your call center staff are not going to be adequately trained/prepared/certified for that.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

eliben 10y ago

Did you actually go into the link? This is tech for parents, not for kids. Yes, "when we were young" we didn't have this. Long live freedom! But "when we were young" we also didn't have two-click-access to pedophiles and sleazy porn-ad websites on every corner.

rabboRubble 10y ago

Amen. There was another thread here where I went on a rant about the MS Office Ribbon. I had whatever number of years under my belt with the previous UI, and the Ribbon is awful. This change did illuminate something for me: UI change is a bitch as you get older. When you learn how to do something one way, then the common way changes and you are forced to deal with it, that change is bumpy. I have two tricks for my parents: - Gave them 1Password as a gift and I begged them to just try it for 2 weeks. Once Dad got the hang of the auto-fill and Mom realized she could share bank passwords, they are 100% on board with a password manager. - When I teach my Mom how to do something on the computer, I often have her put her hand on the mouse / keyboard, then rest my hand on top of hers and click / type through her fingers. This way she can feel how to touch the device. Half the battle with touch screens or special operations is an unusual touch operation. Most times, I show her something this way ONCE and she gets it because she felt what I was doing.