Abandon fear, embrace technology

We ushered in the digital era and used computer technology since its inception.

Why would we all of a sudden now be afraid of it? :rolleyes:
 
If you're 35 today, you would've been 10 years old when the IBM PC was already on a massive roll redefining computing as we knew it. By the time you entered high-school you'd be using Windows 95 on a 386 processor.

I'd rather it's the 35 year olds that have no problem deploying technology in their businesses today.
 
My dad is 50 - and quite into technology. He had this idea of a manager knowing how to use a PC instead of "passing it onto to the secretary" since PCs were introduced!

Problem is his vision - can't read a modern cellphone screen, or anything on the native resolution of his 24" monitor. So he uses it as a lower resolution! >_<
 
I dunnoh - I find people of 25 - 35 are actually more computer literate than younger generations, although I could be wrong. I think the slightly older generation grew up when the web etc was in its infancy, and it took some thought and digging to get things to work.

The teens of today can do FB, download ringtones, torrents etc, but when it comes to opening a prompt, understanding what a server is, viewing HTML source etc, there's simply no knowledge. People of +-30 still know what IRQs, ports are - e.g. because of getting SoundBlaster cards to work with dodgy DOS games...

Of course, my impressions could be entirely inaccurate :)
 
35 Phhhtt!

I'm 47. In my final year of school I got a Sinclair ZX80, cost £99. Had a massive 1 kilobyte of memory. The TV display would go blank while processing. Taught myself how to program it. Been a technophile ever since.
 
ebendl said:
My dad is 50 - and quite into technology. He had this idea of a manager knowing how to use a PC instead of "passing it onto to the secretary" since PCs were introduced!

Problem is his vision - can't read a modern cellphone screen, or anything on the native resolution of his 24" monitor. So he uses it as a lower resolution! >_<
Click to expand...

Put it back to it's native resolution IMMEDIATELY! What your dad is doing is sinful. You always use a monitor at its native resolution.

Now INCREASE the default font size. ;)

If he has a half-decent cell-phone, he should be able to do the same.
 
Gatecrasher said:
35 Phhhtt!

I'm 47. In my final year of school I got a Sinclair ZX80, cost £99. Had a massive 1 kilobyte of memory. The TV display would go blank while processing. Taught myself how to program it. Been a technophile ever since.
Click to expand...

You don't have that ZX80 still, by any chance?

Been looking for a mint one for a long time now for my collection. :)

The ZX80 was a landmark in home computing, first decent CPU at an affordable price. Up to that point (and for a while after in some systems), the 6502 was the most popular CPU. Still got my first 6502 based system, got it in 1978!
 
vodacom3g said:
If you're 35 today, you would've been 10 years old when the IBM PC was already on a massive roll redefining computing as we knew it. By the time you entered high-school you'd be using Windows 95 on a 386 processor.

I'd rather it's the 35 year olds that have no problem deploying technology in their businesses today.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't that be Windows 3.11 for Workgroups on a 286 or 386?

The ages in the article are way out. Again another example of a journalist just making stuff up. I've seen people up to 50 who are OK with technology. I think from 50 onwards should be the proper age.

In SA not everyone under 35 is comfortable with computers anyway.
 
vodacom3g said:
You don't have that ZX80 still, by any chance?

Been looking for a mint one for a long time now for my collection. :)

The ZX80 was a landmark in home computing, first decent CPU at an affordable price. Up to that point (and for a while after in some systems), the 6502 was the most popular CPU. Still got my first 6502 based system, got it in 1978!
Click to expand...

Sadly, not. I left that behind in the UK. I also had a Sinclair ZX-81 and a Dragon 32 which I brought out with me.

Like most of the computers I've owned, they were likely donated to others once I acquired new computers. I never thought that they might one day become collector's items.
 
Although the focus of the article is business's, I really think older people 60+ ..even 50+ should be made to embrace technology more than the younger generation, especially wrt gerontology .. its one way to prevent brain degeneration (plasticity) .. the more games & gadgets they play with the better!

The thought that retirees don't MSN or email or browse & embrace technology is illogical and sad.


lol @ thread: "Abandon fear, embrace technology" .. Yes once you've hit thirty five, you become old and fearful :p:D
 
Dear Lesley Stones. How old are you? Ive been using the internet since before you knew about it.

Fear of technology and constructive technology have nothing to do with age. How many youngsters rather exchange 100 emails or 1000 text instead of picking up the phone and talking. Different modes of communication have different use. If its 11:30 PM I email not phone.

Video conferencing is overrated !!

A phone call to Europe or USA cost less than a local cell call so I pick up my IP phone and call. ( Any one any where !! )
 
Sometimes I get the impression that people in their late teens/early twenties assume that most of today's modern technology was invented by old guys, you know, like 25 year-olds or something. :D
 
Gatecrasher said:
Sadly, not. I left that behind in the UK. I also had a Sinclair ZX-81 and a Dragon 32 which I brought out with me.

Like most of the computers I've owned, they were likely donated to others once I acquired new computers. I never thought that they might one day become collector's items.
Click to expand...

Got a ZX-81 in my collection but a Dragon would be nice. Wonder how many remember the 6809 CPU. :)
 
vodacom3g said:
Got a ZX-81 in my collection but a Dragon would be nice. Wonder how many remember the 6809 CPU. :)
Click to expand...

I wrote a reasonably successful horse racing game on the Dragon. Made a few bob. Written in BASIC, but all the graphics were painstakingly written in machine code to make it run faster. So, yeah, I do remember the 6809!
 
It might also be that us older guys realise when we are being ripped off by sales talk and marketing gimmicks.

We were forced to embrace technology in the 70's/80's and got onboard in the infancy. Hence we sort of know what we want and what is required to achieve it.

That we might not be interested in staying right up to date with the very latest technology and constantly upgrade our hardware/software has nothing to do with fear, rather simple economics. Why bankrupt your company with the latest hw/sw when your current setup is sufficient and there is no significant/viable improvement in efficiency or productivity?

So sorry to you marketing managers (GIBS, Apple) and MD (Pocit), but we do not need your latest offerings right now!!
 
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