IT Over Fifty ?
Ok this is my first post so be kind :)
I am here for the over fifty club, I am the only IT person at my office,I am also the oldest person in the company,so please dont give the oldies a hard time. I know more about IT than all the young bloods in the office some whom struggle to find the on off button. I am the Helpdesk for software, hardware and anything that has a button and socket. When I left school there where no computers in the classroom and I crafted my trade through ZX80's onwards. Now the young bloods all had ITC at school but it seems they where all asleep during these classes, but as most share one brain cell and that is damaged they have tuff IT days!.
So be kind to us oldies we know more than you think :)
(stumpey, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 7:17, 11 replies)

I've found
It's mostly laziness and ignorance. Difficult users are usually the ones who don't see IT literacy as a requirement of their job. Age has no real bearing tbh.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 30 Sep 2009, 7:53, closed)

Imagine
if people 40 years ago didn't see being able to read or write as part of their job, and got all snotty when someone asked them to write something down....

My daughter can touch-type aged 7. By the time she gets to working age being able to type/computer literate will be just as important (if it isn't already) as being able to read and write.
(dchurch bah, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 13:42, closed)

I generally don't buy too much into the "everyone over 50 cannot program their cooker" school of thought
There are people who are interested in keeping up with technology, others who aren't. There are people who are able to learn about new technologies and how to use them, others who aren't.

If people want to learn, they will usually manage fine.

Saying that though, my Dad does still keep sending me emails with the recipient email, subject line and email body ALL in the "To:" line of his email program.

He wonders every time why he recieves large numbers of "Delivery Status Notification (Failure)‏"s back when he sends them.

"Delivery to the following recipients failed.

Hello"

"Delivery to the following recipients failed.

son"

"Delivery to the following recipients failed.

how"

"Delivery to the following recipients failed.

are"

"Delivery to the following recipients failed.

you"

etc
( Dixipoos Bye Bye Blackbird, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 7:56, closed)

Hahahaha, my Mum does that!
Plus, as she's on AOL it saves that as the default address.
So when she starts typing her nephew in Australia's email address it auto-fills with 'hello and merry xmas to you and the kids'.

She panics and clicks on it and the email's bounced back indefinitely.

I tell her to go and have a cup of tea and it'll be all fixed when she gets back, then log into her account and delete all the messed-up email addresses.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 8:40, closed)

Ah, he's actually on AOL too! :D

( Dixipoos Bye Bye Blackbird, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 8:49, closed)

Lies
You work in B&Q.
( stopmeandslapme Cometh the hour, cometh your mum, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 12:14, closed)

It's
because "ITC" classes are all about how to use Microsoft Excel and Word, and absolutely bugger all to do with computers. By the time they leave school, the version of Excel they were taught has had all it's menus fucked around with and looks unrecognisable to them.

Couple that with the fact that Microsoft are sponsering our state schools, and you will find that this trend will get worse rather than better.

"ITC Class" = "Learn to almost use Microsoft software".

Of course, if it were Pepsi, or Burger King, it wouldn't be allowed. I find it difficult to find a difference.
(dchurch bah, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 13:36, closed)

but that's because
kids in schools already have Masters in drinking Pepsi and eating McDonald's (though not together, Coca-Cola would go mental)
(bamboozled Can hear you getting fatter, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 15:06, closed)

Maybe burger king could sponsor home economics
Then they would have a generation of pre-trained burger flippers.
(AyeMe, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 15:07, closed)

What I really like
Is your username.

Although I'm a little worried about how you ended up with it.
(Dog Bum Cute, wiggly, has scary anal glands, Wed 30 Sep 2009, 17:19, closed)

A few answers
Wish I did work in B&Q then I would have a big hammer to beat the users with!!

Stumpey (nickname) has followed me around for over forty years due to me being a short arse!

ITC at school, your are right all M$ crap not in the real world.Even though at work I support M$ products at home we all use Linux, wont allow M$ at home for so many reasons, but then comes the problem when ITC homework comes home and you have to use such and such a programme *gasp* guess it must be the same for Mac users. I have had many run ins with the ITC teachers due to this fact and am always suprised at their lack of knowledge about anything outside M$.
(stumpey, Thu 1 Oct 2009, 8:07, closed)