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Print E-mail del.icio.us 36 comment(s) - last by Zoomer.. on Nov 16 at 7:59 PM
Easy to use PC is aimed at elderly first time PC users

Using the Internet has many benefits for people. They can find information about health conditions and keep in contact with friends and family. The problem is that for some users modern computers are very difficult to use and understand. This is a particularly big issue for the elderly.

A new computer has debuted in the UK called SimplicITy that is aimed directly at the elderly. The computer forgoes the complexities of the full windows operating system and uses Linux. Rather than offering users direct access to the normal Linux start up screen the machine goes directly to a screen called "square one."

The square one screen gives users separate buttons that are clickable and takes them directly to functions like email, the internet, files, online chat, and a user profile. The email system used by the machine is a modified version of an application called Eldy.

According to a survey by the Office for National Statistics in the UK conducted in August 2009, 6.4 million people 65 years old and over have never used the internet in the UK. The SimplicITy computer will be sold via a website called discount-age set up by TV presenter Valerie Singleton. Singleton will also be featured in 17 different video tutorials that come installed on the computers.

Singleton told BBC News, "I think people just don't understand them [computers]. I've been using a computer for quite some time and I don't understand everything. Every time I learn a new thing to do on my computer I have to write it down so that I can remember it."

Each of the computers will be built as they are ordered and the lead-time is said to be two weeks. The machines are developed in partnership with Wessex Computers. Once users are comfortable using the computer they can opt to stop using the square one start page and go directly to the Linux desktop.

Comments     Threshold


Yay
By SavagePotato on 11/13/2009 4:01:11 PM , Rating: 5
This is one step closer to the computer with a screen broken up into four huge colored touchscreen buttons, that old people and the general public need.

1: Facebook
2: Useless e-mail jokes
3: Weather widgets
4: Infect this computer with 75 different fake antivirus malware infestations.




RE: Yay
By R6Raven on 11/13/2009 4:01:17 PM , Rating: 2
And don't forget the "Call IT to fix it" button.


RE: Yay
By smegz on 11/13/2009 4:20:49 PM , Rating: 5
That button already exists in my mom's cellphone. Unfortunately it's my number. =(

"Yes mom, the screen with the picture of your cat is the desktop. I do not mean the desk the computer is sitting on."


RE: Yay
By Cypherdude1 on 11/15/2009 2:12:44 AM , Rating: 3
This link is for anyone desperate to buy their Discount-Age computer.
http://www.discount-age.co.uk/simplicity_computers...

Here's your order form:
http://www.discount-age.co.uk/simplicity_computers...

http://www.discount-age.co.uk/simplicity_computers...
"Simplicity Suite 200 comprises of: -

* simplicity : model 200 - smaller and quieter than model 100
o Mini-ITX Intel desktop D945 motherboard
o Intel dual core Atom processor
o Onboard graphics, sound and network connection
* 19" TFT screen
* Wireless keyboard and mouse
* Stereo speakers"


RE: Yay
By Zoomer on 11/16/2009 7:59:58 PM , Rating: 2
The Athlon BE seems to kick the Atom's ass, and is cheaper to boot.


RE: Yay
By ClownPuncher on 11/13/2009 4:07:33 PM , Rating: 4
I disagree with your negativity here. With a large group of users with zero knowledge of computers, the IT industry will be hiring like crazy.

Recession solved. Thank me in 2012 by letting me stay in your fallout shelter.


RE: Yay
By Etern205 on 11/13/2009 4:12:25 PM , Rating: 2
I know a grandma who has better understanding of computers than her son!

lol


RE: Yay
By Furuno on 11/14/2009 2:45:56 AM , Rating: 2
Well, I believe, most of us will be those grandpa/grandma...


RE: Yay
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 11/13/2009 4:18:28 PM , Rating: 2
You assume there are enough people intelligent enough to work in the IT industry.


RE: Yay
By ClownPuncher on 11/13/2009 4:27:09 PM , Rating: 2
There are, everyone in IT knows that just rebooting your equipment fixes everything :)


RE: Yay
By SavagePotato on 11/13/2009 4:35:46 PM , Rating: 2
All those in the know will tell you to reboot it three times.

http://www.thewebsiteisdown.com/


RE: Yay
By rvertrees on 11/13/2009 4:59:52 PM , Rating: 2
This is how IT service is run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpmLrz_lSuE


RE: Yay
By MozeeToby on 11/13/2009 5:38:49 PM , Rating: 5
You don't give the IT industry enough credit, they've come a long way resently. See http://xkcd.com/627/ for the latest in tech support technology.


RE: Yay
By SavagePotato on 11/13/2009 4:33:58 PM , Rating: 3
You assume there are enough people that are sadomasochistic enough to work in the IT industry.

I'll take the gimp outfit and a cruel mistress at this point instead thank you.


RE: Yay
By Proxes on 11/13/2009 4:20:02 PM , Rating: 5
When I worked for Gateway 2000 (1995) as a tech on the phone, the LAST thing I ever wanted on the other end of the line was an old person. Men ages 50 and up were the absolute worst to try and help.

I'd rather help a 12 year old girl, at least they would listen to you.


RE: Yay
By SavagePotato on 11/13/2009 4:30:10 PM , Rating: 5
There was a guy at work one time who tried the, "do you have kids?, can you put one of them on the phone?" approach with a particularily stunned user.

Unfortunately the user was so stunned she put her 3 year old on the phone...


RE: Yay
By Kurz on 11/14/2009 1:05:06 PM , Rating: 2
And I bet that son was able to figure out what your Co-worker wanted.

Seriously though older people tend to play the part of helpless fools. Younger people tend to learn from the experience.


RE: Yay
By Bateluer on 11/13/2009 5:02:46 PM , Rating: 2
Damn straight, job security. If everyone was tech savvy, there wouldn't be a need for 2/3rd of IT people.


RE: Yay
By AbsShek on 11/16/2009 8:41:10 AM , Rating: 2
If everyone was tech savvy, those 2/3rd IT people would get to work on something that actually mattered... bring on the revolution!


RE: Yay
By ggordonliddy on 11/13/09, Rating: 0
Most people ...
By Curelom on 11/13/2009 4:32:08 PM , Rating: 5
Most people get their grandparents a clunker old pc and a small fuzzy monitor and wonder why they don't use it. Older people need a BIG monitor for their eyesight and have little patience waiting on a pc thrashing around because it has little memory and little processing power. They would rather be doing something else.




RE: Most people ...
By pkoi on 11/15/2009 2:40:45 AM , Rating: 1
Completely agree,,, most can't restrain from installing dozens of persistent software in the tray.

as I often say : "It doesn't matter how much ram you have,.... As long as you have some left. ... ... Otherwise it will not be slow It will Fucking stop !..."

Some will run complete virus scan or maintenance apps twice a day ...

I once had a customer that had 0 program installed he would install, run .. and then uninstall everytime, all to make his computer faster.


Am I the only one..
By ThePooBurner on 11/14/2009 4:03:19 AM , Rating: 5
quote:
The computer forgoes the complexities of the full windows operating system and uses Linux.


Am I the only one that read that and laughed out loud? :)




RE: Am I the only one..
By ShaolinSoccer on 11/16/2009 6:01:46 AM , Rating: 1
I laughed too. The thing is, there was already a good system available for old (or young) people called WebTV (MSN TV). I first got on the internet using it and thought it was great. It was actually perfect for old people because they can use their big screen TV. But now MS no longer makes the hardware so I guess other companies are gonna try to pick up the slack...


Yay
By frozentundra123456 on 11/15/2009 12:38:11 AM , Rating: 2
Give me a break. Not everyone who is old is stupid. If someone could learn to use this computer, they could learn Windows or OsX. You don't have to be an expert in an operating system to be able to use e-mail, surf the net, and do other basic tasks. How hard is it to click a few icons to access e-mail or the internet??




RE: Yay
By ATTFdiggs on 11/16/2009 1:58:59 PM , Rating: 3
I completely agree that not everyone turns into an idiot at a certain age. Very stereotypical thinking, however, with most stereotypes there are some truths with the group. MANY, not all people tend to have a mental block about computers. They convince themselves they can't do it or learn it. Will this interface help? Possibly. You however must have been sheltered from these folks, who do tend to be older.

I have a very good buddy that is now in his 60's, and was early 50's when I built his first PC. After 10+ years he still has no idea how to deal with locations of files. Windows Explorer is a total mystery to him. I have spent weeks in hours trying to explain the concept of file locations, what an application is, what the desktop is..... Very very basic stuff and he simply cannot grasp it. Watching him reply to an email is a very painful experience. Ask him to open his browser, and you see the deer in the headlights look. Even though I have shown him this hundreds of times.

This man has owned a PC for over 10 years and can basically send an email, and go to his favorite sites. I put shortcuts to the sites on his desktop so he could achieve this. Don't even introduce him to a tabbed browser, he would have a melt down. The level of frustration is unexplainable. I don't think all older people are like this, but I certainly have an example that fits the stereotype.


Some points.
By drycrust on 11/15/2009 1:29:26 PM , Rating: 2
I like the fact they are using a Linux system, although I think they should be more specific because there are lots of Linux flavours and each one has different levels of support.

quote:
Each of the computers will be built as they are ordered and the lead-time is said to be two weeks.


Excuse my total ignorance regarding building computers, but two weeks seems not only a long time, but also that each unit is going to be very expensive. I found a video showing how to build a PC, and with all the parts on hand they say it takes about 20 minutes, and the video suggests that is probably right. Allowing extra time for the software installation and updates, and it should all be done and fully tested in 2 hours.
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/video_ho...




RE: Some points.
By Motoman on 11/16/2009 1:08:11 AM , Rating: 2
If your PCs are all identical, you can just image them and be done in a couple hours.

If they're different, such that you don't have an image for them, installing the OS takes a while, and then you have to install all your drivers, and then you have to download assloads of patches, which takes forever, and then start installing your software, and download it's patches, and then do final configuration on how you want everything to look and work.

Many hours of work on a custom build. Days, depending on your download speed.


Eldy
By Jawadali on 11/14/2009 12:07:38 PM , Rating: 2
I was going to mention this looks very similar to eldy, a software package/front-end which is meant to make computing easy for seniors:

http://www.eldy.eu/

After reading the article, and checking the eldy website, it looks like eldy is indeed what they are using. I haven't had a chance to try out the software, but it looks pretty decent for users who are new to computers.

They have Linux and Windows versions (with a Mac version coming soon).




my boss's mom
By matt0401 on 11/14/2009 4:39:54 PM , Rating: 2
My boss's mother (50s/60s) bittorrents movies etc, and has a VPN set up (without the use of Hamachi) between her and my boss's house for sharing warez. :O




Porn
By wifiwolf on 11/14/2009 7:46:53 PM , Rating: 2
Porn will get to a whole new level




A levitating PC?
By AnnihilatorX on 11/16/2009 6:19:12 AM , Rating: 2
The best PC is a levitating laptop? :)
That's sensible cause you can't hold a 4kg laptop for long when you are 65.

(In reference to the poorly photoshopped picture)




Wireless?
By Yaos on 11/16/2009 12:32:15 PM , Rating: 2
Why would they go with wireless for the keyboard and mouse, it never works. Why don't they resell an all-in-one computer instead?




Great
By IcePickFreak on 11/13/09, Rating: -1
RE: Great
By SavagePotato on 11/13/2009 5:56:17 PM , Rating: 2
You can't go 30 with your blinker on on the Internet.

Everyone knows old people like to gamble, and poker chips clear out clogs in the series of tubes. One can imagine that millions of oldsters and their poker chips will clear out the tubes and make things faster.


RE: Great
By Chaotic42 on 11/13/2009 11:23:47 PM , Rating: 2
Good God. Can you imagine the Matlock and Price Is Right torrents that will clog the tubes? And what about letters to the editor online?

We're doomed.


"I'm an Internet expert too. It's all right to wire the industrial zone only, but there are many problems if other regions of the North are wired." -- North Korean Supreme Commander Kim Jong-il

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