Do you know anyone that doesn't have a computer?

Yes. I just got my car fixed at a place that still does paper billing. Woman there says she won't have a computer and never watches TV. Many around here don't know what WiFi means.
 

I think that the world has become too complex for some people, and they tend to negotiate required on-line interactions through more computer-adept people, perhaps friends or family members, who serve as their representatives on line. Technology and the degree of familiarity and comfort with it increasingly stratifies society. Computerized check-ins are becoming increasingly common at medical practices and labs, and I've seen bewildered souls staring clueless at the screens and keyboards until walked through the procedure...
 
I live in a Senior Citizen community. Many residents don't have computers, or feel a need for them. I never try to convince them to get a computer. I just don't talk about computers around them. We have a computer room. The computers are old and slow. There are three computers. Usually at least one is out of service. I've used one whenever I got desperate. Then I have to deal with potentially troublesome neighbors.
 
I come across quite a few who don't own a computer per se, but rely on smart phones to text, send email, shop, and surf the web. I suspect most of these would have no idea how (or why) to create a database, spreadsheet, or even do basic word processing. I agree with Fyrefox in that the degree of familiarity and comfort with computer technology has and will continue to increasingly stratify society.
 
Yes,I know 2 people:
My next door neighbor,Pat age 84 was given a IPad for Xmas by her 2 daughters a couple yrs ago.I thought it was an odd gift knowing she would never hook it up or use it. She gave to her grand daughter couple months later
My close church friend,BettyAlice age 90 stopped using her computer when she moved into an retirement facility last yr I asked her if she misses it'NO"
 
There are a few people I knew who were hard core off the grid prepper types who shunned the world wide web and for communications they actually used CB radios and utilized TTY & TDD phones on analog landline phone services to communicate with each other. They were so paranoid they actually transmitted morse code messages to each other using amateur radios, everything else was snail mail including bill payments and catalog ordering. Hardy bunch who had their property booby trapped, a years worth of canned goods, water and dried food, a cadre of weapons and crates of ammo. Noticed I said "I knew". They probably didn't know that this system was the only private means of communicating without government eavesdropping.

Basic person to person phone plan

tin-cans-communication-630x300.jpg

Low cost party line system

tin_can_telephone.jpg

As for me I love my computers, laptops, tablets but I despise it when my smartphone rings, it reminds me of work.

Thanks for reading.
 
Last edited:
I have coffee with about 10 friends. They are all seniors and younger than me.

I am the only one with a computer and there are only two of us with cell phones.

Now at least one of them have a wife with a computer that books the plane trips, appointments, etc.

One of them, I swear, has an abacus in the basement. ☎
 
I don’t currently know anyone who doesn’t use technology...computer or smart phone.

At one time I had several clients who didn’t, but I’ve since gotten them up and running with both. Tedious work to get them comfortable enough to actually begin using them routinely, but they’re so happy now!!
 
Yes. I just got my car fixed at a place that still does paper billing. Woman there says she won't have a computer and never watches TV. Many around here don't know what WiFi means.
Eventually. All businesses end up with a computer.
Not as much now, but at the start of converting manual systems to computers there was a lot of resistance. But then when you convert and the system goes down the dissenters are all hollering to get it up. I tell them. Go find your old price books. You didn't want the computer.
 
I've see that many of my neighbors have cellphones. When I lived in a community in Maine, I let it be known that I was available for computer help. I got a few people who said they maybe had Windows 98 (this was in 2006). My best advice for them was to buy a new computer. In recent years, I've tried to help my 92 year old Dad with his computers. He ignores at least half my advice, then gets hit with the consequences (computer ransom notes, whatever). He continues to fight me whenever I try to help. Sometimes it takes days or weeks for the simplest things.... I told him I've retired.
 
I know several older women who do not own computers, but one of my older cousins goes down to her local library several times a week and logs in to send and receive her E-mail and her jokes. That woman sure enjoys jokes and some of the ones she sends me are mighty "racy" for an 87 year old woman. There is no way that I would post them here. You ladies would "run me out of town" if I did.
 
Some of the older mom & pop stores don't do computerized stuff. Plus I know several elderly folks who don't own a computer. They have smart phones. I'm in for a real learning curve when I get my first smart phone because I'm clueless at using those things.
 


Back
Top