Alric Knebel wrote:
Michael Black wrote:

On Wed, 30 Apr 2008, J wrote:

On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:22:05 -0500, Alric Knebel
wrote:

I know this thread is about converters, but I have to say, I can't
believe anybody is still using VCRs


A lot of us electronically-clueless elderly people on fixed incomes
are still using VCRs.

Why not simply "electronically-clueless"?

Everyone wants to portray older people as inept, but that's just
seeing them as they are now. Start subtracting from their age, and
you'll find people who were young and capable.

I saw an add for a program to help "seniors" learn to use the
internet, and the lower age limit was 55. But subtract 30 and you
have a 25 year old in 1978 when small computers were well on their
way. It would take quite the person to live thirty years while
ignoring computers, and then suddenly want to learn at 55 or older.

I'll be fifty next year. I was ten when I wanted a computer, and
they didn't even exist in anything smaller than a minicomputer (and
way too expensive) at the time.

The first vcr I ever saw was when a friend bought his first one in
the fall of 1980, 28 years ago. That's a long time to adapt.

No, most of this "the elderly are inept" comes from other people.

If you're saying what I think you're saying, I agree. I'm 55,

I'm quite a bit older than that.

and I have no trouble at all keeping up with technological changes,

Me neither.

and I'm in fact always excited about new things. I learn about it, and make the most of it. I'm never on the
vanguard with it, but I trail just behind that group.

I have never trailed behind at all.

And when I showed up at my dad's place when he was in his 90s,
I discovered that he had a big pile of orders that he had printed out
on his Mac, and faxed to the licensed restaurant that had specials
in his retirement village, which they delivered using golf buggy etc.

We did have a problem trying to fax him the details about when we
were going to show up, he kept picking the phone up instead of letting
the fax answer it. He also had some wierd theory about the fridge door
needing to be open for an incoming fax to be recieved too. We gave up
on that, never did manage to fax the details.