My 65 Year Old Parents Want a PC??

[hungrypete]

my grandparents (age 70s)got one not too long ago, and they picked it up pretty quickly. Let them sit on that 56k for awhile and I bet your dad will start considering a broadband connection (especially after they start getting into porn, etc. )
My grandparents actually picked it up pretty quickly, but they are still just "users". Get them a big-ass monitor, thats probably most important to them. Start out slow, with the things they will use on the desktop and the quick launch bar. Show them how to download / install programs / burn cds and they will start picking it up. My grandparents have had their computer for about a year, and they know more than alot of our users here at work. Might get some fishing or card games on there too.
Man, my grandpa likes his porn.

 

[wyvrn]

I am all for buying a 400 Mhz computer and using the difference on one years worth of broadband. By the end of the year, they will gladly pay the 40 bucks a month to keep it running.

 

[hungrypete]

besides, prices will drop soon if you are in a metro area.

I live in the boonies and DSL (256k) is $40 a month.
In denver, last i heard, a 640k DSL was $30 a month.

Stupid rural phone companies. I think the government should be after them instead of MS.

 

[NutBucket]

It make me shutter to say this, but for ppl who aren't computer educated, Imac is probably the best way to go. Time to go troubleshoot a PC now so I get this terrible feeling out of my system.

 

[LarryJoe]

Do they make Napster for the Mac? Just curious, no way I am getting them a Mac.

LJ

 

[Ben88]

Yup, it's called Macster.

 

[Howard]

This has got to be the funniest thread I have read in a long time

 

[Fuse]

ok

 

[Fuse]

^

 

[Tripleshot]

I built a nifty K6-2 500 for my 80 year old Father-in-Law to keep up with email from his children and grandchildren,and I'm delighted my 69 year old father has just purchased a 1 gig athlon computer from HP to get ready for some fun video editing of family vacation films and webcam conferencing.

65 years old? Your parents are young with plenty of time to learn and enjoy the attributes of computing in the new mellinium. I'm excited for your endeavors to get them a nice system. Your doing the right thing.

Merry Christmas

 

[X14]

My parents are both in their 70s and travel quite a bit these days. Mom has my celery 450A rig for typing recipes and email but dad still won't touch the puter. I still get phone calls every now and then from mom, "that recipe I was typing is gone", "what happened to the start button that was in the bottom left corner?", "there's a message on the screen and I don't know what to do, I'll just leave the computer on until the next time you come".

Dad is now getting into digital cameras and stuff and taking lots of pictures on their trips but he went out and bought one of those photosmart printers instead where he can just plop the flash memory card into it and print pictures...he still doesn't want anything to do with the puter.

 

[Atom Ant]

My parents are pushing their 80's real soon. I have had them using a computer for 4 years now and they have had the internet for 2. They woulsd not give up their e-mail for anything. My Mom loves surfing the shoppig areas and Pops likes games (card games, Quake & UT would be a little to much)

I too say go for it. Just make sure there is someone close to help them over the bumps along the learning curve.

 

[Syborg1211]

Actually, now that I think of it. I have been planning on building a computer for my Mom and Dad. I hope it doesn't end up in a headache like some of you said. I already have so much old parts that it would be a waste not to put together another computer. I am hoping that after a while on an old 28k modem my Mom will see the need for DSL
At least my Dad knows how to work a computer. He has has few problems with win95, and he is a master at MS-DOS. He is 55, young to some of you. If I ever have an MS-DOS question, I always ask him and he knows it. The thing is my Mom will most likely be a huge headache since she has trouble working her cell phone!!! I now fear the time when I finish the computer and sit her down and explain to her what the power button is and how to use the right click button on the mouse.

 

[etech]

One other thought, a lot of communities have beginner computer courses for seniors. Try to get them to take one. They would get the basics, possibly meet some new friends, and enjoy their new computer even more.

 

[SuperTool]

try Compaqworks
Hehe. Compaq works Yeah right.
Anyways, depending when you look, you might get a good deal on a presario on the auction. Although with Xmas season, prolly not as good as usual. I got my grandpa (75) a presario k62-450 this summer for something like 400 bucks with cd burner and 96 megs I think.

 

[Playitagainsam]

LarryJoe,

Get them a FREE internet connection, like Netzero or Bluelight (K-Mart, but it actually works well!), or something along these lines. It would be a pity to spend money on dial-up.

just my two cents...

 

[Syborg1211]

I am not sure about it being a pity to spend money on dial-up since I use Netzero and any other free internet service you can think of and I cant stand it. Netzero kicks you off after like 5 minutes of being idle(which means no overnight downloads)! Actually, all free internet services are horrible for downloading lots at a time since they all eventually kick you off within an hour of leaving your computer! And the advertisement bars are horrible and so annoying!

 

[Static911]

my father is a president/CEO of a 200+ company...and he still doesn't really know how to use a computer..

He keeps asking his secretary for help to check Outlook...

It once took him 45 min (I'm not joking) to check ONE email and to reply back cuz he types soooooo slow...(he doesn't want to chicken pick, he wants to do it the right way)

BTW, he still doesn't know how to use his cellphone nor his palm pilot III (yes, three)

Static911

 

[LarryJoe]

Thanks again guys. I wish I could still but a P2 400/BX system from a major vendor and put the saving towards a "19 monitor. It is very safe to say, they will never need the power of a PIII 700, trust me, pretty confident about this.

I will go with a dial-up, but will make the choice in ISP when I set up the system with them. So netzero huh? I'll lool into it. Are there tons of ads or a permanant desktop banner or something??

LJ

 

[Syborg1211]

There is a banner that you are required to click on to stay online every hour or so. Netzero is just living off its popularity now, the service itself now sucks.

 

[X14]

If you're going dail-up and w/ a Dell, it may come with one year free AOL. I ordered a Dell laptop for my sister in October and it came w/ one year free AOL. Try checking their website, I'm sure it will tell you.

 

[corkyg]

65? Just youngsters! I was 69 last September . . . so don't worry about age. I teach beginner seniors at one of our local Seniornet training centers . . . and they do very well.

As far as all that silly Napster stuff goes . . . sheesh!

Your dad might like to know one of my biggest projects is to convert many years of reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes (real jazz . . . not this sweet crap) to CDs.

So, you should get him one with a burner and a good program that converts ana;log music to Wave. Napster is already digital, but the selection sucks for us real trad jazz fans. <G>

 

[Rigoletto]

I would say absolutely DO NOT buy them a PC unless it is some old thing like a P75. They will probably find the WWW addresses advertised underwhelming. Also, having them come to you once a week for a few songs is maintaining a bond. On the other hand, answering their questions and trying to guide them through PCs is going to be very frustrating. If you have tried to explain to the average old person you would know what I mean. They could annoy you at any time on the phone, whereas at least you can confine them to a certain slot every week the way you do it now.
I would only recommend an obsolete Pentium computer if they are capable of learning or have some techno savvy.
Speaking personally, I despise PCs but I am quite a sad person so I have to fiddle with them because I need it to work.

 

[Chuffmaster2k]

I have had a bad experience in this area. My brother in law and I built a computer for his grandfather (about 70) about a year ago.

We put it together and set it up with a 56 modem and free internet and everything. He used it for about a week and then gave up on it. He wanted to get on the internet, but could not stand waiting for the pages. He also could not get broadband.

On the other hand, my grandmother bought a P2 350 about 2-3 years ago and plays on that thing all the time. I don't know how many calls I have gotten about something not working, but I am glad to help her out.

Good Luck. I am sure they will really appreciate whatever you do give them.

 

[frover2000]

I'm kinda disturbed by hungrypete's comment on his grandpa's necessity for porn.....very disturbed...