Provo, Utah
Founder of the Riesling Computer Company and a long-time Blender, Linux, Open-source fan and user. I work to help make sure our elderly members of society are welcomed with open arms to the wonderful new technologies constantly being created.
Authored Comments
Thanks for your input. I hope my article isn't encouraging or promoting the stereotype that older people can't use computers, in fact I'm trying to say the opposite:
"According to a study by the Pew Research Center, some members of older generations have a hard time learning computers because they were born at the wrong time to learn about computers in school or the workplace."
Based on this research and your credentials, you aren't a part of who I'm discussing giving support to. The skills involved in using a computer are completely independent of old age, and really only have to do with experience and exposure (two things I wouldn't doubt in yourself). You were exposed to computers back in the early days when our economical and technological landscape looked very different.
I have older parents too, and my Father is a very experienced Unix and Linux user who has had difficulties proving his experience in the technology companies he's worked with. It's a form of discrimination I'd love to get rid of. First because I love my parents and hate that they face discrimination. Second, I know someday I'll be an old technologist and I don't want to face that discrimination myself.
I touch on a few more of the complexities of this idea and where I derived these teaching methods from in a presentation I gave at Linux Fest Northwest here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SsSzl5mweA
I'm always glad to hear stories from other people that I'm not the only person passionate about this subject and putting thought into it as well! Currently I'm working on creating printable documentation for a lot of the specific tasks that I can leave behind in addition to the notes I encourage them to take during support sessions.