I thought WATPA readers might interested in this.
Regards,
Norm
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> Seniors take to the Net
>
> Copyright ? 1997 Nando.net
> Copyright ? 1997 The Christian Science Monitor
>
> BOSTON (November 26, 1997 09:53 a.m. EST http://www.nando.net) -- When
Bonnie Hoskins's children suggested she get a computer, she was intrigued
but a little wary. The idea of using e-mail to keep in touch with friends
and loved ones was delightful. But the technology surrounding the computer
was a little daunting.
>
> Her three grown children were already e-mailing one another - from
Chicago, Boston, and Germany. With their gentle prodding, Hoskins, who
lives in Florida, finally agreed. Her son hooked her up with a PC and
software, and soon, she found herself with an America Online account.
>
> Now, by following just a few simple steps, she gets online almost every
morning and exchanges e-mail with her children and grandchildren. "My son
is installing software for voice mail now," Hoskins says. "It comes
electronically and translates into sound, so I can hear my granddaughter
Heather's voice."
>
> Hoskins is one of a rapidly growing number of adults discovering the
Internet after middle age. From finding new friends and sharing a new hobby
to getting the latest news and making travel reservations, early baby
boomers and seniors are catching up to younger generations who consider
surfing the Net second nature. These mature computer users are finding that
cyberspace is changing their lifestyle - the way they communicate, find
information, and spend their leisure time.
>
> Catching up to younger generations
>
> The 55-and-over age group is the fastest-growing demographic group for
computer sales and Internet use, says Glen Gilbert, director of public
relations for SeniorNet, based in San Francisco. Approximately 15 percent
of them are regular Internet users, accounting for 8 million of the 50
million users.
>
> Part of the growth, of course, has to do with the fact that the group is
playing catch-up. Also, it is the fastest growing segment of the overall
population.
>
> Yet, mature adults are particularly poised to take advantage of the
Internet, given their extra leisure time and interest in long-distance
communication.
>
> Timidity about learning the technology is disappearing. The number of
overall e-mail accounts has risen to 93 million, up from 62 million a year
ago. Meanwhile, WebTV and cable TV are seeking out an older market that
wants to e-mail and plug into the Internet without having to buy a personal
computer. "People of my generation have reservations about technology, but
once you get started, it is so easy," says Hoskins.
>
> Randy Bassin has seen enthusiasm like Hoskins's time and again. His
company, HOMEPC, in Lowell, Mich., provides computer sales, service, and
executive-style training to consumers in western Michigan. Some 30 percent
of his business has been in the retiree category (typically between 65 and
75). "I am still observing an above-average growth in this group -
including my own dad, finally," he says.
>
> Mr. Bassin talks of several factors behind the trend. "Peer pressure
within close social groups for the exchange of e-mail addresses has driven
many to their first PC simply for Internet connection," he says. Some
people who are caring for relatives and spouses have become house-bound,
and they need diversions nearby.
>
> Adult-school courses, science museums, and community centers have all
seen increased enrollment in classes ranging from "Introduction to the
Internet" to "How to Design Your Own Web Page."
>
> SeniorNet, an Internet pioneer, runs learning centers nationwide offering
peer-to-peer computer instruction to people 55 and older. Five years ago
there were about 40 learning centers; today there are 110. By the end of
this year there will be 22 more.
>
> "There's a tremendous amount of interactive learning going on," reports
Gilbert. Genealogy is a huge hobby, and many people watch the stock market.
Book chats and cooking clubs are popular, as is information about
reemployment after retirement, health, community activism, and grief
support.
>
> Norman Lino got talked into getting an online account by his daughter.
Mr. Lino had worked with computers before, but this was his first jaunt
into Web searches and e-mail. Now he "talks" to his daughter, sometimes
several times a day via e-mail. "I use the Internet to track my stocks, get
sports scores, and do other searches. Since I only have one phone line, I
don't spend hours on the Net at one time. Last week I even sent an e-mail
to a friend in Sweden - so much faster, cheaper, and fun."
>
> For Louise Licht, travel was a draw. She first went on the Internet as an
amateur archaeologist. "I traveled to Egypt via the Internet, and the Cairo
Museum. From there I went to England, then France. I said to my husband,
'You'll never guess where I've been!' all on one rainy Saturday morning."
>
> These days, Ms. Licht serves on the national board of SeniorNet, is a
coordinator of learning centers, and has become an advocate of mature
computer users.
>
> "There is a myth that the over-40 and 50-plus generation really is afraid
of technology, but they're the best students," she says. "They bring with
them their wisdom, lifelong training, and will to learn." Some of her
favorite Web sites to send new students are The White House (a virtual
tour), Epicurious (a food site), and David Letterman.
>
> You gain a tremendous virtual family, says Licht, of the Internet's
appeal. "I have so many friends all over the country. You find people with
the same hobbies and interests." She was able to locate a long-lost friend
she hadn't talked with in more than 30 years. Her husband, for example,
enjoys classical-music chats.
>
> Gloria Hasselbacher, of Connecticut, has been going online for about five
years. "There's a real explosion in our age bracket. At a time of life when
people's options are limited, mine are expanded," says the grandmother of
seven. She praises the Web's ability to connect and reunite people.
>
> One of Hasselbacher's hobbies is the Greeting Card Exchange, where people
design greeting cards and send them to one another through "snail mail" -
the kind the postman delivers. She also enjoys scanning photos and sending
them to family members as photo albums. Computer toys, like scanners, don't
come cheap, she says, adding that she's fortunate that her husband is
supportive of her techno-hobby.
>
> At this writing, Hasselbacher was helping her daughter's family move in
Pennsylvania. With her laptop computer along, she was able ease the
transition for her 15-year-old granddaughter, Sarah. "She has been missing
her friends terribly," says Hasselbacher. But having the laptop at the
hotel has been a plus, because Sarah's friends have been e-mailing her
through her grandmother.
>
> Dealing with technology frustration
>
> The Net can have its downsides for mature users as well. Technology
frustration comes in at No. 1. Careful handholding is part of good
training. But, "as the clock ticks, so does the technological clock," says
HOMEPC's Bassin. "Most users will never know what or when upgrades must
occur." This is all the more reason someone must serve as their
"techno-advocate," he says.
>
> Some have voiced concern about physical isolation. "It's worth keeping an
eye on," says SeniorNet's Gilbert. "On the other hand, shut-ins find it's a
wonderful opportunity to break down isolation."
>
> Hasselbacher notes that one of the downsides is the way people feel they
can behave with anonymity - insulting and aggressive. While that might not
be the norm, she suggests that people tend to behave on the information
highway the same way they behave on real highways.
>
> Reports that people are spending too much time on the Internet are
exaggerated, says SeniorNet's Licht. "I am constantly learning - it's an
unending learning experience, and that's what life should be."
>
> By KIRSTEN A. CONOVER, The Christian Science Monitor