Your top ten comments on computing for older people

Yes we can
For years I have been irritated about the perception that people over 50 years old need special treatment to enable them to use computers.

I do not include people with visual or other disabilities in this. I was 49 when I first used a computer. I felt then and feel now that the any difficulty in using computers lies in the individual's feeling about the subject rather than any physical difficulty. I am now approaching 70 and have created databases, corresponded with professionals around the world to keep and update an Internet medical directory, use all Microsoft Office products, edit photos and more.

I am not the only one - there are thousands of people out there older than I am who have similar abilities. I want to publicise the work of Abilitynet in helping people with disbilities to use IT - don't encourage people over 50 to believe they can't manage. We should take President Obama's words – yes we can!

Diane Barnett

Bemused and annoyed
Browsing around my local PC World I was somewhat amused and a little annoyed to see a book entitled 'Computers for the over-50s'. Why the over-50s have been targeted is beyond me.

At the tender age of 59 I've been involved in IT as an analyst programmer for the past 30 years and I would imagine most people of my generation actually grew up with computers and really do not need such hand-holding through this mysterious world of PCs. Of course there will be those who have never had the opportunity to get to grips with this technology but surely that goes for all ages, in particular those in the age-range of 70 and above who would have been in their 40s or 50s when we were first introduced to the Sinclair ZX80.

Now, as if all of this wasn't bad enough I then saw in my latest issue of Computeractive an article about the release of a new PC for the over-50s which utilises, and I quote, 'a simplified interface called Eldy'.

Who are these people producing such equipment and writing such books? Why are they targeting the over-50s? I find it all rather astonishing and quite irritating.
I, like many of my age group could, I'm sure, write our own book on how to use a computer. We had to use systems designed long before the user-friendly Windows operating systems.

Dave March

I started my own 'silver surfers' club
I started a Computer Club in a pub in 2002 to introduce senior members of our area near Alicante in Spain to computers. I started by giving talks with just one computer, on basic Windows 95, Word and Excel. It wasn’t long before we outlived two pubs, eventually being offered the use of the civic centre courtesy of the local council.

Over the years hundreds of silver surfers have become members: at present we have some 90 members on the books. Sadly some have died and some returned to the UK. One elderly member said he got withdrawal systems if he missed a meeting. He leant Excel in order to keep a record of his sugar levels and blood pressure and assisted his GP by presenting him with a graph of the readings.

Although none of the six instructors are qualified teachers their enthusiasm and dedication makes up for it. Anyone interested can have a look at our web site www.lamarinacomputerclub.com.

Denis Conway