Charles,
Tell your in-laws that age is not a factor in using computers. I am 66 years
old and I know others that are older than I am that use computers (and
probably a lot better, too).
Your in-laws could probably get "Internet for Dummies." While that has
nothing to do with Arachne, it will describe how sites are named (domain
names) and the various things that are available with a computer.
I described e-mail addresses to a friend as being something like a telephone
number --- the part before the "@" is similar to a telephone number and the
part after the "@" is like an area code. However, unlike a telephone number,
both the number and the area code have to be used at all times. If you make
an error when dialing a telephone, you will get a wrong number; if you make
an error sending an e-mail, it will go to the wrong person, or be returned if
there is no address that matches. Hopefully the person that receives an
incorrectly addressed e-mail will return it.
As far as using Arachne, I think that a hands on demonstration (slowly) would
probably be best. After getting them to power-up a computer and execute
some programs (a word processor would probably be a good start), get them to
log onto the WWW, go to Yahoo.com, go to some other site that they would be
interested in. When they get comfortable with that, then introduce them to
e-mail. I put it in this order so that they won't try e-mail first and
inadvertently end up on the web at some XXXX-rated sex site <G>.
Once they get to using the computer, they'll really like it. Communication
by e-mail is, IMO, better than telephoning --- you don't have to worry about
interrupting anyone, and you say what you want to say and send it.
Roger Turk
Tucson, Arizona USA
Charles Boisvert wrote:
>>Hello all,
sorry about my posting about this list being like a cult. I meant it as a
joke, but my jokes often get OT :-)
I've installed arachne on a refurbished computer to put my in-laws on
e-mail. They are in their 70s and they've hardly ever used a computer
before. Last week my father-in-law tried to ask for any Arachne
manual/self-help tutorial in a bookshop... Now I've got some news for you:
there aren't any Arachne for dummies for sale in bookshops ;)
Question is, has any of you got some basic howtos for Arachne that I could
print and pass on? Also, my in-laws wouldn't like to receive all the
e-mails on this list but how would you react if they sent a question to it,
hoping for help on their address?<<
