Helping your parents with technology!

[Labcabin]

Need I say more?


I try, I really try to stay patient. My mom is 74. She has outlived two husbands, and is a heck of a woman. However, computers and the TV and its remotes! Today she calls from Florida and she can't print.

This is after three separate discussions about turning the cable box on and not just the TV. Comcast has perplexed her with its satan technology. She has never even seen a Tivo.

Tonight she has the printer cable. USB end in the laptop and can't figure out where to put the other end of the cable. She swears there is no place on the printer to plug it in. The printer is on a wireless network, but trying to walk her through getting her new Macbook to recognize it. Should be simple but eeeeehhhhh!

find the zen!!!!!

I know some of you fight the frustration.

[stfu&gbtw]

Family tech support here since 1985.


You have my deepest sympathies.

[LeeLau]

I talked dad out of getting a "smart" mobile phone because I didn't want to be tech support. Unfortunately he and Mum have discovered facebook but fortunately he is able to figure out basic functions. So he's actually pretty good compared to most seniors

[Meadow Skipper]

It's interesting to think about what your kids are going to have to explain to you.

[Benny Profane]

Family tech support here since 1985.


You have my deepest sympathies.

Have they finally figured out the two sticks makes fire thing? Betcha they're still uncomfortable with a working toilet.

[RShea]

You need to be able to remote into their computer, take control and plenty of photos or descriptions of the plugs or connectors that you want them to find. Get copies of the product manuals so you can describe the layout and what is where.

For the TV and cable box- fix that with a remote control that has an ALL power button on it which will power on or off all the devices programmed for it. Of course the programming would have to be done by you most likely next time you get home, figuring out how to get 2 or 3 devices working off a universal remote would be a challenge unless there is a very simple learning mode.

[mall walker]

+1 for a remote connection... TeamViewer is free but I think there are automated solutions where you just need the thing to be turned on (which can be a non-trivial obstacle)

[KQ]

I talked dad out of getting a "smart" mobile phone because I didn't want to be tech support. Unfortunately he and Mum have discovered facebook but fortunately he is able to figure out basic functions. So he's actually pretty good compared to most seniors

Same here - a flip phone is all my Mom needs.

[capulin overdrive]

Hell I'm about there.

Got one the most badass home theater system from the late 90's, and now I can't even hook fucking Blue Ray player to it!

[shroom]

http://imgur.com/gallery/iJD8f

https://imgur.com/a/B9wqU

[stfu&gbtw]

Have they finally figured out the two sticks makes fire thing? Betcha they're still uncomfortable with a working toilet.

Well, they're almost as old as you are, so you'd probably be one to know.

Both parents know how to change their own brakes though...

[Benny Profane]

Hahaha. Your mom changes brakes.

[shroom]

wait so now it's oil changes and brakes? top shelf

[concretejungle]

It's interesting to think about what your kids are going to have to explain to you.

I got a new iPhone with the touch ID thing. I set it up for my right thumb but I keep my phone in my left pocket. I mentioned it to the two college students at work and after they got done looking at me like I was an idiot they were kind enough to explain that I can have it recognize multiple fingers.

[Tye 1on]

iPads kick ass for kids and elders.

Edit- kids don't need iPads.

[stfu&gbtw]

Hahaha. Your mom changes brakes.

Lol... Benny would rather spend two days getting his brakes done than learn how to do it... Just think of all that lost time you could have spent watching tv at the hotel.. You probably spent $500 on brakes, and when you factor in 2 full days of your personal time wasted, it's probably more like $525!

[WTF is dat]

Lol... Benny would rather spend two days getting his brakes done than learn how to do it... Just think of all that lost time you could have spent watching tv at the hotel.. You probably spent $500 on brakes, and when you factor in 2 full days of your personal time wasted, it's probably more like $525!

You have been in especially fine form lately.

[WTF is dat]

Insert joke about fucking up getting off a chairlift here

[St. Jerry]

You would think that after missing the births of their two grandchildren because they were not reachable, my parents would get a cell phone.

But you assume wrong...

[Skidog]

My dad's a fucking programmer and I still have to give the simplest tech support. A sys admin and have had help desk roles, so usually keep my cool, but wow...

[Benny Profane]

Lol... Benny would rather spend two days getting his brakes done than learn how to do it... Just think of all that lost time you could have spent watching tv at the hotel.. You probably spent $500 on brakes, and when you factor in 2 full days of your personal time wasted, it's probably more like $525!

Yeah, but your Mom could have been so much more productive walking the streets instead of, ........ Haha, snork, ....changing her brakes. I can't believe it, your Mom changes brakes. Haha.

[stfu&gbtw]

My dad's a fucking programmer and I still have to give the simplest tech support. A sys admin and have had help desk roles, so usually keep my cool, but wow...

Dude, there's no tougher support call than a software developer. Every one I've ever worked with thought the entire universe is began and ended at their API.

[stfu&gbtw]

Yeah, but your Mom could have been so much more productive walking the streets instead of, ........ Haha, snork, ....changing her brakes. I can't believe it, your Mom changes brakes. Haha.

Oh, that's a good one Benny! But you missed the tie in about how that would have given you something to do while waiting at the dealership! Of course, even a cheap ho like my mom would have been too expensive for you after you emptied your retirement account getting your subaru serviced. If you ever see my mom walking the streets, if you ask nice, maybe she'll show you how to replace your windshield wiper blades.

[MakersTeleMark]

Same here - a flip phone is all my Mom needs.

I once spent an hour teaching my Mom how to put her flip phone on speaker so that she could hear me when her ears started fading. It was excruciating. I finally drew and gave her a diagram of what button and where to press to hear me. This is the "you can hear me button ---> press it to hear your son." Don't get me started about boxes, TV's, and remotes.

[Pegleg]

I just went to the Verizon store with my dad (early 70s) because he lost his (non-smart) phone while visiting me. He decided he wanted an iPhone, which (a) he can't afford (would be $50/month more than his current phone), and (b) he wouldn't be able to figure out and would be constantly complaining that it doesn't work like it's supposed to. My gambit: I said "You know those people who constantly stare at their phone? Do you want to be one of them? Because that's what having the internet on your phone will do." It worked, he got a slightly newer version of his old phone instead ($3 more per month) and he now explains to anyone who will listen that he CHOSE not to get a smartphone because he doesn't need one. Rather brilliant, if I do say so myself.

But I can already feel myself headed for tech obsolescence - I tried signing up for Spotify and couldn't immediately figure out how to set it up, so I'm still listening to Pandora and my iTunes library. I know, I know, I'm a dinosaur.