I am a silver surfer and am running my own home built PC details:-PC: home build (built and owned by an old git)
Case:Antec 300
PSU: CoolMaster Real Power M700
TFT Screen: ASUS VH226 21.7"
Mother Board;Asus P5Q DeLuxe
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz 1333FSB (Retail 775
RAM: GeIL Black Dragon 8GB (4x2GB) DDR2 PC2-8500C5 1066MHz Dual Channel Kit
O S:Microsoft 7 Ultimate 64 bit. What I would find difficult would be to move to Linux after using Windows.
Speakers: Logitech Z 5500
Sound Card: Auzen X-Meridian (Dam good it is to worth every penny)
Video Card: Saphire HD4870 Toxic 1GB
Hard Discs:
C: SAMSUNG: HD103UJ [Hard drive] (1000.20 GB)
D: SAMSUNG: HD103UJ [Hard drive] (1000.20 GB C drive raid
G: SAMSUNG: HD103UJ [Hard drive] (1000.20 GB

I am just over 65 and if I can do it with no IT training just the Haynes manual "How to Build your own PC" and a little help from a independent PC shop staff so can any one it is not rocket science. I also play Haylo 2 and several other games. Why is it that younger people think that us of an older generation are unable to keep up with modern technology. Oh I forgot I have over 90 gigs of music also on one drive so I am able to listen to good music like Queen etc whilst I am surfing.

Meh nothing on the upcoming Silver Surfer Movie or anything like that *rolls eyes*

Silver Surfer will always be Norrin Radd.. ^^

I think the idea of making up a specific Linux distribution for the very large aging segment of our population is a great idea.

Much better than:

a) Having to monitor or educate older computer users to use extreme caution in their computer use, patch it, and be paranoid about keeping a virus scanner constantly running and updated.

b) Having to bail said olderperson out of jail when their Windows machine gets pwned and turned into a kiddie porn server, or

c) Having to explain to said olderperson(s) that their retirement savings have vanished from their bank accounts and probably reappeared to benefit some industrious chap's swollen Isle of Man bank account.

Of course, this is not meant to stereotype all "olderpersons" as being less-than-computer-savvy (and I am sure their are many who are power-users as well). But older people do tend in general to be less familiar with newer technology, and computer viruses/rootkits/etc. are now an epidemic that strikes a huge portion of the population, including the older segment (who do not have the ability to "regenerate" lost savings).

Also: just goes to show that the anti-Linux FUD that Microsoft is spreading (yes, the same Microsoft that is responsible/involved in almost all instances of computer crimes) is full of beans. Linux is easy to use.

Stewie's Been on a roll lately.

Quote: "You try explaining to your 70-year-old mother how to use scroll bars, or drop-down menus or how to right click on the desktop."
My mum is 75, and uses Windows 7 with Chrome and Thunderbird quite happily. And her wireless network is called 'SILVERSURFER'. Rock on.

Now, *that's* more like it.

OK, enough of the Northern soul.

Thanks, Stewart! I rather liked that.

One point - our version of the Eldy software is considerably different from the freeware one, with an entirely new translation of the whole UI from the original Italian. And you don't get the tutorials with the freebie, either.

FWIW - I used to be a regular Inq contributor and I'm the chap that put together the software that powers the Simplicity Computer.

This is the problem with training such as the ECDL, it teaches Microsoft Word and not a 'Word Processor, Excel rather than a 'spreadsheet' etc.

I would do give it a go, but well, I don't want the hassle of forking out for a copy of Publisher just to beat an 80 year old lady.

Release something on Scribus, Inkscape or OpenOffice Draw and then I'll try it.

When I was learning computers at school, they didn't teach us specific applications, they taught us the fundementals such as Word Processing (on MS Word for DOS, WordPerfect for DOS, WordWise on the Beeb and Word 2 for Windows), Spreadsheets (on Lotus 1-2-3 for DOS, Excel 1 for Windows and some spreadsheet package that I've forgotten about) and Databases (on Dataease on DOS and DBase 3). They don't tend to do that anymore though, as proven when the wife did an IT training course, it taught Windows XP and Office XP, and this was only 2 years ago. Windows 7 is alien to her.

Rob (who can use a Desktop Publishing package, not just Publisher!).

Why Is It I Am Sure todays Date Should read 12Nov1949? Well, Finally "They" Cann't GET Me, they? TheUS Selective Service Commisiion, coming In Late On Final Broadside in 1996, Dignifying Self with WEBtv & OLD TS: Brought Back to Life. Are OLD People NICE? Does 8 Year Old Razor Blade FEEL Good?

Now with Sterate MASS shifting & B Balanced Complex, Enough To Grow New BRAIN. They TRY To FEED US Medical Marihuana. Tried That. Oldies Are Smart. NOW that Formal BALL is in Order. FAV Are Hon People & BaseMent Ragged NightMare of cHunta Victims(Same AS SELF). REAL RATS Are In Atic, TODAY.

By Using Tm Line, Straight From OLDIES Concentrate On What IS Remember'd, That Which Actually Happened. its Same Prob, Child Just Arn't sure if Dr. GoGo Is that cool or What if Santee' Holds Out For Better Cookies. Its rough, Tough world. You Can IgNore Neighbors & Attack Trajecastan & Its GOLD Reserves, EASILY. Getting Under SON & ON HWY 61.

drashek

Some products are marketed towards children, or college kids, or middle-aged people.

"Hooked on phonics" is touted as a product that will help kids learn to read better. That doesn't imply that all kids have trouble reading. In fact, it's accepted that some kids can read better than their parents and grandparents. Likewise, marketing a simplified computer to older people does not imply that all older people can't use a computer.

So chill :P

Interesting is this, as in year 2000 I published a short tutorial of Microsoft Publisher for fast track learning of this software. When it was used for the first time during Government trials an 82-year-old lady completed her entire publication in just 53 minutes with nil faults. The publication is called 'Easy Publisher' and has only three pages of content excluding the front and rear cover. Every one on the trial had only basic keyboard skills and no prior knowledge of the software.

Your Government wanted me to publish more yet would not employ me to do so, I was unemployed at the time.

You may download a copy of Easy Publisher here, http://tinyurl.com/ybanq76 and try your luck at beating the 82 year old lady's record of just 53 minutes.

Signed Carl Barron Chairman of agpcuk